Ref: 27/2021

Date: 04 March 2021

Time: 11:45 GMT

On Thursday, 04 March 2021, the Gaza Administrative Court issued a temporary decision with regard to the complaint filed by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) on 8 February 2021, against the Gaza Land Authority to stop any leveling or construction works on Land No. (32) of Plot No. (11) in al-Salam neighborhood, west Rafah crossing.

The temporary decision stipulates that “the defendants should stop the construction works on Land No. (32) of Plot No. (11) in al-Salam neighborhood, west of Rafah Crossing until the court hearing designated for the complaint is held on Monday, 12 April 2021.”

It should be noted that PCHR submitted an urgent request to the Administrative Court in Gaza to issue a decision to halt leveling or any construction works by the Gaza Land Authority on al-Salam neighborhood lands, west of Rafah Crossing, until the court settles the first complaint submitted by PCHR to abolish a decision issued by the Gaza Land Authority on 15 December 2020, to allocate 55 dunums of Land No. (32) of Plot No. (11)  in al-Salam neighborhood, west Rafah crossing, in order to expand Rafah Commercial Crossing; end all the legal ramifications; notify all competent authorities; and restore it to its owners.

On 10 January 2021, PCHR, as the legal representative of the plaintiffs, filed a complaint to the Head of Land Authority in Gaza, to abolish the decision to expand Rafah Commercial Crossing and to ensure reparation for those affected. On 06 January 2021, PCHR contacted the Mayor of Rafah Municipality to provide him with the case file on the land in question. To date, PCHR has not received a written response from either party.

PCHR’s urgent request came after the Gaza Land Authority, accompanied by a police force, levelled 55 dunums belonging to citizens from al-Salam neighborhood, in order to expand Rafah Commercial Crossing, but the lands’ owners confronted them.  The police violently attacked the citizens, arrested a few of them and took them to the police station. After the intervention of PCHR’s lawyer, all the detained persons were released.

PCHR welcomes the temporary judicial decision, warns Gaza authorities of carrying out similar acts without complying with the requirements of the law and stresses that it will continue its efforts to issue a final decision in order to abolish the Gaza Land Authority’s decision.