Demolition of structure and notification on another in Ramallah governorate

Violation: demolition and threat of demolition
Location: Ni'lin village- Ramallah
Date: April 07, 2016
Perpetrators: Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration
Victims: tens of Palestinian families

Details:

The village of Ni'lin, northwest Ramallah city, witnessed on April 07, 2016 a new attack by the Israeli Occupation Forces, which raided the area with four military dozers and demolished a slaughter house and a car painting workshop. Noteworthy, the demolished structures are considered source of living for tens of Palestinian family and an economic revenue.

Demolition of Al-Kheirat slaughterhouse:

It should be marked that 300 soldiers accompanied by four military dozers encircled the structure and ordered the employees to evacuate before the dozers brought down the facility on its equipments and machines. Noteworthy, the structure belongs to citizen Bahaa Srour. According to the owner, damages reached out the following:

Destruction of a 750m² facility used as chickens slaughterhouse
Destruction of four giant refrigerators for chicken storing
Destruction of the slaying production line and theft of some parts
Destruction of a storehouse and a changing room for workers (12m² each)
Destruction of a 800 cement yard for loading and unloading trucks
Destruction of power cables and generators
Death of 450 birds that were there at time of demolition

Citizen Srour told Land Research Center the following: " The company is located nearby Ni'lin military checkpoint in the area of AL-Mahlil, south Ni'lin village. I established the company in 2014 and started work on October 2015 with a total of 100 workers. Since that time, I went through the procedures to license the company in Israel Civil Administration- Beit El colony. On April 04, 2016 I obtained a license for the facility, and it was registered to Israel Ministry of Commerce and Industry. But on April 07, 2016 Israeli Occupation Forces raided the structure and brought it down without any previous warning. An Israeli commander said that they received superior orders to demolish the structure and withdraw the license"

It should be marked that the owner will head to the Civil Administration to get more details concerning the surprising demolition. Also, the owner will submit a plea to Israel Supreme Court, taking into account that his losses exceeded 4 million Shekels.

Demolition of a workshop for cars restoration and painting:

In a distance of 600 meters from the slaughterhouse, the Israeli Occupation Forces demolished a workshop for cars restoration and painting on the claim of "unlicensed construction".

It should be marked that the targeted workshop is owned by citizen Khalid Istaih from the village of Deir Qidees, north Ramallah city. Noteworthy, the workshop was notified of stop-work on March 23, 2014. The demolition occurred in the morning of April 07, 2016.

It is reported that the workshop is source of living for around 17 workers. According to field follow-up, damages resulted from the demolition reached out the following:

Destruction of the 400m² structure that is made of metal slaps
Destruction of all equipments and interior
Destruction of cars painting oven with the cost of 60,000 NIS
Destruction of spare parts of cars
Damaging cars paints buckets

Stop-Work notice on tires workshop:

It should be marked that the occupation army accompanied by the so-called Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration delivered citizen Mishil Mousa (36) a Stop-Work order on his tires workshop on April 04, 2016. The notice was served on the claim of "unlicensed construction". Noteworthy, the workshop was established a month before the notice serving in the area of AL-Mahlil to be the source of living for a five member family including three children.

According to the military order number 201297, the occupation gave the affected a deadline until April 17, 2016 to complete all licensing procedures. This comes in time with the hearing session of the Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration in the Israeli court of Beit EL to consider the legal status of the notified structures.

Previous attacks:

The area of Al-Mahlil witnessed on February 22, 2016 a demolition operation that reached out 23 industrial and commercial workshops belonging to 25 Palestinian families on the claim of "unlicensed construction". The real reason behind demolition is to harass Palestinians and push them out of their lands to become subject for colonial plans.

About Ni'lin:

20 km to the northwest of Ramallah, Ni'lin is edged by the towns of Qibya and Budrus from the north, Al-Midyah town from the southwest, Deir Qidees town from the east and Mod'in and Kiryat Sefer colonies from the south. Ni'lin is inhabited by 5897 people on a total land area of 15,206 dunums , of which 748 dunums are the village's built-up area.

The occupation confiscated a total of 3020 dunums for colonial ends, which are detailed as follows:

Hashmona'im colony: it was established in 1985 on confiscated area of 858 dunums from the village. It is now inhabited by 2097 colonists.
Kiryat Sefer: it was established in 1991 on confiscated area of 476 dunums from the village. It is now inhabited by 24,290 colonists.
Mattityahu colony: it was established in 1980 on confiscated area of 657 dunums from the village. It is now inhabited by 1365 colonists.
Colonial bypass road number 446 confiscated 408 dunums
The apartheid wall confiscated 621 dunums for the favor of its construction and isolated 14,083 behind it.

According to Oslo Accords lands classifications, Ni'lin lands are classified as follows:

1,123 dunums are classified as area "B"
14,083 dunums are classified as area "C"

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

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.”
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.”
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.”
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