Picture 1: Salah Family residence soon after their compulsory evacuation
Violation: Salah Family has been arbitrarily evicted from their home by the Israeli Occupation police.
Location: Tabalya parcel, Beit Safafa, Jerusalem Governorate.
Date: April 20, 2010.
Violators: the Israeli Occupation Police alongside a colonist called ‘Herkuvich’.
Victims: ‘Ali Salah family (50 members).
Salah family has been oppressed since the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem:
Salah family has been living in their house in Beit Safafa since 1966, a year before the Israeli conquest of Jerusalem. The father bought the house in 1966 from its previous owner Siyat Kansarjyan who left to the US after the Israeli occupation.
Since then, ‘Ali’s children got married and added other residences. Nowadays, Salah’s compound shelters more than 50 people including 33 children. Things seemed to be fine to the family before an Israeli colonist named ‘Isaac Herkuvich’ claimed ownership of the house in 1992. He claimed that he bought the house from a Christian foundation in Argentine but failed to show any proof of that transaction.
Herkuvich have frequently broke into the compound, sometimes accompanied by other armed colonists, other times by the Israeli Occupation security forces, in an attempt to force the family out. The Salahs deny all of Herkuvich claims. 9 witnesses signed a document approving that the Salahs have bought the house and that they have been living in it for more than 18 years on August 22, 1984.
Picture 2: Salah Family Residences – Tabalya parcel, Beit Safafa
The Israeli Occupation Police threaten the Salahs of evacuation:
Two Israeli Police officers had threatened the family of evacuating them from their houses and deporting them to Jordan in case they protest. On December 15, 2009, the Israeli Supreme Court sentenced to the favor of the Israeli colonist ‘Herkuvich’.
The Court statement urged the family to leave within 120 days and pay 50000 NIS in fines. In addition, the Israeli Occupation Police will pay a number of visits to the compound and monitor the evacuation process. Moreover, the Israeli Police warned the family of the consequences of failing to comply with the court order through their lawyer.
The lawyer advised the family to comply with the order through a phone call by saying:’ I advise abandoning the house unless you wish to face humiliation and extra fines’. He added:’ they will come and measure the land area’.
Picture 3: Salah’s Family children …… Alost childhood
The Salahs were forcefully evicted:
On April 20, 2010, the Salahs were forced to leave the house were they lived since 1966 under constant threats from the Israeli Police, unstoppable aggressions, and illogical fines. A surveyor measured the land and the house which was 200 m2 in area.
Regardless of the eviction, on April 29, 2010, the family received another court order demanding the 100 years old ‘Ali to pay 81000 in fines, and his son to pay other 30000 saying that they are accumulated fines. It was stated in the order that if the family doesn’t comply with the court order. The court will have to lay its hands on the family properties, a prior step to taking over not only the house but also the land. On May 2, 2010, tens of Israeli colonists and Border Police troops broke into the compound which was labeled provocative by the Palestinians.
A vicious war on the Salahs for new colonial scheme sake:
The colonists target Salah family lands in order to include it in the new colonial scheme of building a new colony on the lands of the Palestinian towns of Beit Safafa and Beit Jala.
On February, 2010, the Regional Committee has approved the fourth project, labeled 5834/B with a total area of 153 dunums (1 dunum = 1000 m2). The project plan includes constructing 549 colonial units in 5 to 6 stories buildings. The Regional Committee has previously approved 3 similar projects as part of the construction of ‘Giv’at Hamatos’ colony on 1117 dunums of Palestinian lands, a project that was approved in 1991 and includes 4600 colonial units; the projects were labeled as follows:
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5834/C: 2237 units.
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5834/D: 1100 hotel rooms to be part of the ‘three hills city’ which is a tourist city that the Israelis intend to present it as a substitute for Bethlehem.
The Regional Committee approval was the only prerequisite needed for the beginning of the project and replacing the caravans in the area. The caravans were occupied by immigrants from Ethiopia.
LRC has been monitoring the Israeli Occupation violations against the Salahs, these violations included:
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11:00 pm, June 18, 2007, ‘Isaac Herkuvich’ accompanied by a group of Israeli Occupation Police and Border Police confined the family’s herd and refused to set it free before forcing the family into paying a 20000 NIS which are the cost of the raid!!
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On July 2, 2007, a large group of Israeli colonists grouped in response for an appeal made by colonists and was announced on the internet. The colonists called for a gathering on the same day of the ISC sentence which sentenced for the eviction of the family because they failed to pay the 50000 NIS fine imposed onto them.
Picture 4: The inflammatory deliration speeded around the internet by Israeli colonists
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During July, 2007, the Israeli colonists’ provocative actions continued unabated in an attempt to drive the family out.
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On July 21, 2007, the ISC suggested that the family will permanently evacuate its residences after two years if the court lift all the fines imposed on them. If not, the ISC will decide later.
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On August 1, 2007, a group of Israeli colonists assaulted the family, beating ‘Ali (95), Shiha (87), and burning down the barn with all its contents and while the herd was inside.
Picture 5: The Mother “Shiha” with a head injury-
On November 11, 2007, the family received an evacuation order. However, the family lawyer was able to postpone carrying out the order until the court decides on the land ownership.
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The Israeli extortions never stopped, on the third week of November, 2007, an Israeli colonist tried to hand in an order (not signed by any legal body) ordering the family to pay a monthly fee of 12000 NIS to the women who were around. However, the women refused to take the order which forced the colonist to throw it in the compound.
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8:00 pm, December 24, 2007, the Israeli colonist Herkuvich handed the family a notice ordering them to evacuate their houses before December 27, 2007.
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On December, 2007, a group of Israeli Police accompanied by a number of colonists confiscated 120 goats, (estimated value: 30000 NIS) which are still confined till today.
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On December 20, 2007, one of Salah’s family members was taken into custody after being stopped at a temporary (flying) checkpoint because he had not paid a due 120000 fine which he never heard about before.
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The family is forced to pay 600 NIS a month to the Israeli Government due to outstanding debts of 160000 NIS.
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On July 8, 2009, the Israeli Court issued a note ordering the family to leave it house before August 5 of the same year because their lawyer did not pay an amount of 750 $ to the court insurance fund.
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On October 30, 2010, an Israeli colonists’ raid has taken place in the family compound. The colonists used live ammunition, rigid rods, and steel chains in their attack causing 5 injuries.
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On February, the Israeli Occupation Regional Committee approved plan 5834/B which calls for building 153 dunums colony on Beit Safafa lands.
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On April 20, 2010, the family faced compulsory eviction.
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On April 29, 2010, the family was fined 110000 NIS. In addition, the ISC threatened the family of freezing their assets.
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On May 2, 2010, tens of colonists and Border Police members broke into the family compound.
LRC sees in the continuous aggressions against the Palestinian civilians whether by using arms or by using the corrupted and unjust Israeli Judicial System as a cover is condemned by all the international humanitarian laws.Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
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