Israel orders demolition of Palestinian homes in West Bank village of Hamsa Al-Fawqa

Middle East Monitor
Wed, 07 Jul 2021 16:08 UTC

Israeli occupation bulldozers began demolishing civilian facilities in Khirbet Hamsa al-Fouqa in the northern Jordan Valley on July 7, 2021

Israeli authorities today ordered the demolition of Palestinian homes in the village of Hamsa Al-Fawqa in the northern Jordan Valley, northeast of the occupied West Bank.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Moataz Basharat, a senior official who monitors Israeli settlement activities, said occupation forces stormed Hamsa Al-Fawqa village and have so far demolished and confiscated three houses. The demolition process is ongoing.

© Google Maps

Hamsa Al-Fawqa in the Occupied West Bank

Housing units in the village were previously subjected to four demolitions, including as recently as last November.

The village is one of 38 Bedouin villages that are partially or completely located within a field that Israel declared a military firing zone.

Palestinian homes in the Jordan Valley are subjected to demolitions by Israeli authorities who claim that they were built without permits.

The area of the Palestinian Jordan Valley covers about 395,368 acres with about 13,000 Israeli settlers living across 38 illegal settlements. Meanwhile, around 65,000 Palestinians live in 34 communities.

Last year Israel announced that it would be annexing large swathes of the occupied Jordan Valley. This was later postponed to an unknown date.

Earlier today Israel demolished the Jordan Valley village of Al-Araqeeb for the 190th time since 2010. Bedouin in the village have vowed to continue rebuilding their homes.

Comment: The declaration of "military firing zones" is the Israeli government's perversion of a clause in the Geneva Convention's Article 49 and the Hague Regulations, which prohibits the seizing of an occupied peoples' property and the transfer of civilians to occupied territory.

The Hague Regulations prohibit the confiscation of private property. The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the destruction of private or state property, "except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations".

What is the "absolute necessity" in uprooting the majority of an agricultural village for military purposes? There's no fighting going on. Past instances have shown that the IDF will turn over the land to the Jewish National Fund, who will then allocate it to more illegal settlers such as this bunch, just arrived on June 2.

Israeli hypocrisy seems to know no limits.