Location: Khirbet Al-Tawil, Aqraba town/ Nablus governorate

Date: March 6, 2025

Perpetrating Party: The Civil Administration of the Occupation.

Affected Party: Several families in the community

Details:

On the morning of Thursday, March 6, 2025, the so-called construction inspector of the Israeli civil administration raided the Tel al- Khashbah’’ area in Khirbet Al Tawil, east of Aqraba town. The occupation accompanied by three civil bulldozers began carrying out extensive demolition work targeting a group of residential tents and other used for agricultural purposes. These tents were donated by the wall and settlement resistance commission, with another portion provided by the international red cross, to assist the families residing there amidst the intensifying demolition and destruction efforts carried out by the occupation forces, aimed at forcibly displacing the residents.

The demolition in Tel al- Khashaba area is the third in less than three months, and second since the beginning of 2025.

Below are the names of the owners of the impacted facilities and information about them:

The farmer Yousef Ata Fahmi Bani Mania told the Land Research Center researcher the following:

‘’ What happened is a major disaster that has caused significant damage to us and led to substantial losses. Not to mention that our morale has greatly collapsed. The occupation has demolished our property three times in the last four months, which has affected the young sheep many of which died due to the cold weather, and our children have suffered from cold and the lack of proper shelter, which has negatively impacted our situation. This has affected the lambing season, leading to the death of young livestock.

Yousef Deiryeh told the Land Research Center researcher:

‘‘What the occupation is doing is an actual displacement of the population, as it has demolished the community three times in a row and displaced the residents. However the land and the people, and they refuse to be displaced, as the majority of them were born in Khirbet Al-Tawil. Despite this, the occupation and the settlers from the surrounding pastoral outposts continue to chase the residents and attempt to displace them.’’

Khirbet Al-Tawil:

Khirbet Al-Tawil encompasses approximately 30,000 dunams of agricultural and pastoral land, including about 8,000 dunams of sandy mountainous terrain unsuitable for cultivation. Around 15,000 dunams are used for field crops and grazing, while 7,000 dunams are under Israeli control, with settlements established on these lands to serve the occupation’s settlement projects.

A small portion of these lands falls under what is known as Area B, while the majority is classified as Area C. Some of these lands host Israeli settlements, such as:

Gitit Settlement(Established in 1973, with a population of 191 settlers as of 2005. It spans a total area of 1,720 dunams and is located 37 km from the Green Line).

Ma’ale Ephraim Settlement( Established in 1970, with a population of 1,423 settlers as of 2005. It spans a total area of 4,778 dunams).

Itamar Settlement Extension( Established in 1984, with a population of 651 settlers as of 2005. It spans a total area of 7,189 dunams and is located 28 km from the Green Line).

It is worth noting that families in Khirbet Al-Tawil rely primarily on agriculture and livestock farming. The population is variable, as many families reside there seasonally. During the summer and spring, they live in Khirbet Al-Tawil, while in the winter, they move to Aqraba town, leaving their homes and barns in the area to return later.

Legal commentary:

What Israel is doing in the occupied Palestinian territories is considered a violation of the Palestinian people's rights and their lands, and a violation of international laws and conventions. The following are the most important texts contained in international laws and treaties that prohibit Israeli settlement in Palestinian territories and prevent interference with civil and public rights and properties in occupied territories, along with relevant United Nations resolutions.

• Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that "the destruction and seizure of property on a large scale, without military necessity and in an unlawful and arbitrary manner" are serious violations of the Convention.
• Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1948) prohibits the destruction of property, stating that the occupying power cannot destroy any private property unless it is absolutely necessary for military operations.
• Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that "no protected person may be punished for an offense they did not personally commit."
• Paragraph (g) of Article 23 of the Hague Regulations (1907) warns against the destruction or seizure of enemy property, allowing it only when it is "imperatively demanded by the necessities of war."
• Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 10, 1948) declares that "no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of their property."

Related links:

Israeli Occupation Demolishes Agricultural Structures in Khirbet Al-Tawil/Nablus Governorate

Israeli Occupation Destroys Agricultural Structures in Khirbet al-Tawil, Nablus Governorate

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

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