Violation: Warning to “stop destroying antiquities” targets a cistern and a facility.

Location: Khirbet Jib’it / Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate.

Date: March 4^th 2021.

Perpetrators: The Israeli Civil Administration.

Date: 4 families Khirbet Jib’it.

Description:

Thursday, March 4^th 2021, The Israeli Occupation Authorities raided Khirbet Jib’it east Al-Mughayyir north Ramallah, and gave four families a removal military notice for a Baton Floor with a total area of 9 m², surrounded by a water harvesting cistern with a storage capacity of 100 m³, on the pretext of violating an archeological area (as the occupation claims), noting that the baton floor was leveled late last year through a GVC project for cisterns rehabilitation.

According to the notice number (00434) the occupation threatens to demolish the baton floor that surrounds the cistern, in case the owners refused to remove it within a certain period of time.

Notice number (00434) that targets the cistern

The targeted cistern belongs to citizen ‘Amer Abu ‘Alya who told Land Research Center:

“The targeted cistern was built more than 100 years ago and used to provide drinking water, and we are about 27 people living in Jib’it for many years”.

Affected citizen pointed out that the occupation demolished a part of two other cisterns last February, which was preceded by demolishing another cistern in September 2020 under a similar pretext, this has a dramatic effect on the lives of the areas’ residents, at the time of water shortage.

In addition, the Occupation targeted a grape arbor (12 m²) with a removal notice, noting that the arbor was built 7 years ago, and used as a store for families living there, the notice was entitled (Halting destroying antiquities) and numbered 00435.

Notice number 00435 that targets the facility

The following table shows more information about families living in Jib’it:

Photo 1: The targeted arbeor

Photos 2+3: area of the targeted cistern

Since the evacuation of the Jib’it military camp by the Israeli army about three years ago, colonists have begun to seize the camp’s land to establish a colonial outpost there. Since then, colonists have carried out attacks against sheep herders and farmers, with the aim of preventing them from using their land, and, eventually, empty the area for future colonial expansion.

It is noteworthy that the “Khirbet Jib’it” area is located to the east of the village of Mughayyir in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, where citizens depend on agriculture and cattle breeding for living. The community’s citizens originate from the village of Al Mughayer, specifically from the Abu Alia family. They have official documents confirming their ownership of the land in which they had been living for 50 years.

This report was prepared as part of Secure Palestinian Land & Housing Rights project activities

The Contents of this document are the responsibility of LRC and do not reflect EU positions