- Violation: demolition of two residences
- Location: Deir Samit and Tarosa areas- Hebron city
- Date: February 23, 2016
- Perpetrators: Israeli Occupation Forces
- Victims: Families of Raed Masalmah and Mohammad Hroub
Details:
The Israeli Occupation Forces demolished on February 23, 2016 two residences belonging to citizens Raed Masalmah and Mohammad Hroub from the areas of Tarosa and Deir Samit, west Hebron city.
- Demolition of detainee Raed Masalmeh's residence:
A massive force from the occupation army accompanied by a military dozer and a digger raided the area of Tarosa, west Dura town and embarked on demolishing Masalmeh's two story house. The residence was built in 2013 to be 170m2 in area.
Photos 1-3: Raed's house before demolition
Photos 4-5: the rubbles of Raed's
The house is reported to be home for the citizen's 7 member family including 4 children. It should be marked that Raed was accused of allegedly conducting an attack against army troops and colonists on October 2015
Despite a plea submitted to Israel Supreme Court to halt the demolition order served on Raed's residence, the demolition was approved effective.
- Demolition of Mohammad Hroub's residence:
On the same day, another force from the occupation army accompanied by dozers raided the southeastern side of Deir Samit and encircled a three story building where detainee Mohammad Hroub used to live in.
The dozer was reported to hit the doors and the side walls to open up a way to the second floor. Troops then damaged the walls of Mohammad's house by manual tools. The demolition was carried out with the interior of the house still inside of it.
Noteworthy, the apartment is home for Mohammad, his mother and three sisters. The first floor is used as a basement and the third on is home for Mohammad's brother and his 4 member family.
Photos 6-8: residence of Hroub family demolished on its interior
The Israeli Occupation Forces accused Hroub of carrying out an attack against colonists on November 2015. Noteworthy, Mohammad is still detained until the moment.
It should be marked that Mohammad was served a demolition order on his house. The father of Moahammad submitted a plea to Israel Supreme Court to halt the order but it was eventually approved effective.
Land Research Center documented the demolition operations home closures that were conducted by the occupation as part of a collective punishment on Palestinians but on the claim of "Security Purposes"
24 residences sheltering 103 members including 43 children were rendered demolished where 42 other houses got partially destroyed and became uninhabitable due to detonation of near houses. The following table shows information about affected from security demolition people in the West Bank including East Jerusalem in the years between 2015-2016 :
| No. | Name | Date | Location | No. of demolished residences | Family | Minors | Aream2 | Partially damaged residences | Closing demolishing | Remarks | Further information |
| Total of demolished residences in Jerusalem | 9 | 37 | 14 | 706 | 11 | ||||||
| 1 | The family house of martyrs Ghassan and Mu’awiya Abu Jamal | 6/10/2015 | Jabal Al-Mukabbir- Jerusalem | 2 | 3 | 2 | 90 | 2 | Demolished by explosive | The adjacent house of the martyr was entirely demolished. | |
| Ar, Eng | |||||||||||
| 6 | 4 | 90 | |||||||||
| 2 | The family house of martyr Mohammad Ja’abis | 6/10/2015 | Jabal Al-Mukabbir- Jerusalem | 2 | 4 | 1 | 70 | 2 | Demolished by explosive | The ceiling of the lower house from the detonated residence was demolished | |
| 3 | The family house of martyr Mu’taz Hijazi | 6/10/2015 | Al-Thori neighborhood –Jerusalem | 1 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | Pumping cement into the house | The pumping was carried out in the presence of Jerusalem mayor | |
| 4 | The family of detainee Mohammad Abu Shaheen | 15/11/2015 | Qalandiya camp- Jerusalem | 1 | 3 | 0 | 100 | 5 | Demolished by explosive | Located in a three story building | |
| 5 | The family house of martyr Ibrahim Akkari | 2/12/2015 | Shu’fat camp- Jerusalem | 1 | 6 | 5 | 120 | 2 | Demolished by explosive | Located in a three story building | |
| 6 | The house of Safa Abu Jamal; the sister of martyr Alaa Abu Jamal | 4/1/2016 | Jabal Al-Mukabbir- Jerusalem | 1 | 4 | 0 | 100 | 0 | Pumping cement into the house | First floor of a three story building | |
| 7 | The family house of martyr Bahaa I’lyyan | 4/1/2016 | Jabbal Al-Mukabbir- Jerusalem | 1 | 8 | 2 | 120 | 0 | Demolished by explosive | The family was banned from removing the rubbles from inside the house after being demolished | |
| Total of demolished residences in Hebron | 4 | 15 | 9 | 566 | 2 | ||||||
| 8 | The family house of martyr Mahe Hashlamoun | 20/10/2015 | Dahyat Al-Zaytoon- Hebron | 1 | 3 | 2 | 136 | 2 | Demolished by explosive | Fourth floor of a five story building | |
| 9 | The family of detainee Mahmoud Masalmah | 3-Feb-16 | Tarosa- Dura | 2 | 7 | 4 | 170 | 0 | Demolition | Two story house built in 2013 | |
| 10 | The family of Mohammad Hroub | 3-Feb-16 | Deir Samit- Dura | 1 | 5 | 3 | 260 | 0 | Manually demolished | Three story building | |
| Total of demolished residences in Ramallah | 4 | 11 | 3 | 480 | 3 | ||||||
| 11 | The family house of martyr Muath Al-Najjar | 14/11/2015 | Silwad | 2 | 4 | 0 | 240 | 3 | Demolished by explosive | Built in 1967 and had another floor annexed to it in 1978 | Ar, Eng |
| 12 | The family of martyr Muhanad Halabi | 9-Jan-16 | Surda | 2 | 7 | 3 | 240 | 0 | Demolition | Two story building | Eng |
| Total of demolished residences in Nablus | 6 | 36 | 15 | 680 | 24 | ||||||
| 13 | the family house of detainee Karam Al-Masri | 14/11/2015 | Behind Al-Rawda college- Nablus | 1 | 6 | 0 | 150 | 7 | Located in a three story building | Ar, Eng | |
| 14 | The family house of detainee Samir Kusa | 14/11/2015 | Al-Dahya AL-Aulia Nablus | 1 | 5 | 3 | 130 | 2 | a three story building. Other apartments got damaged as a result. | ||
| 15 | The family house of detainee Yahya Haj Hamad | 14/11/2015 | Dahyat Rueijib –Nablus | 2 | 11 | 5 | 290 | 8 | A four story building. Each apartment is of 145m2 in area. | ||
| 16 | The family house of detainee s Ahmad ‘Laiwi and his brother Ramiz | 3/12/2015 | Al-Dahyih area- Nablus | 2 | 14 | 7 | 110 | 7 | Demolished by explosive | An apartment in a building in addition to a separate house in the nearby | Ar, Eng |
| Total of demolished residences in Jenin | 1 | 4 | 2 | 100 | 2 | ||||||
| 17 | The family house of fugitive Qais Al-Sadi | 4/10/2015 | Jenin camp | 1 | 4 | 2 | 100 | 2 | By airstrike | ||
| Total | 24 | 103 | 43 | 2532 | 42 | ||||||
Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center (20/09/2015 – 24/02/2016).
It should be marked that the order was issued in reference to the British Emergency Law for the year 1945, taking into consideration that this law was abolished. “Confiscation and demolition” according to article 119 of the law indicates that it is not allowed to re-construct in the demolition location. The body of the article is as follows:
Regulation 119 of the Defence (Emergency) Regulations, 1945
PART XII – MISCELLANEOUS PENAL PROVISIONS
Regulation 119 – Forfeiture and demolition of property, etc. 119.
(1) A Military Commander may by order direct the forfeiture to· the Government of Palestine of any house, structure, or land from which he has reason to suspect that any firearm has been illegally discharged, or any bomb, grenade or explosive or incendiary article illegally thrown, or of any house, structure or land situated in any area, town, village, quarter or street the inhabitants or some of the inhabitants of which he is satisfied have committed, or attempted to commit, or abetted the commission of, or been accessories after the fact to the commission of, any offence against these Regulations involving violence or intimidation or any Military Court offence ; and when any house, structure or land is forfeited as aforesaid, the Military Commander may destroy the house or the structure or anything on growing on the land.
(2) Members of His Majesty's forces or of the Police Force,· acting under the authority of the Military Commander may seize and occupy, without compensation, any property in any such area, town, village, quarter or street as is referred to in subregulation (1), after eviction without compensation, of the previous occupiers, if any.
Land Research Center LRC sees that demolitions contradict with all of the International conventions and Humanitarian laws including:
- Article 17 of the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”
- Section ‹G› of article 23 of the (1907) The Hague Conventions asserting: “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.”
- Article 53 of the Geneva Fourth Convention (1948) declaring: “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.”
- Section 1, Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966): “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."
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
