[News] Israeli rampage of destruction in Jerusalem village
Anti-Imperialist News
news at freedomarchives.org
Tue Jul 23 13:10:35 EDT 2019
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/tamara-nassar/israeli-rampage-destruction-jerusalem-village
Israeli rampage of destruction in Jerusalem village
Tamara Nassar <https://electronicintifada.net/people/tamara-nassar> - 22
July 2019
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Israeli forces began the demolition of some 100 apartments on the
outskirts of occupied East Jerusalem early Monday.
The 13 buildings targeted for demolition, many still under construction,
are located in the Wadi Hummus neighborhood on the outskirts of Sur
Bahir, a village southeast of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank.
“Families were taken out of their beds, expelled from their homes and
forced to helplessly watch the army destroying them,” according to Ir
Amim <https://electronicintifada.net/tags/ir-amim>, an Israeli group
that documents settlement activity in Jerusalem.
היום, ב-4 לפנות בוקר, הגיעו הבולדוזרים מלווים כוחות צבא גדולים והחלו
בהריסות הבתים בוואדי חומוס. המשפחות הושכמו מהמיטות, פונו מבתיהן
ונאלצו לצפות בחוסר אונים בצבא הורס את אותם. #הורסים_את_ירושלים
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D7%94%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%9D_%D7%90%D7%AA_%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/8Yz6H1zS6B <https://t.co/8Yz6H1zS6B>
— עיר עמים (@IrAmim) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/IrAmim/status/1153186137999101952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
“Among those forcibly displaced or otherwise impacted are Palestine
refugees, some of whom today are facing the reality of a second
displacement in living memory,” UN monitoring group OCHA stated
<https://www.ochaopt.org/content/un-officials-statement-demolitions-sur-bahir>.
Some 17 Palestinians already inhabited the buildings, according to UN
officials, and many more would have been waiting to move into their homes.
OCHA added that while it was trying to provide emergency aid to
displaced families, “no amount of humanitarian assistance can replace a
home or cover the massive financial losses sustained today by the owners.”
“Several of the affected people report having invested their life
savings into the properties, after securing the required building
permits from the Palestinian Authority.”
Wadi Hummus lies in Area A of the occupied West Bank, which is nominally
under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, according to the
Oslo accords of the early 1990s.
But as Monday’s demolition rampage shows, PA control is illusory and
Israeli occupation forces act as they wish.
“Demographic war”
Israel refuses to permit virtually any Palestinian construction in
occupied East Jerusalem or in Area C – the 60 percent of the West Bank
that remains under full Israeli military control.
This forces Palestinians to build without permits on their own land and
live in constant fear of demolitions
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/home-demolitions>.
Construction in Area A and Area B, however, does not require Israeli
approval and is done with the permission of the PA.
Palestinian residents of Sur Bahir resort to building in Wadi Hummus to
circumvent demolition threats, saying
<https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-begins-demolition-of-homes-in-palestinian-controlled-east-j-lem-neighborhood-1.7547258>,
according to Israel’s /Haaretz/ newspaper, that it is “the only area
that remains for future expansion of the village” as the rest is
surrounded by the separation wall and Jewish-only settlements.
That did not stop Israel from finding a way to forcibly transfer the
residents.
“Although the demolition of Palestinian homes is routine in East
Jerusalem, the Wadi Hummus case is particularly notable, since Israel
demolished houses there when the entire issue of construction and its
approval in the area is not within Israel’s jurisdiction,” Ir Amim
stated <https://twitter.com/IrAmim/status/1153187075308576768>.
According to OCHA, targeted buildings lie in areas A, B and C.
Israel’s defense ministry ordered Palestinians to evacuate the
apartments under the pretext of being too close to Israel’s separation
wall and therefore a “security threat.”
Years ago, Israel banned construction within 250 meters of the wall,
which runs mostly through the occupied West Bank
<https://www.ochaopt.org/theme/west-bank-barrier>.
But Ir Amim rejected the “security” pretext, blasting Israel’s policy as
a “demographic war waged against East Jerusalem residents.”
Palestinians have challenged the defense ministry in Israel’s high
court, but to no avail.
The court, which habitually gives legal cover to Israel’s violations of
Palestinian rights, ruled
<https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-high-court-green-lights-demolition-of-13-east-jerusalem-buildings-under-pa-control-1.7376616>
in favor of the defense ministry in June and rejected a petition to
postpone the demolitions on Sunday, giving occupation forces the green
light to begin the campaign of destruction.
Bulldozers at dawn
Israeli forces arrived before dawn on Monday and placed explosives in a
multi-story building in Wadi Hummus, activists told
<https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-begins-demolition-of-homes-in-palestinian-controlled-east-j-lem-neighborhood-1.7547258>
/Haaretz/:
قوات الاحتلال تُفخخ بناية سكنية تمهيداً لهدمها بصور باهر في #القدس
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
المحتلة.#مجزرة_الهدم
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%85?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/4Diw4FXkNi <https://t.co/4Diw4FXkNi>
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/qudsn/status/1153194662183747585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Occupation forces then forcibly expelled families from their homes:
WATCH: This is what it looks like when occupation military raids a
house in the early morning to demolish it, because Palestinians call
it home.
When trying to make him leave, the resident refuses to move. "This
is our life", he says pic.twitter.com/62MSw6iVZk
<https://t.co/62MSw6iVZk>
— All That's Left: Anti-Occupation Collective (@ATLCol) July 22,
2019
<https://twitter.com/ATLCol/status/1153152010277072896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
These kids are watching their home be demolished from next door.
pic.twitter.com/upNNSI8lmh <https://t.co/upNNSI8lmh>
— All That's Left: Anti-Occupation Collective (@ATLCol) July 22,
2019
<https://twitter.com/ATLCol/status/1153154752689127425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Local media circulated images and videos of the demolition on social media:
الاحتلال يواصل #مجزرة_الهدم
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%85?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
لعشرات الوحدات السكنية للفلسطينيين بواد الحمص في #القدس
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/AGgHejEfyK <https://t.co/AGgHejEfyK>
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/qudsn/status/1153183422136950785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
الاحتلال يواصل تشريد عشرات الفلسطينيين من منازلهم بالهدم في #القدس
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
المحتلة.#مجزرة_الهدم
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%85?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/8z6MqKiCDR <https://t.co/8z6MqKiCDR>
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/qudsn/status/1153182857583583232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
#شاهد
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%AF?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>:
جيش الاحتلال يبدأ أكبر عملية هدم بواد الحمص في #القدس
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B3?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
المحتلة.#مجزرة_الهدم
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%85?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/zhyjhrhh0e <https://t.co/zhyjhrhh0e>
— بوابة الهدف (@hadafps) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/hadafps/status/1153182221903286272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Israeli forces place explosive devices in a 9 story building in Wadi
Homs in preparation for bombing it. #Jerusalem
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jerusalem?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
#Palestine
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Palestine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/uNv043eUtY <https://t.co/uNv043eUtY>
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/QudsNen/status/1153194006765088768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Dozens of international activists gathered in Wadi Hummus to protest the
impending demolitions early Monday, according to anti-occupation group
All That’s Left:
Around fifty activists from around the world here in #surbaher
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/surbaher?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
#wadihummus
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/wadihummus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
in occupied East Jerusalem standing with the Palestinian families
here facing home demolitions in the middle of the night here. Tell
the world: EVERYBODY has the right to a home.https://t.co/CFlD5OKXQu
— All That's Left: Anti-Occupation Collective (@ATLCol) July 22,
2019
<https://twitter.com/ATLCol/status/1153107918541266947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Some were beaten and tear-gassed, according to the International
Solidarity Movement:
Update: multiple Palestinian citizens and ISM activists beaten,
pepper sprayed and tear gassed whilst peacefully resisting
demolitions in Wadi al-Hummus. They were dragged by their hair, had
their heads and necks stamped on, and were bashed in the face with
guns by border police.
— ISM Palestine (@ISMPalestine) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/ISMPalestine/status/1153173969333301248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Israel is trying to force an end to any kind of resistance to its
military occupation of Jerusalem.
Israel passed a law
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/tamara-nassar/israel-demands-loyalty-palestinians-jerusalem>
last year so that occupation authorities can revoke Palestinian
Jerusalemites’ residency status if they should be found in “breach of
allegiance” to Israel.
Media photos show that Israeli forces used equipment from manufacturers
Scania AB, Caterpillar and Hyundai in carrying out the demolition.
Right now! Israeli occupation forces demolishing 100 homes in Wadi
Al Humus affecting ~1000 Palestinians in occupied E.
Jerusalem. at CaterpillarInc
<https://twitter.com/CaterpillarInc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw> & @Hyundai
<https://twitter.com/Hyundai?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw> Heavy Industries
machinery used.#BDS
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/BDS?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw> is
our most powerful tool for accountability and justice.
https://t.co/Nd8BOS9BKt pic.twitter.com/BtuAzX3T9H
<https://t.co/BtuAzX3T9H>
— BDS movement (@BDSmovement) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/BDSmovement/status/1153230971757649920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Palestinians call <https://bdsmovement.net/tags/caterpillar> for
boycotting and divesting from these corporations as they supply much of
the equipment Israel regularly uses to demolish Palestinian homes and
even to carry out
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israel-uses-caterpillar-equipment-apparent-extrajudicial-killing>
extrajudicial executions by bulldozer
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/adri-nieuwhof/how-israel-uses-caterpillar-machinery-carry-out-extrajudicial-executions>.
Toothless condemnation
Earlier this month, the European Union’s offices in the occupied West
Bank issued a toothless statement
<https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/palestine-occupied-palestinian-territory-west-bank-and-gaza-strip/65488/local-eu-statement-demolition-orders-wadi-hummus-and-eviction-siam-family-silwan_en>
to “note with concern” Israel’s intention to demolish the buildings in
Wadi Hummus.
“The continuation of this policy undermines the viability of the
two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace,” the EU added,
underscoring that its core “concern” is a fear of jeopardizing the
already moribund two-state solution.
On Monday, Maja Kocijancic
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/maja-kocijancic>, spokesperson for
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/federica-mogherini>, stated
<https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/65699/statement-spokesperson-demolition-palestinian-buildings-east-jerusalem_en>
that the EU “expect[s] the Israeli authorities to immediately halt the
ongoing demolitions.”
On the demolition of 10 Palestinian buildings in East Jerusalem 👉
https://t.co/b7A9jRdGDU
— Maja Kocijančič (@MajaEUspox) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/MajaEUspox/status/1153256809827917825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
But the EU announced no change in its policy of virtually unconditional
political support and financial assistance
<https://bdsmovement.net/news/talk-israel-tried-censor-european-parliament>
to Israel – a policy that amounts to rewarding and incentivizing its
crimes against Palestinians.
Just last month, EU diplomats posed for photos with officials from
Israel’s defense ministry, which ordered Monday’s demolitions:
Director of the Policy & Political-Military Bureau, Zohar Palti was
invited by @EUinIsrael
<https://twitter.com/EUinIsrael?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw> and
@EGiaufretEU <https://twitter.com/EGiaufretEU?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
to discuss strategic security issues concerning the Middle East,
together with European ambassadors to Israel.
pic.twitter.com/TzW4l7jX2A <https://t.co/TzW4l7jX2A>
— Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) June 4, 2019
<https://twitter.com/Israel_MOD/status/1135922483981193217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Middle East envoy, condemned Israel’s demolitions:
Despite calls not to go ahead with the demolition, the destruction
of residential buildings in #SurBahir
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/SurBahir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
will displace many #Palestinian
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Palestinian?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
families. No amount of humanitarian aid can compensate their
suffering! #Israel
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Israel?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
must stop this policy. #UN
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/UN?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
statement https://t.co/FXjc5qs3if
— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/nmladenov/status/1153300080394407936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Saleh Higazi, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Middle East
program, stated
<https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/07/israel-continues-policy-of-systematic-forced-displacement-with-wave-of-home-demolitions-in-sur-baher/>
that Israel’s demolition policy under the guise of “security threats”
doesn’t “stand up to scrutiny.”
“The truth is that for decades Israel’s authorities have taken arbitrary
and disproportionate measures in the name of security to expand their
control over Palestinian land and push Palestinians out of areas they
consider strategic.”
Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s
executive committee, also condemned the demolition on Monday.
“First Israel militarily occupies the land, then it builds a repulsive
apartheid wall, then it decides to demolish Palestinian homes built on
Palestinian land with legal Palestinian permits because of their
proximity to the wall!” Ashrawi said.
“Criminality beyond words.”
Ashrawi called
<http://www.dci.plo.ps/en/article/13115/Dr-Ashrawi-Prosecutor-of-the-International-Criminal-Court-must-launch-an-investigation-into-Israeli-war-crime-of-ethnic-cleansing-immediately>
on the International Criminal Court and Fatou Bensouda, the chief
prosecutor, to “immediately launch an investigation into this and other
ongoing Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian people and consider
any further delay completely inexcusable. Delaying justice any further
is tantamount to its denial.”
At least one commentator, however, pointed to the complicity of the
Palestinian Authority, which routinely cooperates with maintaining the
Israeli military occupation through so-called security coordination
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/security-coordination>:
You conveniently forgot the part when local collaborators cover for
the occupation and “التنسيق الامني" becomes “خط احمر"
https://t.co/yJRysgoSUl
— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/Lowkey0nline/status/1153226058390523906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
The Israeli government-backed Act.IL app is directing its users to
“like” a comment blaming the Palestinian Authority for permitting
contruction close to the wall and shedding “crocodile tears” after
Israel demolishes their homes:
As Israel demolishes 70 Palestinian homes today, leaving 100
families homeless, Israel's propaganda app is on Facebook promoting
this act of forced displacement. App-endorsed comments accuse
Palestinians of "crocodile tears" and supporting terrorism.
pic.twitter.com/EkkuyIobbo <https://t.co/EkkuyIobbo>
— Behind Israel's Troll Army (@AntiBDSApp) July 22, 2019
<https://twitter.com/AntiBDSApp/status/1153311745546604544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Israeli settlers have constructed 16 settlement outposts
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/settlement-outposts> without
Israeli permission in the occupied West Bank since 2017, according
<https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-at-least-16-israeli-unauthorized-west-bank-outposts-established-since-2017-1.7546752>
to the Israeli group Peace Now.
That’s in addition to rapid expansion of settlements on Palestinian land
authorized by the Israeli government – a war crime
<https://www.amnestyusa.org/lets-be-clear-israels-long-running-settlement-policy-constitutes-a-war-crime/>.
Harassing witness of crimes
Meanwhile, Israel is harassing the volunteer who filmed the point-blank
execution
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/netanyahus-hypocritical-condemnation-videotaped-hebron-execution>
of an injured Palestinian in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron in
March 2016.
Imad Abu Shamsiyeh
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/imad-abu-shamsiyeh> filmed
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8WK2TgruMo> the moment Israeli army
medic Elor Azarya <https://electronicintifada.net/tags/elor-azarya> shot
and killed Abd al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/abd-al-fattah-yusri-al-sharif>, who
was already incapacitated.
Last month, Abu Shamsiyeh suffered a sunstroke and his wife called an
ambulance.
Israeli forces prevented the Red Crescent ambulance from crossing a
checkpoint into the Hebron neighborhood where Abu Shamsiyeh lives.
Paramedics were forced to go by foot to transfer Abu Shamsiyeh to the
ambulance, according
<https://www.btselem.org/video/20190715_military_denies_ambulance_access_to_palestinian_neighborhood_in_hebron>
to Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.
Since the March 2016 killing, Abu Shamsiyeh and his family have
experienced harassment, assault and death threats from Israeli settlers
backed by Israeli forces.
Israelis living in the nearby settlement of Admot Yishai “turned the
lives of the local Palestinian residents into a living hell of draconian
travel restrictions and constant harassment and violence,” B’Tselem has
stated
<https://www.btselem.org/hebron/20190625_security_forces_and_settlers_harass_palestinian_family>.
Some members of the Abu Shamsiyeh family moved to live with relatives in
occupied East Jerusalem to escape such dangers.
The graphic footage published by B’Tselem at the time shows Azarya
approaching al-Sharif as he lay immobilized, pointing his weapon at his
head and shooting him.
Azarya was released
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/tamara-nassar/israel-seeks-muzzle-witnesses-its-crimes>
from prison in May 2018 after serving just nine months for killing
al-Sharif.
The gunman returned to the site of the shooting to a hero’s welcome from
settlers.
--
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