Violation: Demolition notice for a water harvesting cistern.

Location: Khirbet Yarza / Tubas governorate.

Date: January 10^th 2021.

Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration.

Victims: Citizen Sa’id Taher.

Description:

Sunday Morning January 10^th 2021, the Israeli Occupation Forces accompanied by the construction inspector raided Khirbet Yarza in the Jordan Valley, and targeted an under construction cistern with a storage capacity of 9 m³ with a removal notice on the pretext of building without a license.

The targeted cistern belongs to Sa’id Taher from Khirbet Yarza , and was used as a source for domestic and barn water.

According to notice numbered (10107), the occupation gave the owner 96 hours to demolish the cistern, or the occupation will carry out the demolition. The notice was issued in reference to military order 1797, under which the occupation demolishes any buildings constructed since less than six months, or inhabited for less than one month, Military order 1797 is the source of many notices in the Palestinian Jordan Valley area, and it even deprives the victims from their right to object.

Photo 1: Khirbet Yarza

Notice number (10107) targeting the cistern

The owner of the cistern live in a residence built of woods, and suffers from difficult circumstances, Sa’id Taher and his family was a victim of demolition twice during 2020  targeting their residence and barns , On the pretext that the Khirbet is a military training area.

About Khirbet Yarza:[1]

5 Km east Tubas city, Khirbet Yarza is bordered by Al-Malih and Al-Aqaba (north), Tubas city (west) , Al-Malih (east) and Tubas city (south).

According to PCBS census, there are (31) people living in Yarza.

Yarza has a total population of 6,154 dunums, of which 12.7 dunums are a built up area. Khirbet Yarza is in C area according to Oslo conventions.

[1] GIS-LRC

This report was prepared as part of Securing Palestinian Land and Housing Rights project activties

The contents of this document are the responsibility of LRC , and do not rerflect positions and views of The European Union