Israeli Army deletes 80% of Palestinian village buildings

Friday May 11, 2007 15:44 by Amin Abu Wardeh - IMEMC News

West Bank map, indicating Tubas to where Aqba village is close

Sami Sadeq, head of village council of Aqba near Tubas in the northern West Bank, said the Israeli authorities intend to remove 80% of the village of the map.

In a statement published by Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), Sadeq said, Israeli Authorities handed him a new map through a lawyer. The new map will redraw the boundaries of the village by an unjustified military order. According to Sadeq, at least 80 percent of the village is not shown on the map.

Sadeq said the village is on its way to be wiped out, not only from the map, but also from existence, saying that according to the new map, “only five or six houses will remain from the whole village especially that the army demanded him to remove all the houses that are built outside the new boundaries set by the army.”

The village sits on a small rocky hill surrounded from three sides by areas declared by the Israeli military as closed military zones. The population is about 300 out of 1000 who migrate to the neighborhood regions because of the incapability to build homes for themselves.

The Israeli army handed demolition warrants to the at least 28 villagers some time prior to sending the new map to the head of the council.

According to the new military map, these houses are located outside the village boundaries.

Sadeq said that the villagers took the case to the court since years and no ruling has been made yet. He believes that the Israeli army is trying to trick them to avoid a possible court ruling.

jenin | miscellaneous | news report george at imemc dot org