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PALESTINIAN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

PRESS RELEASE

Ref: 42/2004

Date: 09 March 2004

Time: 09:30 GMT

Israeli High Court Issues Temporary Injunction Halting Demolition of 5 Houses in al-Qarara

On Monday evening, 8 March 2004, in response to an appeal submitted by PCHR, the Israeli High Court issued a temporary injunction halting the demolition of 5 Palestinian houses, whose owners were given notice earlier that day to vacate by Israeli occupying forces for the purposes of demolishing them. 

On Monday morning, Israeli occupying forces moved into al-Qarara village, north of Khan Yunis, then raided and searched a number of houses belonging to the families of Abu Sabet and Abu ‘Aamer.  Two hours later, Israeli forces ordered residents of 5 homes belonging to the Abu ‘Aamer family to vacate their homes in half an hour, and gave warning of firing at any person coming within the vicinity of the homes, which would be eventually demolished. 

 On behalf of the owners of the five houses, PCHR submitted an appeal to the Israeli High Court requesting termination of the demolition order.  The court issued a temporary injunction halting the demolition and gave the Israeli prosecutor 24 hours to respond. 

The houses threatened by demolition stand on a 760-square-meter area of land.  Five families, which include 38 people, live in the houses.

PCHR will pursue this case in an attempt to stop the demolition, which poses a threat of rendering dozens of people homeless.  PCHR calls upon the international community to immediately intervene and compel Israel to abandon the policy of house demolition practices against thousands of Palestinian civilians that violate international humanitarian law.

Public Document

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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893

PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail:[email protected], Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org