Land Research Center

Violation: land seizure

Location: Beit Sahur village

Date:  January 19, 2018

Perpetrators: Israeli Occupation Forces

Victims:  Beit Sahur city

Details:

The Israeli occupation military issued on January 19, 2018 land seizure order under the number T3517 targeting 1.344 dunums from Oush Al-Ghurab area in Beit Sahur city on the claim of " security purposes" . Reportedly, the seizure was reported for the sake of opening new colonial road  (670m length * 2m width)in the area.

By opening the new road, the occupation intends to expand military use of Oush Al-Ghurab area, since some parts of it are considered "closed military zone". This will allow the army to control the eastern side of Bethlehem governorate.

Reportedly, the occupation army withdrew from the area in 2006 but colonists kept on trying to come back and establish a colony in the area.

It should be noted that the military order of seizure mentioned that lands owner can file an objection to the order within a seven day deadline.

The area of Oush Al-Ghurab is reported to undergo several attacks by the occupation since being declared a closed military zone in 2009.

Oush Al-Ghurab is relative to Beit Sahur city and is classified as area "C" according to Oslo Accords.

Photos 1-3: the seizure order

Some international laws and convections pertaining to confiscation and destruction of properties:

• Art. 147. Grave breaches to which the preceding Article relates shall be those involving any of the following acts, if committed against persons or property protected by the present Convention: wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person, compelling a protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile Power, or wilfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial prescribed in the present Convention, taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.
• 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.”

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