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ESCR / Urgent Interventions / Israel / 2002 / January

Israel: Israel and Palestinian Territory Occupied: house demolitions in Jenin

ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONCERN
Case ISR 011102. ESCRC


The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Israel.


Brief description of the situation

The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by LAW, a member of the OMCT network, of the destruction of Palestinians’ houses in Jenin refugee camp on October 31 2002.

According to the information received, on October 31, at about 2:40 am, Israeli forces surrounded four houses in the Jenin refugee camp where six families, comprising thirty-seven people including fourteen children, were living. It is reported that Israeli troops forced them to leave their houses and to gather a distance away, without giving the families any opportunity to gather their belongings. According to the information received, Israeli forces planted explosives in the four homes, destroying them completely at around 4 am, without any of the belongings inside having been rescued. Moreover, severe damage was allegedly caused to other neighbouring houses.

According to the information received, the houses destroyed belonged to:

1. Mohammad Ali Sweitat, the father of Yusef Sweitat (19) who was killed several months ago by Israeli forces in al-Khudeira, near Bethlehem. Six people lived in his house.
2. Nimr Darwish Abu Heija, the father of Usama Abu Heija, who undertook a suicide bombing in Umm al-Fahm several months ago. Seven people lived in his house.
3. Said Husam at-Toubasi, a Palestinian activist wanted by Israel. His father’s family, his own family and the brother’s families lived in his house, corresponding to a total of fourteen people, including children.
4. Mustafa Sa’aydeh al-Wazzeh, a Palestinian activist wanted by Israel. Ten people lived in his house, including four children.

It is reported that since the beginning of the Intifada in September 2000, at least 1046 homes have been demolished by Israeli forces, leaving 7,844 Palestinians homeless. These house demolitions primarily affect relatives of a person who is suspected of resisting the occupation or is “wanted” by Israeli forces. These demolitions of homes of those who have not been tried, convicted, or even arrested constitute extra-judicial forms of reprisal. Moreover, the punishment of individuals for an action for which they are not personally responsible is properly termed collective punishment.


Action Requested

Please write to the Israeli authorities urging them to:

i. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;

ii. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the persons mentioned above, notably by guaranteeing their right to adequate housing and the protection against forced eviction;

iii. guarantee adequate reparation to all victims and their families;

iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards such as the Fourth Geneva Convention and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.


Addresses

· Ariel Sharon, Prime Minister, Office of the Prime Minister, 3 Kaplan Street, Jerusalem 91007, Israel. Fax:(+ 972 2) 651 2631 / 566 48 38

· Meir Shitrit, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, 29 Salah al-Din Street, Jerusalem 91029, State of Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 62 8 54 38 or + 972 2 628 8618

· Eli Yishai, Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior, Fax: 00972 2 670 1411

· Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Fax:(+ 972 2) 530 3704, E-mail: sar@mofa.gov.il

· The Supreme Court of Justice, Kiryat Ben Gurion, Jerusalem, Israel. Fax: (+ 972 2) 652 71 18

Please also write to the embassies of Israel in your respective country


Geneva, November 1, 2002


Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

Properties

Date: January 11, 2002
Activity: Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Type: Urgent Interventions
Country: Israel
Subjects: Land and Housing, Police, Military and Paramilitary, Rights of the child, Torture and violence

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