New demolitions in the northern Palestinian Jordan Valley (Al-Ghoor)

Violation: demolition of 23 structures

Location:  Aqaba village, Khirbet Yarza and Al-Meetih

Date: 05/08/2015

Perpetrators: the Israeli occupation army

Victims: 9 Palestinian families

Details:

The Israeli occupation army accompanied by two military dozers on August 05, 2015 raided the area of Khirbet Al-Meetih in the area of Wad Al-Maleh and embarked on demolishing a number of barns and tents belonging to two families residing the Bedouin community. The families who were served previous “final demolition notices” on November 2014 became homeless today as a result.

As for Khirbet Yarza that is located to the east of Al-Ghoor, the demolition reached out a metal slabs barrack that was leveled to the ground as a result.

Dozers, then, moved to the village of Al-Aqaba, which has always been a target for the Israeli plan of indigenous displacement, and demolished six barracks (metal slabs and cement blocks) and a simple house of 50m2.

It should be marked that the targeted barracks in Al-Aqraba village were built 10 years ago and were notified twice in the years of 2003 and 2008. Noteworthy, the latest demolition came without any previous warning or even notices.  The following table shows information about the damage resulted due to the demolitions:

Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center -2

Land Research Center LRC sees that demolitions contradict with all of the International conventions and Humanitarian laws including:

1. 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.”
2. 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.”
3. 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.”
4. 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