Residents of the Geulat Zion and Ramat Migron outposts in Judea and Samaria last month sent a letter through their attorney, Menashe Yado, from the Honeno legal aid society, demanding financial compensation for the demolition of their homes in November.
The residents noted that severe violence was used against their families during the demolition, and some were forced to receive medical assistance, and they were later shocked to discover that the evacuation and demolition had been done illegally by members of the Civil Administration and Border Police forces.
The letter was sent to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories’s legal counsel, stating that “the demolition was carried out in violation of the demolition procedure outlined in the Villages and Buildings Planning Act. No work stoppage order was sent ahead of the demolition, no summonses were issued to the residents to appear before the Planning Commission, and no demolition order preceded the action.
“A recent ruling of the Samaria Military Court determined that demolition without complying with the provisions of the Planning Law—to recite the obvious—is illegal,” attorney Yado wrote the IDF Civil Administration’s legal counsel. “This is in addition to a huge list of rulings in which it was determined that a structure should not be demolished without a hearing, a norm that was also applied to terrorists’ homes following murderous terror attacks.”
Attorney Yado stressed that the absurdity of the case cries up to the heavens. “Since this administrative criterion of the law is being applied to murderers, there is no doubt that it should also be applied to settlers concerning the legality of their construction. In these circumstances, the Civil Authority demolished the homes without stating the source of their authority to act, and without presenting a document that establishes their authority or citing the source of their authority. The destruction was carried out illegally, in violation of the law, and violation of administrative obligations,” Yado noted.
The residents are demanding compensation from the Civil Administration in the amount of NIS 100,000 ($32,000) for all the homes that were demolished and for the secondary damage to personal effects.
“This compensation includes the pecuniary damages to the destroyed buildings, and the damages caused to personal property as a result of the predatory action without prior notice, and the mental anguish to families and their children who experienced traumatic destruction without proper procedure and prior notice,” the residents wrote.
Seriously? Only $32,000 ? Maybe they should hire a lawyer who works on commission…
The residents also called for an end to selective enforcement against Jews in Judea and Samaria. “The action of the Civil Administration and the Army against the Jewish settlers, in violation of an explicit ruling given against the Civil Administration only this year, without orders and in violation of the law, indicates a disgraceful disregard for the rights of Jews on the ground,” the residents concluded.