Israeli Violations against Palestinian Rights to Land and Housing Statistical Report Annual Report 2014 LRC By Monitoring Israeli Violations Team Land Research Center – Arab Studies Society March 2015 Report Team Editing & Supervison Jamal Talab Alamleh Jerusalem Researchers Yaqoub Odeh Ala Sumairah Area (C) & (H2) Raed Moqadi Researchers Inas Asa, d Rajeh Talhami Feild Research Hiba Whoosh Coordiation & Report Preparation Mapping & Design Mohammad Alamleh Younes Rjoub Translation Waleed Hijazi Israeli Violations against Palestinian Rights to Land and Housing 2014 Preface Article 1 from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that « All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood». The year 2014 is considered the year of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa mosque, during which: A full closure and time division were imposed on the mosque. The compound of Al-Aqsa mosque was classified as public yards in a step to take them over from Muslims. A tyrant such like the leader of the right-wing Jewish Home party Naftali Bennett announced Jerusalem the eternal capital of Israel. 38 residential units were taken over in the heart of the Arab Silwan neighborhood in addtion to the Central Post Office building that is located in the most commercial street in east Jerusalem, Salahuddin street. A modification was made on the law of Absentees to regard of those who carry the West Bank ID as Absentees despite owning properties in Jerusalem. Judaization of Jerusalem was an occupational focus. Nineteen outpost erupted; 5545 colonial units were annexed to colonies and 729 Palestinian structures were demolished with a 5% increase compared to last year. Areas «C» became inaccessible to Palestinians where colonists were given ultimate freedom to roam and establish military camps, which later become colonies. In addition, areas «C» fell under the so-called self-demolition policy as in the case of Jerusalem city. The Palestinian Authority was punished by endless sanctions because it applied for a membership in the ICC and Rome Convention as per recognizing Palestine in the UN. The Israeli occupation got exposed after the insane war on Gaza strip, which resulted in the destruction of 70,000 residences, displacement of half million citizen, martyrdom of 2147 people, 81% of which were women, children and elderly, not forgetting the 10,870 injured people, the third of which were children who will sustain a permanent disability. The Israeli government violated all international laws and conventions even those catered by its first ally USA. Palestinian found themselves applying the following saying: «walking on a sword is deadly but falling over is even worse» The killing and torching of the kid Mohammad Abu Khdair alive. A Palestinian minister was killed on camera at time of planting olive trees. Will the world keep watching the Palestinian agony in silence without restoring the stepped over humanity by the professional killers? Jamal Talab Alamleh General Manager Jerusalem The Land Research Center (LRC) – an overview Is a nongovernmental, non-profit organization that was established in 1986 as part of the Arab Studies Society. LRC’s activities cover all the West Bank, including Jerusalem, as well as the Gaza Strip. It has branches in Hebron, Ramallah, and Nablus. , LRC s Programs The Human Rights Program: It is viewed as one of the most crucial programs implemented on the national level. The program aims to monitor Israeli violations of Palestinians rights, gather detailed and precise information in this regard and make the information available to people all over the world in order to garner more support and mobilize solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Sustainable development program This program aims at fostering the development of Palestinian land and people through implementing activities that achieve sustainable development via developing natural resources that include and are not limited to lands development, nature preserve and water management & best use. Researches and Studies, and Maps and Geographic Information System (GIS) This program focuses on preparing, producing and providing valid scientific information, studies, and applicable researches relative to the center›s various activities. Studies and researcher- supported by the maps and aerial photos of Maps and Geographic Information System (GIS)- include and are not limited to soil preserve, lands development, vegetation, and bio-diversity. Methodology Information gathering is done in accordance with the International coalition for the right of property and residence: a specialized team of field observers follow Israeli violations up. Information on ongoing violations is usually obtained from news agencies, victims’ calls, interviews, and field visits. Information is then classified and distributed to field observers based on location. The field observers conduct visits to the attacked sites, record testimonies, take pictures, and let the victims fill special survey to obtain as much information as possible about the aggression. The gathered information is used to produce case studies, news feeds, and monthly and quarterly reports. All of the reported aggressions are recorded electronically on the LRC’s central database. It is worthy to mention that produced reports include pictures and maps and/or aerial photographs designed by the GIS unit at LRC in order to provide visual aid needed to better understand the extent of the aggression. In the end, these reports are published on LRC’s webpage www.lrcj.org and the program’s special website which is developed and maintained in cooperation with the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) www.poica.org in both Arabic and English as well as being often published in the form of booklets and books. Content Ch1. Israeli Violations against Palestinian Rights to Land and Housing 1.1 Demolition and evacuation of Palestinian houses and structures as part 3 of a displacement policy 1.2 Demolition Threats for Palestinian Residences and Structures 18 1.3 Seizing and Colonists’ attacks on Palestinian Residences 26 Ch2. Israeli Violations against Natural Resources 2.1 Israeli Violations against Natural Resources 33 2.1.1 Land confiscation 33 2.1.2 Destruction of Land and Crops 40 2.1.3 Attacks on Palestinian Trees 43 2.1.4 Demolition of Cisterns, Reservoirs, Pools and Springs 47 2.1.5 Demolition Threats for Wells, Reservoirs, Pools and Springs 49 2.2 Pumping Sewage towards Palestinian Towns and Villages 52 Ch3. Colonists’ Attacks on Palestinian Lands and Properties 3.1 colonial gangs that were formed ,to harm Palestinians 59 3.2 Palestinians› losses due to Colonists Attacks 60 3.3 Types of Attacks on Palestinians and Their Property 62 3.3.1 Attacks on Palestinian Individuals 63 3.3.2 Attacks on Palestinian farmers and shepherds 65 3.3.3 Attacks on Palestinian Vehicles 66 Ch4. Siege and Blockade 4.1 Road blocks in 2014 78 4.2 The Israeli Annexation and Expansion Wall (segregation wall) 85 4.2.1 Background Information about the Wall 85 4.2.2 The Wall in Numbers 85 4.2.3 The Status of the Wall in 2014 85 Ch5. Israeli Violations against Islamic and Christian Religious Sites 5.1 Attacks on Religious Sites 92 5.1.1 Violation against al-Aqsa mosque and worshipers during 2014 95 5.1.2 The Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and Constant Attempts at 99 Judaization 5.1.3 Targeting 144 mosques and churches since 1967. 100 Ch6.Colonial expansion 6.1 The Israeli occupation colonialism in the West Bank and Jerusalem 106 6.2 Status of Colonization in 2014 109 6.3 Colonial Plans in 2014 115 Israeli Violations against Palestinian Rights to Land and Housing 2014 Chapter One Israeli Violations against Palestinian Rights to Land and Housing Chapter 1 Israeli Violations against Palestinian Rights to Land and Housing 1.1 Demolition and evacuation of Palestinian houses and structures as part of a displacement policy The Israeli occupation adopts a discriminatory policy when it comes to construction, banning it from demographic expansion in areas classified «C» according to Oslo Accords, the apartheid wall route, colonies peripheries and bypass roads. While it generously grants colonists building permits, it imposes endless complications on any Palestinian structure, rendering the process of getting a building permit almost impossible. Thus, many Palestinians feel obliged to build without a permit to which Israel responds by demolishing the structure under the pretext of unlicensed construction. Though it is a legitimate right to have shelter and secure residence, Israel tries to deprive Palestinians of that. Land Research Center (LRC) recorded (729) cases of house demolition in 2014, a 5% increase compared to 2013. The objective behind such policy is to empty the area from Palestinians for the favor of colonial expansion plans. Construction and expansion works were reported on 144 Israeli colonies at the expense of Palestinian lands; 50 other cities and\or villages and\or Bedouin communities had demolitions inflected upon as follows: • 251 residences (16,594m2) that were inhabited by 1365 people, including 716 children. Structures were categorized as follows : - 61 residences that are built by stones - 32 residences that are built by concrete blocks and cement - 57 residential tents - 94 barracks that are built by concrete blocks and roofed with metal slaps - 7 caravans • 478 structures which benefited 4318 people including 3711 children, including: - 197 barns,