Amnesty International: Israel engaged in ‘illegal conduct’ during demolitions in Qalansawe
January 14, 2017
BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — In the wake of a demolition campaign carried out by Israeli forces on Palestinian citizens of Israel in the Israeli city of Qalansawe, Amnesty International Israel on Thursday released a statement condemning possible human rights violations that occurred during the demolitions and accused Israeli forces of acting on “political motives.”
On Tuesday, Israeli forces, including hundreds of Israeli police and more than 20 bulldozers, demolished 11 homes belonging to Palestinian citizens of Israel in the city of Qalansawe in central Israel, sparking clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police, locals said at the time.
Some of the Palestinian families whose homes were demolished were left homeless after the campaign, according to rights groups.
Mayor of Qalansawe, Abd al-Basit Mansour, immediately resigned from his post in reaction to the demolition campaign, underscoring that the city had been fruitlessly waiting for the approval of a master plan for the area for 20 years.
Due to the planning failures in the region, which necessitates that any building plans be approved on the regional rather than local level, Palestinians in Qalansawe and other areas dominated by Palestinian citizens have been forced to build without proper permission from Israeli authorities in order to accommodate an increasing population.
Amnesty International Israel cited several sources as saying that Israeli police were impeding the entry of journalists and representatives of human rights groups to the town, or denying them access outright.
A large portion of police officers were wearing masks on their faces, representatives of the group witnessed.
The group said Israel’s actions “increased their concerns” over possible human rights violations that occurred during the demolitions, and said they suspected an attempt by Israeli forces to “conceal illegal activities.”
The group called the incident “politically unacceptable,” and noted that the Israeli planning authorities in the region have been dysfunctional for decades. However, the mass demolition campaign on Tuesday was “almost unprecedented.”
Despite receiving the demolition orders only a day before the demolitions were carried out, the demolition notices were dated on Dec. 20, a move which the group said was designed to prevent the residents of Qalansawe from appealing the demolition orders.
Residents, however, quickly responded to the demolition notices the day before and began legal proceedings against them. But Israeli forces demolished the homes anyway, despite the right of residents to appeal such decisions.
The actions of Israeli authorities seem to show that the community would be demolished “no matter what,” the group stated.
Amnesty International added that the actions by Israeli authorities raised “alarming questions” regarding Israel’s policies against Palestinian citizens of Israel, noting that residents were forced to deal with unapproved building through paying fines and other administrative means.
The decision to conduct the [demolition] operation, despite the failures of planning authorities to approve building plans for the city, raised “concern over the illegal conduct” of Israeli authorities and the “political motives” that appear to be behind the demolitions, the group concluded.
The day following the demolitions, Palestinian citizens declared a general strike across Israel, which included protests in dozens of Palestinian-majority towns and at least half a million Palestinians participating in the strike.
On Friday, a reported 20,000 Palestinian citizens and supporters took to the streets in Israel to protest against the demolitions, which they claimed was a systematic policy by Israeli authorities to tear apart Palestinian communities in Israel in order to pressure them to leave the region.
Middle East Eye quoted an activist and resident of Qalansawe, Mahasen Rabus, as saying that “the demolition of houses is an Israeli political strategy against Palestinians since 1948, and it is part of a policy to desist on Palestinians living in Israel.”
“Israeli authorities did not allow us to build or expand, and the issuance of building permits has become an almost impossible task. In addition, they refused to extend the borders of Arab cities, so really we had no other option but to build,” adding that the communities would continue demonstrating so long as such policies continue.
Last month, Netanyahu reportedly held meetings when he instructed officials to “work to issue demolition orders for the illegal structures, located in Arab towns in northern and southern Israel, as well as in eastern Jerusalem,” alluding to a Supreme Court ruling to demolish the illegal Israeli Amona outpost constructed in the occupied West Bank in violation of both Israeli and international law.
“There will be no double standards regarding construction,” Israeli media quoted Netanyahu as saying. “There will be equal enforcement of the law in Israel for both Jews and Arabs.”
