Destruction of 2 Structures in ad Duyuk at Tahta

Violation: demolishing 2 residences under construction
Location: Ad Duyuk at Tahta, Jericho
Date: 18 July, 2018
Perpetrators: Israeli Planning and Construction Committee
Victims: Two families

Details:

Ad Duyuk at Tahta faced a new wave of Israeli aggressions as a group of Israeli military forces accompanied with an officer from the Planning and Construction Committee of the Civil Administration broke into the area of Ad Duyuk at Tahta, north of Jericho city on Wednesday Morning of 18 July, 2018.

The Israeli army used two bulldozers to level two houses under construction in the area. The demolition was carried out under the pretext of unlicensed construction. According to field research, the damaged structures belong to two Jerusalemite families. The targeted families would come to Jericho as a breather and a break from the hard conditions they face as Palestinians in Jerusalem. The following table gives details of the inflicted damage according to a field visit by an LRC researcher:

Citizen	No. of family members	Members under 18	Area (m2)	Nature of structure	Pictures
Allam Khaled Tahseen Abdullah	4	2	110	House under construction (1 floor)	1+2+3
Fawzat Saeed Ahmad Shweika	6	3	90	House under construction	4 +5+6
			12	Metal room
			25 meters	Brick walls
Total	10	5

The researcher and journalist, Adel Abu-Nimah, told the LRC researcher that: "the area of Ad Duyuk at Tahta (or Alsatih) is one of the most targeted areas by the Israeli occupation, and during the past few years, the Israeli forces have carried out extensive demolitions, let alone the dozens of stop-work orders through which the occupation authorities claim the facilities do not have a building permit in a total ignorance (and challenge) of the fact that the area is under the responsibility of the Municipality of Jericho. It is clear, in fact , that the Israeli occupation wants to regain control of that area as it was an agricultural colony before the Oslo agreement."

Ad Duyuk at Tahta:

One of the newly amended neighborhoods of Jericho city; it is located on the eastern side of the city and inhabited by around 940 people according to Jericho Municipality.

It is known for the availability of water while holding Steih spring which pumps around 13 m3/ hour.

The area holds a number of various historical and religious sites.

It is worth mentioning that Ad Duyuk at Tahta (or Alsatih) is under Area C according to Oslo and has no less than 100 structures (houses and otherwise) that are under the threat of demolition for unlicensed construction (no building permit).

International Conventions and agreements pertaining to house demolition:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Article 17: " (1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property."

The 1907 the Hague Convention

Article 23: " In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war."

The Geneva Fourth convention

Article 53: " Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations."

The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights:

Article 11.1 states: "The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent".

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:

Article 1 states: "1. All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

2. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.

3. The States Parties to the present Covenant, including those having responsibility for the administration of Non-Self-Governing and Trust Territories, shall promote the realization of the right of self-determination, and shall respect that right, in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations."

Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC