Violation: Demolition of an agricultural residence and structures.

Date of Violation: 17/07/2024.

Location: Zif Area - Yatta Town / Hebron Governorate.

The aggressor: The so-called Israeli Civil Administration.

Affected Party: Citizen Ibrahim Abu Turki.

Details:

On Wednesday, 17/07/2024, the Israeli occupation authorities demolished an agricultural residence and structures owned by citizen Ibrahim Ismail Ibrahim Abu Turki, under the pretext of building without a permit in the Zif area, northeast of Yatta town, south of Hebron Governorate.

A force from the Israeli army, accompanied by teams from the planning and building department of the "Civil Administration," stormed the village with a bulldozer and an excavator, heading towards a piece of land owned by Abu Turki, and demolished the structures he had built there.

The Israeli occupation authorities demolished the following structures:

• An external bathroom made of tin sheets, with an area of 3 square meters.
• An agricultural room with brick sides and a tin roof, with an area of 20 square meters.
• A metal container with an area of 18 square meters, which was used as a storage for agricultural tools and manual equipment.

 Rubble of the structures owned by Abu Turki that were demolished by the occupation.

The citizen had built these structures on a piece of land he owns, about 2 dunams, for rest during his work on his land. However, the occupation authorities demolished them.

Citizen Abu Turki supports a family of 9 members, including 7 children, with four females in his family.

It is worth noting that recently, the occupation and its settlers have escalated their attacks on agricultural rooms and structures to deter Palestinians from their lands. The Land Research Center recorded 350 attacks by settlers on agricultural structures in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, from the beginning of 2024 until the date of this report. Settlers targeted more than 57 agricultural rooms through burning, vandalism, breaking contents, or theft.

Additionally, the occupation forces demolished 21 agricultural rooms built on dozens of dunams of agricultural land used by Palestinian farmers during their work on their land.

The targeting of agricultural rooms built by Palestinian farmers on their land, for the purpose of storing agricultural tools and for rest after tiring agricultural activities (plowing, irrigating crops, weeding, spraying pesticides, etc.), aims to deter Palestinian farmers from their land and instill fear that accessing the land threatens their lives, thereby depriving farmers of safely reaching their land.

Demolition of Residences and Structures in International Law:

The demolition of Palestinian properties violates all international laws, treaties, and conventions, most notably:

Article (17) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – 1948:

Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Article (23) of the Hague Convention – 1907:

It is forbidden to destroy the enemy's property or seize it, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.

Article (53) of the Fourth Geneva Convention – 1948:

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.

مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC IV - FCDO

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of Land Research Center and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the project donor; the Norwegian Refugee Council.

إخلاء المسؤولية: الآراء ووجهات النظر الواردة في هذا التقرير هي آراء ووجهات نظر مركز أبحاث الأراضي ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر أو مواقف الجهة المانحة للمشروع؛ المجلس النرويجي. للاجئين