2022-03-21

On the pretext of antiquities, the Occupation Notified a House in Khirbet Yarza / Tubas governorate

Violation: Removal notice targeting a residence.

Location: Khirbet Yarza at the northern Jordan Valley.

Date: March 21st 2022.

Perpetrators: The Israeli Civil Administration.

Victims: Farmer Hafiz Masa’id.

Description:

The Israeli Occupation continues to impose restrictions on farmers in Khirbet Yarza at the northern Jordan Valley , the khirbet is a life wetness on the occupation’s arbitrary policies , including construction bans , and depriving people from their basic human rights.

The building inspector at the Israeli Civil Administration raided Khirbet Yarza on Monday, March 21st 2022, and targeted a residence built of zinc with a total area of 18 m2, and belong to farmer Hafiz Masa’id , who supports a family of 8 (among them 3 females and 4 children).

According to the occupation authorities notice number (871) m entitled “halt of destroying antiquities” , the occupation authorities ordered removal of the building , and retaining the previous statue que, on the pretext of assaulting antiquities.

Image titleThe targeted house of citizen Masa’id

Image titleNotice number 871 which targets Masa’id house

The targeted residence is the only home for the family, after their house was demolished twice , the first time was in September 29th 2020 , and the second time was March 2021 , for the same reason.

Affected citizen Hafiz Al-Masa’id told LRC:

“I don’t have any place to go, I receive notices in September 9th 2020, and September 21st 2020, on the pretext of assaulting antiquities, after the demolition I built the house again . the Israeli occupation served another demolition notice on the pretext of assaulting antiquities in January 24th 2021, and leveled the house, but I built it again for the third time.”

Khirbet Yarza:

It is situated 10km east of Tubas, more specifically in the area of Sahel al-Buqai'a. The Khirbet is inhabited by 12 families of 100 people who remained out of hundreds farming and planting their agricultural lands estimated of 25,000 dunum in area of which 283 dunum is classified under the name of Jither Balad, which is an old inhabited city.

It is indicated that 75% of Yarza lands belong to the Jordanian Tabu under and are registered under the ownership of Palestinians who had to leave the area towards Tubas and the nearby Khirbets due to the extreme discriminative activities the occupation inflected upon them. It should be also mentioned that the roots of Yarza citizens come from Tubas and that the Khirbet has three main families namely Ainabosi, Msa'id, and Shideh.