On January 2003, the Israeli occupation Forces handed the Bethlehem University Alumni Housing project owners military orders to stop the constructional work at site. The project is located southeast Bethlehem district and is located in areas A, B and C according to Oslo Agreement. The total area of the project is 59,500 m2 (59.5 dunums), whereas 8 dunums are located in Area ''A'', 33.5 dunums in area ''B'' and the rest which is 18 dunums in area ''C''. See Map
The IOF distributed 17 military orders, which refer to 34 residential units; the homes are in a form of cottages, where each contains two dwelling units. The 34 units are the ones located in area C that is under full Israeli control according to the Oslo II agreement signed in 1995. See Photo 1 & Photo 2
The Israeli military order states that those 17 cottages are built without permission from the Israeli authorities. This order may be followed by another military order to demolish those 34 residential units under the same pretext. ARIJ field workers went to the site and found that the project is located on the suburbs of the city of Bethlehem and causes no problem to the Israeli authorities unless they have other future projects to implement in this area.
The Israeli authorities appointed the 25th of February as a date to attend court session in Beit-El. The Israeli authorities took no real decision and the case was reported to undetermined date. It is worth mentioning here that the case is not solved yet, and the problem could rise again any time.
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
