RAMALLAH, 4 April 2007 — Israeli forces stormed East Jerusalem’s Shu’fat refugee camp late Monday and handed out 150 evacuation orders to Palestinian families. “If the orders are executed, around 2,000 Palestinian residents will become homeless and refugees another time,” said, Nidal Abu Ayyash, one of the residents.
The warrants ordered the residents to evacuate their homes within 14 days, on the pretext that the area belongs to the heirs of a deceased Israeli woman called “Rachel”. Israeli lawyer Eitan Gabay alleges that the Palestinians had constructed their homes in the refugee camp illegally, and, therefore, must evacuate within 14 days.
Israeli forces chose 3:00 a.m. to invade the refugee camp while residents were sleeping. Israeli soldiers went so far as to videotape the homes and terrified families. They caused fear and panic among the population, particularly the children.
Abu Ayyash’s wife said, “I was surprised after my husband had already gone to work for the early shift when the occupation forces surrounded the house and behaved violently while my children and I were sleeping. We were dismayed and got afraid. A number of soldiers wearing black clothing, the special forces, and intelligence officers burst into our home with a video camera and were screaming that they would destroy our home.”
The family, whose eldest child is five years old, has already paid around $25,000 for the housing. They live on the third floor of the apartment building, all of which covers 135 square meters. They have three rooms. She said, “We continue to work day and night to pay for this house. We pay in installments. This is a completely unjust situation.” Mahmoud Srnedeh, 63-year-old, paid around $6,000 over the past four years after buying his home for an initial price of $29,000. He is married with five children. His youngest child is 16. “I was surprised at the danger I found at my door. We went with the lawyer, Majid Ghnaim, to prove ownership of our house.”
A 50-year-old resident on the third floor said that he bought his house for $37,000. “When I heard the sound, the pounding on the doors, and saw the soldiers asking for identification, it was strange. They were videotaping and did not raid the house.” The ages of his children range from five years to 16.
Another woman in the building on the second floor with seven children found an eviction notice on the door. “We have been saving for years to pay for this house. No one will leave. We are already refugees, where else can we go?”
The lawyers point out the Israeli violations of human rights, international law and United Nations resolutions, but this does not change the situation. Meanwhile, the Israeli human rights watchdog, B’Tselem, has called for the new Israeli settlement in the West Bank city of Hebron to be evacuated. “On March 19, a new settlement was established in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood in Hebron.
The Israeli Army has redeployed in the city to protect the settlement. The (Israeli) Defense Ministry initially hinted that it was considering evacuating the settlement, but as time passes, it becomes clear that the political echelon has decided to leave the settlement in place.” B’Tselem said in a press statement.
“Since the massacre by settler Baruch Goldstein in (Al-Ibrahimi Mosque), in 1994, the Israeli Army has employed a policy to protect the settlers based on a “principle of separation.” This policy is employed openly and officially, although reliance on this principle of separation is illegitimate. The Draconian restrictions have made Palestinian life in Hebron’s city center miserable and have forced a large number of Palestinians to move from their homes and places of work,” it added.
“This area has traditionally been the commercial center of Hebron and of the entire southwestern part of the West Bank, so restrictions on travel will cause much economic damage as well as impede access to health services, schools, and religious institutions.”
B’Tselem said the establishment of the settlement will expose many more Palestinians to settler violence, which has become a daily occurrence in Hebron. Past experience demonstrates that the Israeli Army and the police do not enforce the law on settlers who commit acts of violence.
