Remember the thrill of moving into your own home or apartment, or even building an add-on, or redecorating? Now reverse that. Picture a bulldozer crushing your private living space. Take a measure of those thoughts and feelings.
My daily email from Hebron for this past year contains dozens of stories of people having their homes demolished by military bulldozers. It's part of the Israeli government's policy. Last March 850 Palestinian families' homes in the West Bank were scheduled for demolition. To date, according to the Israeli human rights center, B'Tselem, 110 homes have been demolished in the Hebron area alone. Sometimes the homeowner gets a notice to bring down their own homes. If they don't the Israeli defense force does it.
Here's the story of one demolition as reported by the Christian Peacemaker Team, (CPT) which has been in Hebron since February l995:
Tuesday, October 14, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) demolished two Palestinian homes in the town of Beit Omar which lies in the Hebron district. The inhabited house and another incomplete structure were constructed on land which has belonged to the Abu Maria family for many generations. Authorities said the houses were demolished for being built without a permit.Several CPT members witnessed the destruction of the second building; their attempts to intervene were prevented by the IDF soldiers. In discussion afterwards, a visiting delegation member Carl Meyer stated, "I think about my house in Millersburg, Indiana, which we've been building for seven years now. What would it do to our family -- to my father -- if it were to be demolished like this?
After the soldiers and bulldozers left, the group spoke with the family. Muhammad, the father of the family, stated that none of his sons are married; only his daughters. His sons (ages 31, 25 and 20) won't marry unless they can provide their wives a place to live. Today, it was their homes that were demolished.
One woman, who appeared to be the mother, angrily exclaimed, "Look how they [Israel] destroy our house! In one minute, just like the wind! We will never leave our land. They do such things to try to make us leave. If they destroy, we will rebuild. One day they will have to leave.
The Israeli government's justification for destroying homes in the West Bank is that many Palestinians do not have title to their property. Also, the government is involved in major road construction to connect with Israeli settlements in the West Bank so that settlers will not have to travel through or near any of the towns and cities where the population is mainly Palestinian.
Finally, some observers feel that this policy is part of getting "facts on the ground." That means the more property held in Israeli hands, the more that does not have to be turned back to Palestinian control. CPT reports it is very difficult for Palestinians to get title to their land. For many Palestinians who have lived on their land for generations, title to property is not part of their culture, much like our Native American tradition.
From December 10 to 22, Elsie Dakota and I, will be part of an eight person delegation of Americans visiting Israeli and Palestinian human rights groups in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. We will also spend time in Hebron visiting with Palestinians facing home demolitions or whose homes have already been destroyed. We will be hosted by the CPT and will represent the Michigan Peace Team. Readers who would like to learn more about our experience, please call Tom Shea (616) 946-3693, after January 1st, 1998; or Elsie Dakota, (616) 935-4249.
Christian Peacemaker Team member Anne Montgomery stands with women protesting as Israeli soldiers plow the the home of Faid Jaradat on August 5, l997. Their home stood near Sair village outside Hebron When homes are destroyed, Palestinians often go to live with relatives in already crowded conditions. Some are able to rebuild, but for most, their homes were their life savings.
Return to the Index of Synapse 42, Winter 1997/98