Land Research Center

Israeli Violations in the time of Corona

Violation: Demolishing a house.

Location: Jabal Mukabir / South Jerusalem.

Date: July 15^th 2020.

Perpetrator: The Occupation municipality in Jerusalem.

Victims: Ghassan Shuqairat.

Description:

Wednesday, July 15^th 2020 , Massive army forces accompanied by the occupation bulldozer raided Jabal Mukaber to the south of Al-Aqsa mosque , and demolished Ghassan Shuqairat’s house.

Photo 1: Demolishing a house belong to shqairat family

Reportedly, the targeted structure is built of concrete and stones, with a total area of 120 m² , consisting of 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and a living room.

Ghassan Shqairat told LRC:

“Last June, the occupation municipality in Jerusalem gave me a Halt of Construction notice on the pretext of building without licenses, one week later , an administrative demolition order was issued , we tried our best to delay the demolition , but the Occupation authorities refused and fined us 5000 Shekels.

However, Today morning, a Massive army force accompanied by a bulldozer sealed off the area and carried out the demolition.”

The Occupation authorities ban construction in Jabal Al-Mukabbir under the guise of licensing. on the other hand, they impose high fines and onerous conditions to get licenses to build in their own lands.

About Jabal Al Mukabbir[1]

5 kilometers south Jerusalem city , Jabal Al Mukabbir is surrounded by Silwan (north, Ath Thuri (west) , Abu Dis and As-Sawahra Ash- Sharqiya (east) , As-Sawahra Al-Gharbiya (south).

Jabal Mukabbir and As-Sawahra Al-Gharbiya together have a total population of (21, 127 ) people in 2012 census-The Jerusalem academy of Israeli Studies-, Jabal Al Mukabbir has an area of 3,281 dunums , 682,7 of them are the towns built uo area.

Israeli settlements devoured 300 dunums of the town's lands:

Legal Feedback:

• Demolishing Palestinian structures is a violation of international humanitarian law, such as:

• Article 147 of Geneva fourth convention  : extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly. ( it is considered a serious violation of the convention)

• Article 53 of Geneva fourth convention that forbids destroying properties : 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 co-operative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.

• Article 33 of Geneva fourth convention: No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed.

• Article 32 of Hague convention 1907 part g: To destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.

• Article 17 of Universal declaration of human rights 10 –Dec- 1948:  No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

[1] GIS-LRC