Israeli Wall constructed … Palestinian houses demolished

Location and population:

The village of Faro'un is located 5 km to the south of Tulkarem city. It has the population of 3000 people. The total village area is 8000 dunums, half of which was confiscated by the construction of the Israeli Segregation Wall. The village built up area is 360 dunums. See map of location

The map shows the village of Faro'un to the south of Tulkarem city and separation wall crossing the village land to the west and south.

Type of violation:

1.     The demolition of two houses owned by Jawad Rashad Hasan Isa and Wa'il Subhi Mohammed Adwan under the pretext of their proximity to the Segregation Wall. The demolition operations took place on January 22nd, 2004;

2.     Military orders were also distributed to halt the construction of other ten houses some of which are inhabited and located in the western and southern part of the village. According to the orders, owners listed in the table below were asked to show up at Beit Eil Court on March 3rd, 2004:

Background of the targeted location

The threatened houses are located in a public use area which was owned by the village council and was later sold in 1996 to the public as a built up area. The area is called Al Masha' Al Gharbi or the western public area. The total area is 100 dunums and the village council obtains all documents of ownership including taboo. So far, about 150 pieces have been sold and houses were built upon approvals of the village council.  Two of the houses have already been demolished and ten others are awaiting demolition. Although the houses were built long time before the commencement of the Segregation Wall, the Israeli authorities claim that the reason behind these demolition operations is their proximity to the Wall, about 0.5 to 100 meters away.

It is worth mentioning that this area has become a new residential quarter of the village and is provided with infrastructure such as water, electricity, road networks and telephone lines. See Photo 1    

A view of the threatened quarter, photo courtesy of LRC.

According to the previously published articlein September 2003, 'The Israeli army sets up a Segregation Wall and military garrison on the land of Faro'un village / Tulkarem governorate' ,the house of Mr.  Jawad Rashad Hasan Isa was considered as one of the houses threatened to be demolished. The house has been demolished due to its closeness to the wall, a half meter away from it. See Photo 2,the house of Mr.  Jawad Rashad Hasan Isa was considered as one of the houses threatened to be demolished. The house has been demolished due to its closeness to the wall, a half meter away from it.

The picture of the house of Mr. Jawad Isa which was taken in September, 2003.
Photo Courtesy of LRC.

  Photo 3

 The house of Mr. Jawad Isa after demolition on January 22nd, 2004
Photo courtesy of LRC 

 Photo 4

The wreckage of the house of Mr. Wa'il Adwan demolished on January 22nd, 2004.

Photo courtesy of LRC.

Mr. Othman Zaki Mohammed Arafat, a resident of Al Masha' Al Gharbi quarter is facing the threat of losing his house due to the Israeli campaign in the area: Mr. Othman bought a plot of land from the village council and built a house on it as many others in the village did. He used to live in one room house along with his wife and six children. He moved to live in his newly built house four years in 2001. 

The Israeli authorities commenced the construction of the Segregation Wall in 2002 on the expense of Palestinian lands in the area. A number of demolition orders were circulated and two houses were actually destroyed. If the Israelis to destroy the houses, residents will be psychologically and financially affected since it is impossible to buy another piece of land and go on with another building procedure.

Problems faced by local inhabitants at the hands of Israeli army 

1.     Inhabitants of the Al Masha' Al Gharbi quarter feel the danger of the daily harassment caused by the Israeli army patrolling their quarter day and night. A number of families have already been prevented from residing in their newly built houses and other families are exposed to continuous army raids, including harassment of students heading to schools and farmers heading to their fields. 

2.     Two families have been made homeless following the destruction of their houses and many others are living in continuous nightmare waiting for their houses to be demolished.

 Prepared by

The Land Research Center
LRC