Demolitions and confiscations in communities facing expulsion

Community

8 May 2015 خ. سوسيا, Kh. Susiya, Kh. Susiya

Immediate threat to demolish Palestinian village Khirbet Susiya and expel residents

At any moment, the Civil Administration might demolish all homes in the Khirbet Susiya, expelling the residents from their land. This follows a High Court decision not to issue an interim order to prevent the demolition, given in a petition filed by the residents and Rabbis for Human Rights arguing that the CA rejected their master plan for unprofessional reasons, using a double standard and discrimination against Palestinians. This cruel, illegal move is part of Israel’s policy in Area C to facilitate annexation of lands to Israel.

1 April 2015 مدرسة الخان الاحمر, Khan al-Ahmar school, Khan al-Ahmar (Abu al-Hilu)

Civil Administration confiscates solar panels in Khan al-Ahmar Bedouin community, near Ma'ale Adummim settlement

Representatives of the Civil Administration came this afternoon to the Palestinian community of Khan al-Ahmar in the West Bank, north of the Ma'ale Adummim settlement, and began dismantling 11 energy production solar panels. These panels provide electricity to the community and to its school, which serves children from all Bedouin communities in the area. They were assembled over the past three months, and two of them only today. B'Tselem's field researcher is currently on location documenting the dismantling and confiscation activities.

18 March 2015 خلة مكحول, Khallet Makhul, Khallet Makhul

Civil Administration demolishes structures, confiscates water tanks in Palestinian communities in northern Jordan Valley

This morning, Civil Administration bulldozers returned to the Jordan Valley, demolishing the homes of four families and farming structures in Khallet Makhul and a farming structure in the village of al-Hadidiyah. The Administration also confiscated two waters tanks in the 200-person village of al-Farisiyah, which is not connected to a water supply network. A more detailed report will follow B'Tselem's investigation of the incidents.

4 March 2015 خ. عين كرزلية, Kh. 'Ein Karzaliyah

Civil Administration demolishes ‘Ein Karzaliyah for the second time this winter

Mar. 4, Israeli authorities demolished all structures in Khirbet ‘Ein Karzaliyah in the northern Jordan Valley, for the second time this year. Bulldozers raked the dirt road leading to the community, preventing access by car. This cruel harassment of a particularly vulnerable population is part of Israel’s policy aimed at displacing thousands of Palestinians from communities throughout Area C. B'Tselem urges Israel to allow residents of Khirbet ‘Ein Karzaliyah to remain where they have lived and grazed their flocks for 25 years without interference.

23 February 2015 خ. يرزة, Kh. Yarza, Kh. Yarza

Civil Administration dismantles, confiscates water pipes in Khirbet Yarza, Jordan Valley

On 29 Jan. 2015, the Civil Administration dismantled water pipes recently installed for the small shepherding community of Khirbet Yarza in the Jordan Valley and confiscated the parts. Before the installation, the community relied on rainwater and private water purchase. This is one measure of several taken by Israeli authorities to relocate thousands of Palestinians living in Area C. As the occupying power in the West Bank, Israel must allow residents to maintain their lifestyle, permit them to build legally, and provide them water and electricity.

22 January 2015 خ. عين كرزلية, Kh. 'Ein Karzaliyah, Kh. 'Ein Karzaliyah

Civil Administration again demolishes all homes in Khirbet 'Ein Karzaliyah

This morning, Civil Administration bulldozers again demolished all the community’s structures, including the five tents in which the families were living. This is the fourth time that these families have been left homeless since January 2014. Previous demolitions took place in January, February and April 2014 (when only some of the residential tents were destroyed).

22 January 2015 الكعابنة, Al-Kaabneh Wadi al-Qalt, Wadi al-Qalt (al-Kaabneh)

Civil Administration serves eviction orders to al-Ka’abneh community near Wadi Qelt, West Bank

On 12 Jan. 2015, the Civil Administration ordered all 15 families in the al-Ka’abneh community to leave in 48 hours due to “recent incursion into state land”. Att. Shlomo Lecker filed an objection on behalf of the families, who have lived near Wadi Qelt since 1983, after twice being evicted from future settlement sites. The Administration must enable Bedouin communities to maintain their lifestyle, plan independently and build legally, as well as connect them to infrastructure and provide them with basic health and education services.

8 January 2015 خ. ام الجمال, Kh. Um al-Jmal, Kh. Um al-Jamal

Kh. Um al-Jmal: Israeli military demolishes 5 families’ tents mere days before the storm

On 1 January 2015, with clear forecasts of an impending storm, the Israeli military and Civil Administration demolished the tents and some of the property of five families in Khirbet Um al-Jamal, a shepherding community in the Jordan Valley. Thirty individuals, including 22 minors, were left exposed to the elements, yet authorities did not arrange for alternate housing. The Red Crescent and the PA provided replacement tents, but these do not offer adequate shelter from the rain. In the course of the storm, Israeli human rights NGO MachsomWatch took it upon itself to supply plastic sheeting to the residents to weatherproof the tents. In February 2014 we reported the demolition of all structures in this community by Israeli authorities.

1 October 2014 خ. الطويل, Kh. al-Twayel, Kh. al-Twayel

Civil Administration destroyed power grid in Khirbet a-Twayel, the Jordan Valley

On 29 Sept. 2014, the Civil Administration destroyed the internal power grid of the Khirbet a-Twayel shepherding community in the Jordan Valley. The community, which numbers 113 permanent residents, including 62 children, and another 100 or so seasonal residents, has lived on the spot for dozens of years and most of its structures were built before 1967. Civil Administration representatives sawed down dozens of electricity poles and cut their wires. The demolition is part of ongoing efforts to expel dozens of Palestinian shepherding communities from Area C and take over their land.

29 May 2014 العجاج (ادعيس), al-'Ajaj (Id'eis), al-'Ajaj (Id'eis)

Civil Administration demolishes nearly half the homes in community of Id’eis, the Jordan Valley

On 21 May 2014, Civil Administration and army forces demolished approximately half of the homes and livestock pens in the community of Id’eis in the Jordan Valley, leaving 53 persons homeless. This joins other extensive efforts by Israeli authorities to expel thousands of Palestinians from their homes throughout Area C, despite the prohibition on forced transfer in international law. B’Tselem calls on authorities to allow the Id’eis community continue its agricultural lifestyle undisturbed, as it has done for the last thirty years.

20 May 2014 خ. جنبة, Kh. Jenbah, Kh. Jenbah

Despite HCJ ruling, military trains in Kh. Jenbah fields, South Hebron Hills

Kh. Jenbah is in Firing Zone 918 whose residents Israel wants to expel. After prolonged court proceedings, the villagers’ fate is currently being decided in mediation. Pending its outcome, an interim injunction prohibits expulsion of the villagers or harm to their property. In violation of the court order, the military last week trained in Jenbah’s fields, thereby damaging the crops. ACRI conveyed to the military GPS readings by B’Tselem as evidence of the training and it was discontinued. Photos by B’Tselem field researcher Nasser Nawaj'ah.

14 May 2014 مدرسة الخان الاحمر, Khan al-Ahmar school, Khan al-Ahmar (Abu al-Hilu)

High Court rejects settlements’ petition to demolish Khan al-Ahmar school

On 13 May 2014 the HCJ rejected a petition by settlements in the Ma’ale Adumim area to implement demolition orders for a school and homes in Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin community. The rejection was grounded in the State’s announced plan to relocate the community to a site north of Jericho and its declared intention of preventing harm to minors. The relocation plan has yet to be shown to the residents, who object to the idea and demand a planning solution at their current location. International law prohibits forced transfer of protected civilians.

Expulsion log

Israeli officials confiscate two tractors belonging to Palestinians in Kh. Humsah a-Tahta

26 February 2023

On Sunday, 26 February 2023, at around 1:00 P.M., officials from the Jordan Valley settlement regional council arrived at Kh. Humsah a-Tahta, Jordan Valley, with a military and Israel Police escort and ordered members of a family engaged in fixing their tents to stop working. When they refused, the settlement regional council officials threatened to demolish their tents and demanded the keys to their tractors. When the residents refused this as well, an altercation erupted, including mutual shoving, and one regional council official pepper sprayed three family members in the face. One member of the family required medical attention and was taken to a clinic in the village of al-Jiftlik once the Israeli forces left.
The soldiers confiscated two tractors and towed them away, and a settlement council staff member drove away the family’s car. The vehicles were taken to a military base near the settlement of Hamra.

Ahmad Abu Seif, 48, a father of six, described what happened that day in the testimony he gave B’Tselem field researcher ‘Aref Daraghmeh:
On 11 November 2022, Civil Administration personnel and soldiers confiscated my tractor and my brother Fadel’s tractor. We only managed to get it back about two months later, after paying about 2,000 NIS (1 NIS = about USD 0.28). On Sunday, 26 February 2023, at around 1:00 P.M., people from the settlement council showed up with four soldiers and a police car. They came into the tens we were fixing up and threatened that if we didn’t stop, they’d demolish them.
We refused, and then we got into a shouting match with the soldiers and the settlers. They wanted to confiscate our tractors and demanded we hand over the keys. We refused and tried to unhook a water trailer that was hooked up to one of the tractors, and then they started pushing us, and we pushed them back. During the confrontation, one of the settlement council members came up and pepper sprayed my brother Fadel (62), who has kidney problems, in the face, as well as two other family members.
The soldiers towed the tractors away and confiscated them. They also confiscated our car, which the settlement councilman drove away. The soldiers also arrested Naser (40), Fadel’s son, took him to a military base near the Hamra settlement and detained him there for about half an hour and then let him go.
My brother Fadel, who was really suffering from inhaling the pepper spray, was taken by ambulance to the medical center in al-Jiftlik.
I don’t know if we’ll be able to get our tractors back again. The Israelis don’t want us here. We’re in a terrible state mentally, adults and children. All the money we manage to save goes to pay fines.

Demolitions and confiscations in communities facing expulsion

Get B'Tselem's newsletter