Israeli security forces began razing some 18 Palestinian owned buildings in Wadi Hummus (Credit: All That’s Left: Anti-Occupation Collective)
Israeli security forces began razing some 18 Palestinian owned buildings in Wadi Hummus (Credit: All That’s Left: Anti-Occupation Collective)
X ![]()
Dear Reader,
As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analysis from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World.
As one of our loyal readers, we ask you to be our partner.
For $5 a month you will receive access to the following:
- A user experience almost completely free of ads
- Access to our Premium Section
- Content from the award-winning Jerusalem Report and our monthly magazine to learn Hebrew – Ivrit
- A brand new ePaper featuring the daily newspaper as it appears in print in Israel
Help us grow and continue telling Israel’s story to the world.
Thank you,
Ronit Hasin-Hochman, CEO, Jerusalem Post Group
Yaakov Katz, Editor-in-Chief
UPGRADE YOUR JPOST EXPERIENCE FOR 5$ PER MONTH Show me later
Israeli security forces began razing some 18 Palestinian owned buildings in Wadi Hummus, located in the West Bank, just outside of Jerusalem.
Photos and videos from the anti-occupation NGO All That’s Left, showed the border police surrounding and entering some of the buildings.
Many of them are under construction but its estimated there are some three families, totaling 17 people, living a number of the buildings.
One Palestinian resident who sat on a plastic chair in his living room told the Border Police that he would rather that they destroy the home on top of his head than take him out by force.
“I’m not leaving of my own free will,” he said. “Take down the home on top of our heads, this is our life,” he added.
Wadi Hummus is located in the back of Sur Baher, the bulk of which is located within the boundaries of the Jerusalem municipality.
But the structures in Wadi Hummus are on land that is located in the West Bank, on land that is under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority because it is located in Areas A and B.
The homeowners received building permits from the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, which has municipal jurisdiction over that section of Wadi Hummus.
But the buildings are located on the Israeli side of the security barrier which runs through the back of Sur Baher.
The structures in question are located within 400 meters of the security barrier. A 2011 edict prohibits construction within such a short distance of the barrier. Construction began on the buildings after 2014.
Wadi Hummus residents say they did not know of the edict when they began building. The buildings in question are interspersed among other preexisting buildings in Wadi Hummus that were built prior to 2011. Those buildings are also less than 400 meters from the barrier.
The High Court of Justice in June rejected an appeal by Wadi Hummus residents to halt the demolitions. The HCJ is now in the midst of hearing a second appeal. On Sunday, it rejected a request for an injunction against the demolitions until such time as all the legal proceedings were completed.
The Civil Administration said it was working on taking down 12 buildings and two building foundations that were built illegally “in an area that falls under an injunction prohibiting building signed by the GOC Central Command on the outskirts of Sur Baher in close proximity to the security fence.”
It added that the High Court of Justice had ruled that the structures could be demolished because they “constitute a security danger to the area of the security fence.” The Civil Administration added, “it should be emphasized that the enforcement procedures were carried out in accordance with authority and procedures and subject to operational considerations.”
Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>
Comments are closed.