Preamble:

Seven major neighborhoods of occupied Jerusalem have been witnessing Israeli violations and attacks on Palestinian people and properties represented in demolishing residences and structures and threatening others of demolition and closure.

The team of field research at Land Research Center documented the following violations during July 2017:

• 25 residential, agricultural and commercial  structures were demolished by the occupation's municipality. Al-Isawiya village came first with  nine structures brought down where Beit Hanina came second with five structures. Silwan and Az-Za'ayyem areas got three residences demolished where Abu Hindi Bedouin community and Umm Lasyon got two structures demolished respectively. Jabal Al-Mukabir came last with one demolished structure.

In Silwan town, Israeli Occupation Forces keep on threatening residences of demolition. As a matter of fact, three houses were demolished in time colonists and colonial organizations work hard to seize and take over Palestinian properties in the neighborhood of Batin Al-Hawa through forged documents and fraud.

In the same time Israel escalates demolitions and other punitive measures in Jerusalem, it works non-stop to displace the residents of East Jerusalem Bedouin communities through the plan so-called E1. The plan aims a relocating Bedouins in other sites to use the emptied area as expansion spaces for colonies.

Demolition of Palestinian residences:

During July 2017, the Israeli occupation municipality demolished 18 residences in East Jerusalem including 11 stone houses , five cement and bricks residences and two caravans.

The following table illustrates the number of demolished residences in Jerusalem during July 2017:

Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center-2107

*Three residences were self-demolished

Demolition of Palestinian structures:

During July 2017, the Israeli occupation municipality demolished 7  structures in East Jerusalem including one retaining wall, two agricultural barracks, two storages and two commercial structures. The following table illustrates the number of demolished structures during July  2017:

Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center-2017

Demolition threats on residences and structures:

The Israeli occupation municipality in Jerusalem notified four residences of demolition  in Jabal Al-Baba Bedouin community and notified another residence of demolition in Silwan town.

Colonists attacks and violations:

• A group of colonists were reported to break into a commercial facility in Batan Al-Hawa neighborhood and to pepper-spray the wife of the shop's owner and her grandson. Injured were taken to hospital to receive proper treatment.
• A group of fanatic colonists attempted at taking over a property owned by Basbous family in Silwan neighborhood. The groups claimed buying the house from Yemeni Jews before 1948. During the takeover operation, Israeli Occupation Forces assaulted the residents and pepper-sprayed them leaving six members suffocated.

Attacks on lands:

Israeli Occupation Forces ravaged an area of two agricultural dunums and uprooted 120 olive and almond trees in Az-Za'ayyem town on the claim that the targeted land was confiscated for the favor of E1 Plan.

Land Research Center LRC sees that demolitions contradict with all the International conventions and Humanitarian laws including:

Article 17 of the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”

Section ‹G› of article 23 of the (1907) The Hague Conventions asserting: “In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.”

Article 53 of the Geneva Fourth Convention (1948) declaring: “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 cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.”

Section 1, Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966): “The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent."

This case study is part of Kan'aan Project