The Occupation Targets Several Structures in Masafer Yatta villages / South Hebron

• Violation: Demolition of Residential and Agricultural Structures.
• Date: August 11^th 2021.
• Location: Masafer Yatta / Hebron Governorate.
• Perpetrators: The Israeli Occupation Civil Administration.
• Victims: 5 Citizens from Masafer Yatta.

Description:

Wednesday, August 11^th 2021, the Israeli Occupation Machineries leveled residential and Agricultural structures in Masafer Yatta area, on the pretext of building without a license. Demolition operations took places in Khallet Ad-Dabe’a, Al-Fakheet , and Al-Buweib areas.

Khallet Ad-Dabe’a:

 An Army Force, border guards, and the building and organization department in the Civil Administration raided the area accompanied by two civil bulldozers.

• House of Citizen Mohammed ‘Ali Dababsa: the house was built in 2019, and has a total area of (75m²) of bricks and steel sheets, and it is a home for a family of 12, 7 of them are children (5 females).

The Occupation forces emptied the structures, and carried out the demolition without any preceding notices, noting that this is the second time the occupation demolishes a house that belongs to Dababsa. After first demolition in June 17^th 2019 , the owner built the house once again on his plot.

• A cistern that belongs to Citizen Jaber Dababsa: The cistern was in its final construction phases, and had a total storage capacity of 100 m³ of harvested rainwater used for both domestic and agricultural needs.

Noteworthy,  In July 21^st 2021, the Israeli Occupation Authorities issued a demolition within 96- hours’ notice on the cistern in reference to military order (1797) for 2018.

Al-Fakheet:

The Occupation machineries demolished the following structures in Al-Fakheet:

• An Agricultural room belong to Citizen Fadel Al-‘Amour:

The room is built of steel and plastic sheets, and has a total area of 30 m². Noteworthy, the occupation demolished the room in March 17^th 2021. the owner however comeback and built another room to find a place to rest at, especially during summer as Al-Fakheet village is a semi dessert, and he works for long house at the area.

It is worthy to mention that The Occupation Authorities had targeted the room with notice of “Demolition and removal of a new building issued in July 28^th 2021” , and threatened to demolish the room within 96 hours.

Notice number 20459 to remove the agricultural room

• An Agricultural Structure belong to citizen Akram Abu Sabha:

The targeted structure has a total area of 150 m² , and used as a barn (contains 120 head of sheep) , and built since early 2021.

The Occupation forces emptied the structure and carried out the demolition without any preceding notices. This is the second demolition of Akram’s barn, the first one was carried out in October 18^th 2020.

Al-Buweib:

The Occupation machineries went to Za’tout area north east the village, and carried out a demolition for the following structures:

Affected Citizen Ibrahim Mansour said that the occupation authorities demolished the structures based on military order (1797) , after it has issued four notices on the targeted structures in July, to order the owners to demolish and remove them in only 96 hours.

Photos 1-5: Scenes of the demolition operation- August 11^th 2021

Legal Commentary:

Demolition of Palestinian structures is a violation of international conventions and agreements:

• Article 147 of the fourth Geneva convention, stipulates that “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly” is a “grave breach” of the Convention.
• Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1948 prohibits the destruction of property, as this article states the following: “The occupying power is prohibited from destroying any private, fixed or movable property related to individuals or groups, the state or public authorities, or social or cooperative organizations, unless the war operations inevitably require this destruction.
• Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: “No protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed.
• Paragraph ‘g’ of Article 23 of the Hague Convention of 1907AD also warned against destroying or seizing the enemy’s property, unless the necessities of war necessarily require such destruction or seizure.
• Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, dated December 10, 1948 states that “No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property”.