Violation: Assault on agricultural lands.
Date of Violation: July 17, 2024.
Location: Jurn al-Batma – Bani Na'im, Hebron Governorate.
Perpetrator: The so-called Israeli Civil Administration.
Affected Party: Citizen Mohammed Abu Subaih.

Description:
 On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, Israeli occupation authorities demolished a wall surrounding a plot of land and other agricultural structures in Bani Na'im, south of Hebron. They also uprooted several trees within the land.

At around 8:00 AM, a force from the Israeli army, accompanied by demolition teams from the Civil Administration and equipped with an excavator and bulldozer, raided the Jurn al-Batma area east of Bani Na'im. They targeted a plot of land owned by Mohammed Zain al-Din Saad al-Din Abu Subaih, where they demolished several structures under the pretext of being built without a permit.

The Israeli occupation authorities demolished and razed the following:

• Demolition of a concrete wall: 70 meters long and 1 meter high, which surrounded part of the (2.5-dunum) plot of land.
• Razing of a grapevine arbor: covering an area of (30 square meters).
• Uprooting 40 newly planted saplings: including 30 grapevines and 10 cactus saplings.
• Demolition of a canopy: a 12-square-meter structure made of metal columns covered with a tarp, used by Abu Subaih as a shaded area while working on his land.

 Effects of Demolishing the Wall and Destruction of Abu Sabih's Property(image caption)

The citizen Abu Sabih supports a family of (9 members), including (3 children), and (3 females) in his household.

The occupying authorities targeted this piece of land when Abu Sabih began constructing the wall to protect it, with the intention of planting trees on it. However, on (August 9, 2023), they issued a notice to stop the work and construction of the wall, claiming it was built without a permit. Abu Sabih then stopped the construction work and did not complete the enclosure of the land with the wall. He prepared a permit file and submitted it, hiring a lawyer to appeal the occupying authorities' notice.

However, the occupying authorities, which do not grant permits for Palestinian structures, rejected his request and issued a final order on )March 11, 2024(, to demolish the wall, and proceeded to carry out their threat.

 Demolition of Homes and Structures in International Laws

The demolition of Palestinian properties is considered a violation of 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 or in association with others.

No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of their property.

Article )23( of the Hague Convention 1907:

It is prohibited to destroy or seize the enemy's property, except when the necessities of war absolutely require such destruction or seizure.

Article )53( of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949:

The occupying power is prohibited from destroying any private property, either immovable or movable, belonging to individuals, groups, the state, public authorities, or social or cooperative organizations, unless military operations absolutely necessitate such destruction.

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