For the Second Time: The Israeli Occupation Demolishes Al-‘Ajlouni family home in Halhul north Hebron

June 17, 2021

• Violation: Demolishing a house for the second time.
• Date: June 17^th 2021.
• Location: Beit Khiran – Halhul / Hebron Governorate.
• Perpetrator: The Israeli Civil Administration.
• Victims: Family of ‘Azmi Al-‘Ajlouni.

Description:

Thursday, June 17^th, the Israeli Occupation authorities demolished a house belongs to citizen ‘Azmi Al-‘Ajlouni, on the pretext of building without a license in Beit Khiran area north Halhul , Hebron Governorate.

About 8:00 am, a massive army force, the so-called border guards, officers from the building and organization department at the Israeli Civil Administration accompanied by excavators from Hyundai and JCB and workers raided Halhul and encircled Al-‘Ajlouni house.

After forcedly emptying the house, The Occupation authorities carried out the demolition. Reportedly, the targeted house has a total area of (180 m²) and built since 2020 of cement and stones, and inhabited by Al-‘Ajlouni and his wife, and their family (9 members , 6 of which are children). Consequently, the occupation authorities had displaced 11 people.

The Occupation forces also demolished a sewage hole with a storage capacity of 30 m³ nearby the house, in addition to demolishing and sabotaging 70 m of retaining walls nearby the house, on a plot belong to Al-‘Ajlouni family.

Photos 1-3: ruins of Al-‘Ajlouni family home

Al-‘Ajlouni pointed out that the occupation authorities demolished his house and his son’s house without any preceding notices. Thus, deprived him from his right to submit petitions, noting that Al-‘Ajlouni has ownership deeds that proves he owns the plot.

The targeted house was demolished for the first time in August 5^th 2015 , but the owner got aid from a humanitarian organization to build the house another time , the organization contributed in funding the house, but the occupation forces came back and demolished it once again for no reason.

 For more information about Al-‘Ajlouni’s struggle , read our report in 2015.

Legal Feedback:

The demolition of Palestinian homes and installations by the occupation authorities is part of their violations of international and humanitarian law, and the violation of a right of Palestinian citizens guaranteed by international law and international treaties, which is the right to adequate housing, within the following articles:

• Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that ‘the destruction and appropriation of property in a manner not justified by military necessities and on a large scale in an unlawful and arbitrary manner. They are grave breaches of the agreement. ‘
• Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1948 prohibits the destruction of property, as this article states the following: “The occupying power is prohibited from destroying any private, fixed or movable property related to individuals or groups, the state or public authorities, or social or cooperative organizations. Unless the war operations inevitably require this destruction.
• Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: ‘No protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed.