Demolitions and confiscations in communities facing expulsion

24 March 2016 خ. طانا, Kh. Tana, Kh. Tana

Israeli authorities demolish homes in Khirbet Tana for third time this year, leaving 85 people homeless, including 30 children

On Wednesday, 23 March 2016, Civil Administration and military forces came to Khirbet Tana to the east of Beit Furik and demolished 17 homes, 21 livestock pens, and five outhouses. The forces also blocked the entrances to five caves, demolished a water reservoir built with the assistance of a Palestinian association, and confiscated four cars belonging to residents on the grounds that they did not have a valid license. This is the third demolition operation in the village since the beginning of 2016. The previous demolitions were undertaken on 9 February 2016 and 2 March 2016. Six of the residential tents that were demolished were donated by an international humanitarian aid organization to families whose homes were demolished by the Civil Administration and the military on 2 March, while two of the outhouses demolished were donated by the European Union. The acts of destruction left 85 people homeless, including 30 minors.

24 March 2016 خ. جنبة, خ. التبان, Kh. Jenbah, Kh. a-Taban, Kh. Jenbah, Kh. a-Taban

Israeli authorities again demolish structures in two Masafer Yatta communities (Firing Zone 918)

On 22 March 2016, Civil Administration and military forces came to the communities of Khirbet Jenbah and a-Taban in Masafer Yatta, in the area the military has declared Firing Zone 918. In Khirbet Jenbah, the forces demolished a tent that was home to a family of six people, including four minors. The tent was donated to the family by an international humanitarian aid organization. The forces also demolished two livestock pens belonging to the family and confiscated a solar panel donated by an international humanitarian aid organization. The forces then continued to the community of Khirbet a-Taban, where they demolished another livestock pen. These structures were apparently not included in the orders prohibiting the demolition of additional structures in the communities. These orders were issued in February following petitions submitted by residents of the communities after demolitions undertaken by the authorities in the communities of Khirbet Jenbah and Khirbet al-Halawah on 2 Feb. 2016, when 22 dwellings in both communities were demolished. The latest demolitions in the two communities were carried out a day before the hearing held by the High Court of Justice (HCJ) on 23 March 2016 in a principled petition submitted by the residents of Masafer Yatta, after a mediation process between the residents and the state ended without agreements. The residents are opposing the authorities’ attempts to expel them from their land after declaring it a firing zone.

22 March 2016 Kh. Jenbah, Kh. Jenbah

Demolitions taking place right now in Khirbet Jenba

The Israeli Civil Administration is demolishing structures in Khirbet Jenba, in the Masafer Yatta area of the Southern Hebron Hills. More info as we receive it. The residents view this move as a message from the authorities in the run up to tomorrow's high court hearing in their general petition against the attempt to forcibly transfer them from their land through the declaration of the area as "Firing Zone 918"

8 March 2016 Kh. Tana, Kh. Tana

Demolition spree carries on across West Bank; 435 people, incl. 234 minors, have lost their homes since Jan. 2016

In the first week of March, authorities demolished 17 dwellings, 19 livestock pens, and a school in two Jordan Valley communities, rendering 64 people - incl. 28 minors - homeless. These actions are a direct continuation of the unusually massive demolition campaign authorities launched in Palestinian shepherding communities across the West Bank. Since Jan., authorities have dismantled and demolished 203 structures, including 105 dwellings, in communities threatened with expulsion; 435 people, including 234 minors, lost their homes. This consistently applied government policy constitutes the forced transfer of protected Palestinian residents in an occupied area.

29 February 2016

Israel’s Civil Administration demolishes four families’ homes in Jordan Valley

This morning, 29 February 2016, Civil Administration (CA) and military personnel arrived at the community of Khallet Khader in the region of al-Farisiyah in the northern Jordan Valley. They demolished five dwelling tents, which were home to 19 people, including five minors. They also demolished three livestock pens in use by Khallet Khader families. The tents had been given to the families by the Red Cross after the CA demolished 21 structures in the community on 11 February 2016. The community of Khallet Khader is located in the region of al-Farisiyah, which the military had termed a firing zone, and near the settlements of Shadmot-Mehola and Rotem. The community’s residents are farmers and they raise goats and sheep. Some families live on site only for certain seasons of the year.

25 February 2016 Abu a-Nuwar, Abu a-Nuwar (Bseisat)

Demolition campaign continues: Civil Administration and military demolish additional structures in two communities

Additional demolitions since we reported the early 2016 demolition campaign: On Feb. 20, Israeli authorities confiscated two large caravans used for expanding the Abu a-Nuwar school, where some children study in other communities due to overcrowding. On Feb. 15, 32 structures, including 10 homes were demolished in Ein a-Rashash, leaving dozens homeless. These demolitions and confiscations are part of an unusually massive demolition campaign the Israeli authorities launched in Palestinian shepherding communities in the West Bank in Jan. 2016.

16 February 2016 خ. سوسيا, خ. جنبة, خ. الحلاوة, خ. الرهوة, جبل البابا, خ. عين كرزلية, المكسر, خ. طانا, فصايل, خ. عينون, خ. يرزة, Kh. Susiya, Kh. Jenbah, Kh.al-Halawah, Kh. a-Rahwa, Jabal al-Baba, Kh. 'Ein Karzaliyah, al-Mukasar, Kh. Tana, Fasayil, Kh. 'Einun, Kh. Yarza, Kh. Susiya, Kh. Jenbah, Kh.al-Halawah, Kh. a-Rahwah, Jabal al-Baba, Kh. 'Ein Karzaliyah, al-Mukasar, Kh. Tana, Fasayil, Kh. 'Einun, Kh. Yarza

New wave of demolitions in West Bank: Another phase in policy of expelling Palestinians from vast portions of West Bank

As of Jan. 2016 Israeli authorities stepped up efforts to expel Palestinian communities in the South Hebron Hills, Ma’ale Adumim area and the Jordan Valley, demolishing 73 homes and 51 other structures, some donated by aid agencies. Israel recently announced plans to demolish many more structures in Kh. Susiya, expel Abu a-Nuwar’s residents, and reported its failed mediation with Masafer Yatta. All are part of a policy whereby Area C is to serve Israel rather than West Bank Palestinians. Restrictions Israel imposes in Area C force all West Bank Palestinians to live in crowded enclaves without land reserves for building, farming, infrastructure, health and education services or freedom of movement.

11 February 2016 Ein al-Beida, Kh. 'Ein Karzaliyah, al-Mukasar, Fasayil, al-Jiftlik, Kh. Tana, Kh. 'Ein Karzaliyah, al-Mukasar, 'Ein al-Beida, Fasayil, al-Jiftlik, Kh. Tana

In a three-day demolition campaign in the Jordan Valley, the authorities left 59 people, including 28 minors, homeless

Over three days during the past week, the authorities demolished 22 dwellings in the Jordan Valley, along with 41 other structures used for storage and livestock, leaving 59 people, including 28 minors without a roof over their heads.

9 February 2016 Kh. a-Ras al-Ahmar, Kh. Ibziq, Kh. a-Ras al-Ahmar, Kh. Ibziq

Israeli military trains, fires shells near homes of Kh. a-Ras al-Ahmar, northern Jordan Valley

In mid-Jan, 24 Palestinian families in the Jordan Valley were informed they would be temporarily displaced at month’s end for military training in the area. The evacuation was cancelled due to weather conditions, but the military did conduct training very close to one community, causing panic among residents, especially children, and crushing crops. Military training in the Jordan Valley is illegal. Israel must immediately stop it and all other measures employed in an attempt to force Palestinian residents of the Jordan Valley out of the area.

4 February 2016 المكسر, خ. سوسيا, al-Mukasar, Kh. Susiya, al-Mukasar, Kh. Susiya

Another day in Area C: Israeli demolitions in two Palestinian communities leave 27 homeless

On Thursday morning, 4 February 2016, Civil Administration (CA) officials came to the Palestinian shepherding community of al-Mkassar in the northern Jordan Valley with bulldozers and a military escort. They proceeded to demolish four tents that were home to two families – a total of 19 people, including 12 minors. They also demolished eight livestock pens. These families had already lost their homes in a previous demolition in June 2015. Later that the day, around noon, CA and military forces came to the Palestinian community of Khirbet Susiya in the South Hebron Hills, where they dismantled and confiscated two tents that were home to a family of eight, including six minors. The tents were donated to the family after their two previous tents were demolished about two weeks ago, on 20 January 2016.

2 February 2016 خ. جنبة, خ. الحلاوة, Kh. Jenbah, Kh. Jenbah, Kh.al-Halawah

Israeli authorities demolish homes of 22 Palestinian families in Firing Zone 918

Today, 2 Feb. 2016, Israeli authorities demolished a total of 22 homes in two Palestinian communities in the South Hebron Hills, leaving 110 people, including 64 minors, homeless in mid-winter. The communities lie in an area declared by the military as Firing Zone 918. This comes immediately after the end of unsuccessful mediation between Israeli authorities and the communities, which now plan to renew their legal battle against attempts to expel them from their land.

27 January 2016 Jabal al-Baba, Kh. Susiya, Abu a-Nuwar, Kh. a-Rahwa, Jabal al-Baba, Abu a-Nuwar (Bseisat), Kh. Susiya, Kh. a-Rahwah

Israeli authorities demolish ten Palestinian homes in Area C in January, leaving 59 homeless, incl. 37 minors

Since the beginning of 2016 Israel has demolished eight Palestinian homes in the area defined as E1 and two homes in the South Hebron Hills, including one in Khirbet Susiya, where residents have struggled for years against expulsion and settler takeover. These demolitions serve Israel’s policy to create immutable facts on the ground ahead of any future agreement. This longstanding policy, which creates an impossible daily reality for Palestinians in Area C, constitutes forced transfer of protected residents within the occupied territory.