OccupationalHazard.org 02.18.05

The Occupation - 02/18/05

A Small but Welcome Step

Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions

The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) welcomes the decision of the Israeli Army to halt its policy of demolishing Palestinian houses either as punishment for acts of violence or as a deterrent measure. This policy constituted a clear violation of international law, both because it by-passed due process of law in cases where perpetrators were punished before being tried and because it constitutes collective punishment against the families of perpetrators who are innocent of any crime. The IDF committee recommending the cessation of punitive demolitions did so only because, in its evaluation, demolitions generate more resistance than deterrence among the Palestinians. It would have been gratifying had human rights and international law received even a gratuitous nod. Still, any reduction in the policy of house demolitions is to be welcomed.
That said, it is important to point out that punitive demolitions represent only a small part of house demolitions. The IDF claims to have demolished 270 Palestinian homes under this policy; B'tselem reports 672 homes. This type of demolition, then, represents only 5-15% of the 4000-5000 Palestinian homes demolished during the four years of the Intifada - only 3-5% of the 12,000 homes demolished in the Occupied Territories since 1967. Fully 60% of the Palestinian homes demolished during the Intifada were destroyed in military operations according to B'tselem; this type of demolition, too, will hopefully stop as military operations cease. The other 25% of homes demolished - more than 1000 homes of innocent Palestinian civilians with no connection to violence or resistance - were demolished by court order because the families were unable to obtain building permits. This last type of demolition, intended to confine the Palestinian population to small enclaves in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, continues apace.
The decision to halt a particular form of house demolition, then, derives from a purely tactical evaluation of effectiveness. It does not represent a gesture of reconciliation towards the Palestinians, or even an implicit recognition of international law. While the decision is to be welcomed, its lack of connection to a wider peace process can only be regretted.

Counter-Balancing Euphoria
As the Israeli government talks about "gestures" and "confidence-building" measures, it continues to aggressively demolish Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem.
Yesterday, the 22nd of February, a seven-story building was demolished on the Mount of Olives, comprising over 1500 sq. meters. The building belonged to the Karresh and Harhash families. Today, February 23rd, two buildings were demolished in the town of Sur Bahir. These belonged to the Al Atrash (120 m2 approx.) and Al Hatib (70 m2 approx.) families.
Already in 2005, 10 buildings have been demolished, but if we take into consideration the building of seven floors we can then say that more than 16 dwellings have been demolished so far. Last year in Jerusalem 152 buildings were demolished and we fear that this year the number will be higher.
There are many more imminent demolitions: 70 in the neighborhood of Al Muntar in Sur Bahir that the government wants to demolish due to the wall; 30 demolitions momentarily frozen in the area of Wallajeh and 7 in Kufr Akab. All these are in addition to 269 houses with demolition orders from the Ministry of Interior and to 1,504 orders from the municipality
Right now there are around 2000 outstanding demolition orders in Jerusalem: Every day each of these families fear that their house will be the next one. At this critical time when the press and politicians have generated a euphoria about a new "peace process," we must remind them that the Occupation continues and that the "facts on the ground" are constantly and inexorably expanding. Indeed, ending house demolitions is specifically mentioned as part of Israel's obligation under the first stage of the Road Map as a fundamental step to restore trust between the peoples. What Israel actually does "on the ground" is the best measure of its intentions to seek a just peace with the Palestinians.

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A Small but Welcome Step
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions





The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) welcomes the decision of the Israeli Army to halt its policy of demolishing Palestinian houses either as punishment for acts of violence or as a deterrent measure. This policy constituted a clear violation of international law, both because it by-passed due process of law in cases where perpetrators were punished before being tried and because it constitutes collective punishment against the families of perpetrators who are innocent of any crime. The IDF committee recommending the cessation of punitive demolitions did so only because, in its evaluation, demolitions generate more resistance than deterrence among the Palestinians. It would have been gratifying had human rights and international law received even a gratuitous nod. Still, any reduction in the policy of house demolitions is to be welcomed. That said, it is important to point out that punitive demolitions represent only a small part of house demolitions. The IDF claims to have demolished 270 Palestinian homes under this policy; B'tselem reports 672 homes. This type of demolition, then, represents only 5-15% of the 4000-5000 Palestinian homes demolished during the four years of the Intifada - only 3-5% of the 12,000 homes demolished in the Occupied Territories since 1967. Fully 60% of the Palestinian homes demolished during the Intifada were destroyed in military operations according to B'tselem; this type of demolition, too, will hopefully stop as military operations cease. The other 25% of homes demolished - more than 1000 homes of innocent Palestinian civilians with no connection to violence or resistance - were demolished by court order because the families were unable to obtain building permits. This last type of demolition, intended to confine the Palestinian population to small enclaves in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, continues apace. The decision to halt a particular form of house demolition, then, derives from a purely tactical evaluation of effectiveness. It does not represent a gesture of reconciliation towards the Palestinians, or even an implicit recognition of international law. While the decision is to be welcomed, its lack of connection to a wider peace process can only be regretted. Counter-Balancing Euphoria As the Israeli government talks about "gestures" and "confidence-building" measures, it continues to aggressively demolish Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. Yesterday, the 22nd of February, a seven-story building was demolished on the Mount of Olives, comprising over 1500 sq. meters. The building belonged to the Karresh and Harhash families. Today, February 23rd, two buildings were demolished in the town of Sur Bahir. These belonged to the Al Atrash (120 m2 approx.) and Al Hatib (70 m2 approx.) families. Already in 2005, 10 buildings have been demolished, but if we take into consideration the building of seven floors we can then say that more than 16 dwellings have been demolished so far. Last year in Jerusalem 152 buildings were demolished and we fear that this year the number will be higher. There are many more imminent demolitions: 70 in the neighborhood of Al Muntar in Sur Bahir that the government wants to demolish due to the wall; 30 demolitions momentarily frozen in the area of Wallajeh and 7 in Kufr Akab. All these are in addition to 269 houses with demolition orders from the Ministry of Interior and to 1,504 orders from the municipality Right now there are around 2000 outstanding demolition orders in Jerusalem: Every day each of these families fear that their house will be the next one. At this critical time when the press and politicians have generated a euphoria about a new "peace process," we must remind them that the Occupation continues and that the "facts on the ground" are constantly and inexorably expanding. Indeed, ending house demolitions is specifically mentioned as part of Israel's obligation under the first stage of the Road Map as a fundamental step to restore trust between the peoples. What Israel actually does "on the ground" is the best measure of its intentions to seek a just peace with the Palestinians.
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