Land Research Center

Violation: demolition of a home

Location:  Beit Dajan village

Date:  February 04, 2018

Perpetrators: Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration

Victims:  a Palestinian family

Details:

On February 04, 2018, a massive force from the occupation's army accompanied by a staff from Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration raided Beit Dajan village and demolished an under construction residence owned by citizen Dhyab Rajeh.

The affected citizen told Land Research Center  that they were delivered a final demolition order with a four day deadline, February 01, 2018. At time, part of the house was demolished by a military dozer. Three days later, the occupation forces came back and completed the demolition before the owners could prepare legal papers to object to the demolition order.

Reportedly, the demolition was carried out on the claim of "unlicensed construction" in area classified "C" according to Oslo Accords.  The demolished house totaled 180m² and was supposed to be home for the owner's eight member family including one child.

About Beit Dajan:

Beit Dajan is located 12km to the east of Nablus; its total area is 44100 dunums including 360 dunums of built up area inhabited by 4229 people (2016 census) in addition to 12500 dunums that are related to al-Ghoor area . A large part of the village lands were confiscated for the construction of the colony of Mehola in 1973.

Beit Dajan is surrounded by a number of villages namely (Salem, Deir al-Hatab, Talluza, Beit Furik, Ghoor el-Far'a ) and depends on grains plantation and fruitful trees such like olive, figs and almond.

Land Research Center LRC sees that demolitions contradict with all of the International conventions and Humanitarian laws including:

• Article 17 of the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”
• Section ‹G› of article 23 of the (1907) The Hague Conventions asserting: “In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.”
• Article 53 of the Geneva Fourth Convention (1948) declaring: “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.”

The contents of this document is the sole responsibility of LRC and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union