Violation: stop-work orders for 6 residents and a nursery.
Location: Tqu’ – Bethlehem.
Date: October 16, 2012.
Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration – the Higher Organization Council, Inspection Subcommittee.
Victims: villagers of Tqu’.
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Details:
On October 16, 2012, the Israeli Occupation Authorities issued a number of stop-work orders targeting 6 residences and a nursery, all are under construction. According to the owners, the orders were put beside one of the houses.
The orders entitled ‘stop-work orders’ were issued by the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration – the Higher Organization Council, Inspection Subcommittee and justified by ‘unlicensed construction’. In addition, the residents edge a bypass and the Israelis claimed that the orders are vital for ‘security’. The owners had until November 7, 2012 to object to the orders.
Khalil Hasan, an owner of one of the houses, said: ‘on November 5, the power company sent its team to examine the possibility of placing an electricity pole in the area which is in urgent need for power supply. Soon afterwards, soldiers showed up and prevented them from doing their job before ordering them to leave immediately. We are determined to continue construction; this is our land and they have nothing to do with that ‘.
The next day, at around 23:30, Israeli troops broke into the village and knocked down the door of Khalil Hasan’s residence in an extremely provocative manner. Currently, the owners are preparing the needed document to object to the orders.
Table 1: victims:
No. | Victim | Family members | Children | Area (m2) | Stories | Structure | Built | Status | Order | picture |
1 | Raed al Sabbah | 6 | 4 | 1 | Nursery | 2012 | Operational | |||
2 | Kamel Suleiman | 4 | 2 | 250 | 2 | residence | 2012 | Under construction | ||
3 | Khalil Suleiman | 6 | 0 | 350 | 2 | Residence | 2012 | Under construction | ||
4 | Suleiman Suleiman | 6 | 4 | 220 | 1 | Residence | 2012 | Under construction | ||
5 | Salem Suleiman | 5 | 3 | 200 | 2 | Residence | 2012 | Under construction | ||
6 | Zyad Subeh | 0 | 0 | 180 | 1 | Residence | Under construction (one section is used as a barn) | |||
7 | Ribhi Hajajla | 8 | 6 | 250 | foundation | Residence | 2012 | Under construction | ||
total | 35 | 19 | 1450 | |||||||
A glimpse on Tqu’:
Tqu’ is an old Canaanite name which meant ‘placing of tents’; the crusaders called it ‘Thecua’ as it was one of their strongholds in Bethlehem area. Tqu’ has a great deal of Roman, Greek, and Mamluke ruins considering its strategic location.
One of the most significant ruins is the ‘baptism basin’ which is a stony artifact that has been cut and formed. It represents a number of Christian sects. It is believed that the artifact has been made around the 1750s; it is also believed that this is one part of a two-part artifact; the second part’s location is unknown.
Tqu’ is surrounded by 5 Israeli colonies including Tquah, AlDavid, Nikudim, in addition to two other colonies to the south, Mizpe Shalim and Mushki Dar Got.
Tqu’ total area is 9 km2; its actual borders extends to the east reaching the Dead Sea making its area 80 km2. It is inhabited by 8565 people.
