By: Gilad Mayshar, Social and Political Forum Coordinator for the Alternative Information Center (AIC)
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Construction of the Separation Wall in al-Azariya continues daily, progressively cutting the village off in all directions, except for a narrow passage to its south.
Today, the bulldozers, oblivious to justice and history, reached from the outskirts of al-Azariya to the Jahalin Bedouin neighborhood of Ras al-Baba. The few shacks at the end of the neighborhood, located amidst a garbage dump, have been marked for destruction. Yet, this will be but the latest chapter in the Jahalins’ sad history, as they have been forcibly relocated three times in recent history.
The home of Hamed al-Basha, a haphazard collection of cloth, wood and aluminum panels, has now been designated by Israel as a “security hazard,” simply for standing in the way of the Wall. With the bulldozers churning a mere 50 meters away, imminent destruction is due any day. Early this morning, the soldiers guarding the destruction/construction ordered al-Basha to destroy his own home by noon—or they would do it for him.
The official reason for the destruction of his home was that it was an “undocumented building.” However, he was given no impending official demolition notice, and there has not been any other legal procedure preceding this. This should be emphasized, because, according to official Israeli rhetoric, the building of the Wall has not been accompanied by house demolitions. When houses are destroyed, compensation must be paid. However, when a house is demolished for a lack of permits, there is no need for any reparation.
Jeremy Milgrom, a longtime activist, heard about all of this and contacted Jimmy Johnson of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, who in turn contacted the Alternative Information Center—to gather both Israeli activists and a media presence, with intention to prevent the pending demolition.
Within an hour, a group of eight Israeli activists, four members of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), a crew from al-Jazeera, and the Associated Press—all armed with cameras—reached the location. The commanding Israeli military officer phoned al-Basha, threatening him that he “will bear the consequences of all of this.” Some mean looks were exchanged, with very little else spoken. The Israeli military, in face of the large group of witnesses and cameras, chose to back away.
The home was saved for today.