Tuwani(R)Esiste

PRESS RELEASE | MAY 5 2015

Israeli state pushes court to take unusual step threatening immediate demolition of entire Palestinian village 

The entire Palestinian village of Susya is in danger of demolition and expulsion. By refusing to issue an interim order preventing preemptive demolitions before their case is heard, the Israeli High Court is allowing for the demolition of the entire Palestinian village of Susya and subsequent expulsion of its 340 residents. The refusal of the State to commit to not demolishing before the conclusion of proceedings suggests it has plans to destroy the village in the near future.  

On one hand, the High Court of Justice is willing to hear the village’s petition to legitimize its status, but on the other hand, the court allows the village to be destroyed before even deciding on the case. 

On May 5 2015, High Court Judge Noam Solberg rejected the request for an interim order by the Palestinian village of Susya, represented by Rabbis for Human Rights, in a petition against the Civil Administration’s decision to reject the master plan prepared by the village and subsequent demolition of the entire village. 

The village argued that their plan was rejected for non-professional reasons and that the village should be legalized due to its unique history.  The residents sought an interim order to freeze the implementation of the demolitions until the petition is heard, as is standard practice in these sort of cases.It was against this request for an interim order that Justice Solberg, without even conducting a hearing on the request, made the unusual move of granting the state’s request not to freeze the orders. This decision means that the Civil Administration can now destroy Susya at any time. The demolition of the village will lead to hundreds of residents living in the desert with no roof over their heads and may result in their displacement. The state’s refusal to commit to waiting for a conclusion to the court proceedings raises great alarm that it intends to implement the demolition order in the near future; tragically, it seems the villagers are in real danger.

In the petition, Susya’s residents claimed that the army is obliged to legalize their village as it was the one to confiscate their land and their caves in 1986, leaving them without a housing solution and forcing them to move to their adjacent agricultural lands. As evidence to the life in the village prior to the expropriation, various testimonials and photographs of life in caves were presented to the judge. Among other things, there were documented photos of a visit by the US Consulate to the village at the beginning of 1986. The photos and testimony clearly shows that the Palestinian village of Susya is an old village formed prior to the Israeli occupation and the declaration of the area as an archaeological site.

Among the evidence was the opinion of the late governmental legal adviser Plia Albeck (considered to be very pro-settlement and who wrote in her memoirs that she tried to find legal ways to declare Palestinian land as State land), indicating the existence of a Palestinian village in 1982 where today the archaeological site stands.

Despite the evidence presented before him, revealing the many injustices done to the villagers – from the expropriation and dispossession of their lands, to the refusal by the state to recognize the status of the village in its new location –  Judge Sohlberg did not  agree to  hear the case before allowing the demolishment the village and setting the fate of its inhabitants.

Attached to the petition, inter alia, was an expert opinion by Prof. Eyal Benvenisti, a renowned expert in international law, stipulating that the demolition of the village of Susya constitutes a war crime.

This week, a report by radical right-wing NGO “Regavim” (which has close ties to the settlement enterprise) was exposed indicating that in the nearby Jewish settlement, also called Susia, there are 23 illegal homes built on private Palestinian land. We have no indication of any attempt by the state to demolish these illegal structures in the settlement Sussia or in its nearby outposts. We see in this current situation that this Jewish settlement, whose very existence is prohibited by international law, and where some of its homes are sitting on private Palestinian land, is prosperous, while the Palestinian village of Susya, whose inhabitants are on their own private land, is at risk of displacement and  loss of their entire village.

Background:

In 1986 the village of Susya was declared an archaeological site, its land expropriated, and its inhabitants, who lived in caves, were deported. While the Palestinians were told that they could not reside in an archeological site, Israeli settlers live in an illegal outpost located inside the archeological site.

After the expulsion, villagers were forced to move to their neighboring agricultural plots. Because there was no willingness to grant a zoning plan, they involuntarily became illegal builders. Dozens of villagers followed procedures in attempts to obtain building permits, but those attempts were rejected. In 2012 the villagers raised funds and submitted a proposed master plan, drawn up by Professor Rassem Khamaiseh, for the Civil Administration for review.  The plan would authorize construction in the village according to accepted standards of professional planning.

The plan was rejected in 2013 on very questionable grounds, indicating a double standard in planning, and blatant discrimination against the Palestinian population. For example, it was argued that the number of residents in the village, which is a few hundred people, is not substantial enough to grant it independent planning as its own entity.  On the other hand, dozens of unauthorized outposts which are built housing only a handful of residents are approved by the Civil Administration’s planning body. In addition, it was argued that the plan will prevent the population from properly developing and moving out of poverty, and therefore, they should be moved to an adjacent city. It should be noted that the city is, of course, in Area A, and what actually prevents the progress of Susya is the lack of infrastructure which they are prevented from building. Also important to note is that Israelis are permitted to choose their preferred way of life – be it urban or rural, and are not forced by the state into one or the other.

In 2014, Rabbis for Human Rights petitioned the High Court on behalf of the Susya village council and its residents against the decision to reject the village master plan (HCJ 1420/14). As mentioned, on May 5th the court rejected the request for an interim injunction, leaving the whole village vulnerable to imminent demolition.

The big picture:

The danger of demolishing and expropriating the village of Susya reflects the systemic problem of planning for Palestinian villages located in Area C; in these villages, planning is done by military planning committees, without representation of Palestinians, with the intent of preventing residents from building on their own land based on reasonable and professional planning standards. A recent High Court petition, submitted by the village council Dirat, Rabbis for Human Rights, Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Society, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, and St. Yves – Catholic Human Rights Center, demands  planning authority be returned to Palestinian villages for their own communities in order to prevent the tragic demolitions of hundreds of homes every year due to the impossibility of obtaining building permits.

Link to the article : Rabbis for Human Rights

On may 2,  a group of 4 adult settlers (one of them armed) harassed one Palestinian with his son, while they were going back home through Humra valley. The settlers waited for them in a close military area for Israeli. The Palestinians decided to call OD volunteers who accompanied them until Meshaha Valley.When the Internationals arrived, the settlers moved to Palestinian village of Kharrouba (that was evicted in 1999) and entered caves and houses.

In the past two days another episode of harassment took place.

On may 1,  2 Palestinians (a 6 years old child, with his sister) were harassed and chased by settlers, while they were going back home to the Palestinian village of Tuba.When Palestinians accompanied by OD volunteers arrived near Shab el Shamsti a group of 6 settlers started to scream and run towards them.The Palestinians got scared and escaped in order to reach a safer place.

This is an alarming trend because the ongoing settlers’ harassment of Palestinians and damage of Palestinian property increases the difficulties and the dangers that inhabitants of South Hebron Hills have to face daily, living under Israeli occupation in area “C”.

(italian follows)

Il due maggio, un gruppo di quattro coloni, di cui uno armato, hanno intimidito un uomo palestinese con suo figlio, mentre stavano tornando a casa percorrendo Humra Valley. I coloni hanno aspettato i palestinesi in una zona militare chiusa per gli israeliani. I palestinesi hanno deciso di chiamare i volontari di Operazione Colomba che li hanno accompagnati fino a Meshaha Valley.Dopo l’arrivo degli internazionali, i coloni si sono spostati verso il villaggio palestinese di Kharrouba (evacuato nel 1999), entrando nelle grotte e nelle case.

Un altro episodio intimidatorio si è verificato negli ultimi due giorni.

Il primo maggio, due palestinesi (un bambino di sei anni con sua sorella) sono stati inseguiti dai coloni, mentre stavano tornando verso casa, al villaggio palestinese di Tuba.Quando i palestinesi, accompagnati da due volontari internazionali di Operazione Colomba, sono arrivati vicino a Shab el Shamsti, un gruppo di sei coloni ha iniziato a urlare e a correre verso di loro.I palestinesi, spaventati, sono scappati per raggiungere un luogo più sicuro.

Questo è un trend preoccupante dal momento che le continue intimidazioni da parte dei coloni, i danneggiamenti alle proprietà palestinesi aumentano notevolmente le difficoltà e i rischi che gli abitanti delle Colline a Sud di Hebron affrontano giornalmente, vivendo sotto l’occupazione israeliana in area “C”.

On April 29, the Israeli Authorities placed an “Area A” sign in the beginning of the street that crosses the Bypass Road 317 and links the village of Tuwani with the village of Al Birkeh.

(italian follows)

Il 29 aprile, le autorità israeliane hanno collocato un cartello di “Area A” all’inizio della strada che incrocia la Bypass Road 317 e collega il villaggio di Tuwani con il villaggio di Al Birkeh.

This picture shows Yeoshaphat Torr, the spokesman of the illegal outpost of Havat Ma’on, while is giving directions to Israeli soldiers.

Five minutes later, soldiers try to chase away Palestinians from their own land in Meshaha Valley (At-Tuwani). When International volunteers explained to the soldiers that they can’t take order from civilians, Israeli army left the area.

(italian follows)

Nella prima foto si può vedere Yeoshaphat Torr, un colono dell’avamposto illegale di Havat Ma’on, mentre da indicazioni ai soldati israeliani.

Cinque minuti più tardi i soldati hanno provato a scacciare i palestinesi dalla propria terra in Meshaha Valley (At-Tuwani). Quando i volontari internazionali hanno fatto notare ai soldati che, in quanto militari, non possono prendere ordini da civili, se ne sono andati.

Although they suffered by the 1999 eviction, during which the population of 15 villages was deported (and villages demolished) , although they suffered by several and continuous house demolitions, Palestinian from South Hebron Hills never gave up.
In this area where Israeli Army and settlers try to make the life impossible for Palestinians, resistance means existence.

Today, as in the previous two years, Palestinians continue to rebuild the demolished houses and structures like mosque, school and ovens.
Several families have been returning in their villages and the community is getting bigger.
The struggle of Palestinians from South Hebron Hills is successful as they inverted the strategy of Israeli occupation, that wants to evict Palestinian communities living in Area C (under under full Israeli administrative and military control, according Oslo Accords).

(italian follows)

Sebbene abbiano sofferto l’evacuazione del 1999, durante la quale la popolazione di 15 villaggi fu deportata (e i villaggi demoliti), sebbene abbiano subìto numerose e continue demolizioni, i palestinesi delle colline a sud di Hebron non si sono mai arresi.In quest’area in cui l’esercito israeliano e i coloni tentano di rendere la vita impossibile ai palestinesi, resistenza significa esistenza.

Oggi, così come negli ultimi due anni, i palestinesi hanno continuato a ricostruire le case demolite e le strutture come moschee, scuola e forni.Numerose famiglie stanno ritornando ai loro villaggi e la comunità si sta allargando sempre più.La lotta dei palestinesi delle South Hebron Hills è efficace perché è riuscita a invertire l’obiettivo della strategia dell’occupazione israeliana, che vorrebbe evacuare tutti i palestinesi delle comunità che vivono in area C (sotto il completo controllo amministrativo e militare, stando agli accordi di Oslo).

My name is Jaber. Yesterday I waited 1 hour in a dangerous place near an Israeli illegal  outpost. The Israeli military escort, supposed to protect me from the settlers of Havat Ma’on, was late. In the last two week the escort delay exposed me to the settler’s violence for a total of 4 hours and 40 minutes.

Jaber, 10 years old (photo by Cristiano Freschi)

Il mio nome è Jaber. Ieri ho aspettato per un ora, in un posto pericoloso accanto all’avamposto, la scorta militare israeliana che in teoria dovrebbe proteggermi dai coloni di Havat Ma’on. Nelle ultime due settimane sono stato esposto per 4 ore e 40 minuti alla violenza dei coloni, a causa dei ritardi della scorta.

On April 14, a group of Israeli people arrived in the South Hebron Hills area in order to make a naturalist research. They spent the day looking for flowers, butterflies, insects, behaving like they were in a normal area and not in a military occupied zone.

Actually, they were escorted all the time by a dozen of Israeli soldiers, patrolling the area from the early morning until late afternoon.

The excursion had negative impacts on the Palestinians daily life, as several shepherds had to move away from the area where they were grazing their flocks and some Palestinian properties has been damaged.

Gita nelle colline a sud di Hebron

Il 14 aprile, un gruppo di israeliani si è recato nell’area delle colline a sud di Hebron per effettuare una ricerca naturalistica, trascorrendo l’intera giornata alla ricerca di fiori, farfalle e insetti e comportandosi come se si trovassero in un luogo qualunque e non in territori occupati militarmente.

Di fatto, però, i ricercatori israeliani sono stati scortati per tutto il tempo da una dozzina di soldati, che hanno pattugliato l’aerea dalla prima mattina fino al tardo pomeriggio.

Questa escursione ha avuto impatti negativi sulle attività giornaliere dei palestinesi, poiché molti pastori si sono dovuti spostare in altre aree per pascolare i loro greggi e alcuni proprietà palestinesi sono state danneggiate.

Harvesting is popular nonviolent resistance

During this week Palestinians from South Hebron Hills started the harvest. Harvesting crops close an illegal Israeli outpost is popular nonviolent resistance.

Durante questa settimana i Palestinesi delle colline a sud di Hebron hanno iniziato il raccolto. Lavorare la propria terra davanti ad un avamposto illegale israeliano è resistenza popolare nonviolenta.

Hundreds of Israeli settlers enter in the Palestinian village of Al Birkeh

(Italian follow)

In the early afternoon of April 7, several hundreds of settlers,  escorted by Israeli army and police, gathered at the entrance of At Tuwani village and entered the Palestinian village of Al Birkeh.

Israeli settlers blocked the road that connects the village to the city of Yatta all the day long, restricting the freedom of movement of the Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills area.

In these days of Passover, a large number of settlers walked in Palestinian lands, harassing and scaring Palestinian people in their daily life activities.

Centinaia di coloni israeliani entrano nel villaggio palestinese di Al Birkeh

Nel primo pomeriggio del 7 aprile alcune centinaia di coloni si sono riuniti all’entrata del villaggio di At Tuwani, entrando poi, scortati dall’esercito e polizia israeliani, nel villaggio palestinese di Al Birkeh.

I coloni hanno bloccato la strada che collega il villaggio alla città di Yatta per tutta la giornata, limitando, in questo modo, la libertà di movimento dei palestinesi nell’area delle colline a sud di Hebron.

In questi giorni in cui si festeggia la Pasqua ebraica, un gran numero di coloni israeliani si è spinto all’interno delle terre palestinesi, spaventando gli abitanti dei villaggi e impedendo loro il normale svolgimento delle attività quotidiane.