Land Research Center

Violation: Stop-work and demolition order on a residence.

Date: January 23, 2018.

Location: Beit Sakariya hamlet/ Bethlehem governorate

Perpetrators: The Israeli occupation's civil administration.

Victim: Family of Mohammad Atallah..

Description:

The Israeli occupation authorities sent military stop-work and final demolition order to a house in Beit Sakaria hamlet on the pretext of building without permissions.

The owner told LRC observer that a vehicle belongs to The Israeli illegal civil administration broke into the hamlet this afternoon, and the inspecting officer wrote military orders and handed it to the owner. The order requests the immediate stoppage of the construction and demolishing what is built within 7 days from receiving the order.

Villager Mohammad told LRC observer: "The civil administration handed us the military order personally, we built this small room by the house for our son, who now needs privacy"

The following chart provides information about the affected family:

The occupation targets Palestinian residences on the pretext of building without permission but the real purpose is to stop Palestinian demographical expansion, It is noteworthy that there is a checkpoint where they conduct full check up for passers on the hamlet's entrance.

The final stop – work and demolition order

for the Israeli settlers, the location of the hamlet is quite strategically annoying as it sets in the heart of Israeli settlements cluster, part of the settlements that comprise the Gush Etzion settlements bloc, which explains why villagers of Beit Sakariya often suffered the continuous and endless provocative actions of Jewish settlers who attempted to seize their lands for expansionist purposes and drive them out of the area by destroying their agricultural lands and demolish their homes.

About Beit Sakariya hamlet:[1]

Khallet Beit Sakariya (Beit Sakariya hamlet) is located some 5 km east of the 1949 Armistice Line (Green line) and about 8.5 km to the southwest of Bethlehem city. It's considered part of Nahhalin village cluster along with Khallet al Balluta (Al Balluta Hamlet), all comprise a total area of 17249 Dunums. Khallet Beit Sakariya is a home to 142 inhabitants, according to the Palestinian  Central Bureau of statistics – 2007 and sets on a total built of 49.5 dunums.

Settlements surrounding the hamlet:

[1] GIS -LRC

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