Land Research Center

Violation: Demolishing and bulldozing 5 dunams .

Location: Dahiyat Shweka ,north of Tulkarm

Date: March, 25^th 2025

Perpetrators:  The so-called Israeli Civil Administration

Affected party: Farmer Marwan Mahmoud Ahmad Yacoub.Details:

 On Tuesday morning, March, 25^th 2025, The occupation authorities and the staff of the Israeli Civil Administration raided Dahiyat Shweka area north of Tulkarm, North of the West Bank.

The forces were accompanied by 3 bulldozers followed by the Israeli civil administration, the occupation authorities began demolishing and bulldozingand ravaging the 5 dunums plot which is adjacent to Annexation and Expansion wall west of the area, the machineries completely bulldozed the agricultural land and everything in it including: agricultural structure and equipment,in details the damages included:

• 24 of greenhouses planted with tomatoes and cucumber and beans .
• Destruction of irrigation networks, which consisting of 7000 meters (quarter- inch) and 120 meters (one inch).
• Destruction of 9 beehives.
• Destruction g of hydroponics networks on 400 meters funded by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture.
• Destruction of agricultural room made of bricks and zinc roof 12 meters used as a store.
• Destruction of water tank with a capacity of 2 meters.

 The affected structures belong to Marwan Mahmoud Ahmad Yacoub, who supports a family of 10 members, consisting of 4 females and 3 children within the family.

The affected farmer stated to LRC researcher as follows:

“I own a piece of land planted with various vegetables on greenhouses, as the agriculture considered as only source of my income. Noted that the land was registered in Taboo.”

He added:

In September 2024, I received a halt of  work and construction notice , and I prepared a legal file to obtain a permit for license, with the help of Tulkarim office of Jerusalem Legal aid and Human Rights Center  . On Tuesday morning, (March, 24^th , I was shocked to find a large force of the occupation army that prevented me from approaching the area, and I tried to speak with the commander of the force and he threatened to arrested me if I get any closer to the site. Although I had not been notified from any side to the demolition decision, my losses amounted to 200,000 shekels, moreover the farm supported 8 Palestinian families from workers employed in it (56 members, 22 of them are females).

Dahyiat Shweka witnessed several notifications:

It is mentioned that Dahiyat Shweka located northwest of Tulkarm has witnessed  a vicious campaign from the occupation over past ten years, a hard action from the occupation, as 25 of homes located adjacent to Annexation and Expansion wall, have been issued notices to halt work and construction on the pretext of buildg without license.

In addition to 35% of Dahiyat Shweka lands have lost and has been isolated and separated large areas behind the Annexation and Expansion wall, as the residents prevented to their source of income from these lands.

 Dahiyat Shweka located north f Tulkarm and considered administratively related to Tulkarm city, noted that Annexation and expansion wall cancel large areas from Dahyiat Shweka lands.

Over past 3 years, the so-called building inspector of the Israeli civil administration targeted large areas of greenhouses and notified to halt work and construction, as these greenhouses exist nearby the Annexation and expansion wall, northwest of Tulkarm, in addition to demolished large numbers of greenhouses in this year.

It is worth mentioning that Dahiyat Shweka located northwest of Tulkarm and there are several numbers of notification to halt work and construction and it focuses in the western part of Dahiyat Shweka and nearby the annexation and expansion wall, this wall controlled over 35% of Dahyiat Shweka are fertile plains. noted that these isolated land planted with various types of crops and vegetables, and considered as source of income for several families.

The actions carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities in demolishing Palestinian homes and structures constitute violations of international and humanitarian law, as well as a breach of the right to adequate housing, a right guaranteed by international law and treaties. This is evident in the following articles:

Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: "Extensive destruction and appropriation of property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly is considered a grave breach of the Convention."

Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1948 prohibits the destruction of property, stating: "The occupying power may not destroy private property, whether movable or immovable, belonging to individuals or groups, or to the State or public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, unless such destruction is imperatively demanded by military operations."

Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention stipulates: "No protected person may be punished for an offense he or she has not personally committed."

Paragraph 'j' of Article 23 of the Hague Convention of 1907 warns against the destruction of "enemy property or its sequestration, unless such destruction or sequestration is imperatively demanded by the necessities of war."

Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, dated December 10, 1948, states: "No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property."

These legal provisions highlight the illegality of such actions and reinforce the protection of Palestinian rights to property and housing under international law.

 Related link:

 The occupation authority demolished an agricultural nursery in Dahiyat Shweka, north of Tulkarm.

مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC IV - GFFO

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of Land Research Center and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the project donor; the Norwegian Refugee Council.

إخلاء المسؤولية: الآراء ووجهات النظر الواردة في هذا التقرير هي آراء ووجهات نظر مركز أبحاث الأراضي ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر أو مواقف الجهة المانحة للمشروع؛ المجلس النرويجي. للاجئين