A whole Khirbet leveled to the ground

Violation: demolishing a whole Bedouin community
Location: the northern part of the Palestinian Jordanian Valley
Date: 01/04/2014
Perpetrators: the army of the Israeli occupation
Victims: five Palestinian families (27 members including 15 kids)

Details:

On Thursday of April 1st, 2014, the forces of the Israeli occupation embarked a demolition operation on tents, barns and houses in Khirbet el-Fouqa , Himsa , and Bsyelih, east Tubas governorate.

At 7:00 am, a massive force including a patrol of 8 military jeeps and a bulldozer raided the Bedouin community and embarked a wide-range demolition on all structures. Citizen Hakam Abu Kbash (56) to the LRC observer stated that: “not only the occupation leveled the Khirebt to the ground but it also confiscated 800 iron angels (used for construction) and 43 feeders and waterers. All the aforementioned items were moved to the nearby Bik’ot colony.

According to the field observation, demolitions reached out 4 residential tents, 12 barns, and 12 agricultural barracks (made of woods and sheds). As a result, 4 families (27 members including 15 kids) became homeless and their source of living, which is animals breeding (700 sheep), was threatened.

Another demolition in Bsylih village:

It was indicated that the occupation, in synchronization with aforementioned operation, demolished a barn in Bsylih, which is located 40km east of Tubas, for the second time in a period of a year. It should also be marked that the barn was built by bricks and roofed with metal slabs to shelter more than 200 sheep and support a family of 9 members including 4 kids.

The following table explains the demolitions in Bsylih and Himsa el-Fouqa :

*Source: Field Research- Monitoring Israeli Violations Team- Land Research Centre (LRC). 

About Himsa el-Fouqa:

The residents of khirebt Himsa el-Fouqa came originally from Beir es-Sabe’, south of Palestine but the occupation forced them to seek shelter in Samu’ area, east of Hebron governorate. The rarity of water and services pushed most of them; especially, Abu Kbash family to move to the Palestinian Jordanian Valley and to reside in the area of Jeftlik.

In the years between 1996 and 200, the occupation embarked demolitions on Abu Kbash residences in the area of Jeftlik. That is what pushed the residents flee towards Himsa al-Fouqa in 2006.

In 2010, the Israeli occupation served stop works orders to the residents of the Khirbet who in that regard submitted a licensing application and obtained an injunction Noteworthy, the occupation forces have not stopped their harassments until they destroyed the whole village.

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC