Introduction:
On October 27, 2009, Jerusalem municipality launched a new destruction of Palestinians houses campaign destroying houses in different parts of Jerusalem.
This campaign is part of the ethnic cleansing policies adopted by the Israeli government since the occupation of the city in June 5, 1967. Since then, more than 9950 house were destroyed of which 952 among them were destroyed after the beginning of the second Intifada in the year 2000. These actions indicate nothing but the unrestrained destruction and terrorizing lust of the Israelis.
60 people have become homeless after the destruction of their only houses.
The Israeli attack targeted 5 buildings containing 8 houses, 4 out of them belonged to Nimer family, 1 to Abu Sarhan in G’ezel between Sur Bahir and Jabal al Mukkabir, 2 in Jabal al Mukkabir, and the eighth in Dahiyat al Salam in shu’fat. The total surface area of the demolished buildings was about 1000 m2 and more than 60 people lived there. An LRC human rights observer reported on the destruction cases.
Case 1: Four Nimer’s residents were destroyed in G’ezel in Um Laisoon:
At 5:30 am on October 27, 2009 Hundreds of Israeli soldiers went into G’ezel neighborhood to the north of Sur Bahir and south of Jabal al Mukkabir and broke into a 2 story house (700 m2) that contains 4 appartments. The soldiers alongside their dogs awakened the residents of the house and ordered the women, men, and children to immediately leave the building before it’s destroyed. The terrified residents flung to see 3 large bulldozers getting ready to level the building. The process lasted for 2.5 hours leaving nothing but dust. 3 days earlier, the building that was turned into a pile of dirt was full of joy while the family was celebrating the wedding of its son Awni.
Four houses with all their belongings and furniture were destroyed. The apartments where inhabited by Nimer Ali Nimer family and three of his sons Ali, Murad, and the newly wedded Awni alongside their spouses and siblings, a total of 25 people.
The father, Nimer Ali Nimer, started building the house in 1992, believing that his house is within the areas where construction works are allowed since he is surrounded by buildings. After applying for building permission he realized that his land is considered what is called a green land and no constructions are allowed there. However, he was unable to comply with the Israeli orders because of the desperate need for a house, a shelter for the family.
In 1996 he received the first destruction note, then a second one in April, 2009. Four lawyers were assigned to defend the family’s case, taking it to the municipality court, the central court, and the Supreme court costing the family about 0.5 million shekels. In the end, their efforts were futile and the family house which sheltered 25 people and cost the family about 2 million shekels was turned into ruins in a couple of hours.
Picture 1: Nimer family building turned into wreck
Case 2:The destruction of a house belonged to Abu Dweh family in Jabal al Mukkabir.
A bulldozer for Jerusalem municipality leveled 160 m2, four bedrooms, and with a metal ceiling was the property of ‘Atif Mohammad Hasan Abu Dweh, 32 years old and has a 12 members family.
‘Atef stated to an LRC researcher: ‘ We built our house in 2008, and received the first destruction notice on September 26, 2009 because I had no permission to built there. I want to check in the municipality, they simply said that they had no file for me. Today October 27, 2009 at 8:30 am, a large group of police, special forces, a bulldozer, and some municipality officials appeared and directly started the destruction process, The municipality had previously destroyed a house that belonged to us. It insists on rejecting a proposal passed by Mohammad Abu Dweh, Mousa Abu Dweh, Mohammad al Joolany, and others requesting adding the area they live in to the construction schemes so they can build there. The municipality claims that the refusal is because a Jewish settler claims ownership of part of the land without specifying what part, what area, and how he owned it. Moreover, we have been fined 25000 shekels as destruction costs”.
Case 3:The destruction of Al Tahhans house for the third time upon Israeli settler ownership claims in Dahyat al Salam.
At 8:30 am on October 27, 2009, Jerusalem municipality destroyed Khamees Sa’eed Al Tahhan house (60 m2) and sheltering a 9 members family in which 4 are children.
An LRC human rights observer asked Samir about the incident, Samir replied: ‘ I built the house 14 months ago using cement blocks for walls and metal for the ceiling. Four months ago, a destruction notice was issued by Jerusalem municipality. 3 weeks earlier, the municipality court of local affairs issued a destruction order that the demolition must be carried out within a month starting October 20, 2009. Surprisingly, an Israeli army bulldozer passed through the apartheid wall gate towards the house and started the destruction process without warning us. The occupation authorities had destroyed two houses that belonged to me in the past. The first was a 110 m2 house which was destroyed in 2004. The other was a 70 m2 house that was destroyed in 2007. Furthermore, I had to pay about 60000 shekels in fines for building without permission”.
The occupation forces destroyed more than 7 houses in Dahyat al Salam for the sake of a Jewish settler called ‘Uri’ who claims possession of the land. It seems that the Israeli authorities are trying to take over the whole area in order to give it to settlers because it made a gate to facilitate settler’s movement in and out of the wall that surrounds Dahyat al Salam.’
Picture 2: Al Tahhan family children…childhood missing in the rubble
Case 4: Jerusalem Municipality destroys Abu Sarhans resident
Bulldozers of Jerusalem municipality leveled a house (150 m2) belonged to Ahmad Yosouf Abu Sarhan (52 years) on October 27, 2009. On July 9, 2009, Abu Sarhan started building his house. On august 9, 2009, he received a destruction order that to be carried out within a month from august 15, 2009 or the municipality will destroy the house and remove its remains and make the owner pay for the costs. Abu Sarhan complied with the order by making holes in the walls and ceiling of the house. Nevertheless, it seemed that it was not enough so bulldozers came to the area after the destruction of the building in um Laisoon and leveled the house.
In addition, the Israelis threatened Abu Sarhan telling him that he will pay for what he did, nobody actually knows what a man in his fifties, with a wife that is suffering from cancer and a terrible economical situation can do. Anyway, the building was worth about 110000 shekels and the municipality fined the poor man $2000.
Picture 3: Ahmad Abu Srahan residence… He was forced to destroy his own house
Case 5: Jerusalem municipality destroys Shqeirat family resident after renovated it
At 12:30 pm on October 27, 2009, Jerusalem municipality ordered the destruction of the house soon after a 20 m2 part added to the 90 m2 building which is the property of Abdullah Salamah Shqeirat, a handicapped from Jabal al Mukkabir. The house used to shelter the 5 members Shqeirat family.
The amendment was made on august 9, 2008, soon afterwards, the family received a demolition notice on March, 2009 but could not afford a lawyer to appeal.
Eventually, it is easy for the ones who build the Segregation wall, the isolation wall, it is easy for them to devastate any sign of civilization including people shelter which provide them with safety and preserve their dignity.
LRC warns the International Community from the consequences of the Israeli policies and the destruction procedures in the west bank, especially in Jerusalem in which 300000 Palestinians live, half of them live in houses that Israel consider illegally built. It is nothing strange for a country that knows nothing but power, the law of jungle that is condemned by any human rights organization or legislation including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the international Humanitarian Law, fourth Geneva Convention, etc. which all the countries of the world are obliged to follow. The Israeli crimes in Palestine must be considered war crimes and the people responsible for these actions must be brought for persecution before the International Criminal Court immediately.
Prepared by:
The Land Research Center
LRC
The Land Research Center
LRC
