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PRESS RELEASE
Date: 26 June 2002
Ref.: 90/2002
PCHR has succeeded, on 25 June, to stop the demolition of the house of Ismail al Derbashi in Al Zitoun neighbourhood, close to Netzarim conjunction in Gaza.
The Centre was asked by al Derbashi to appeal to the Israeli Legal Advisor to stop the demolition of the house, in which 16 people live. Accordingly, the Centre has sent a letter to the Israeli Legal Advisor on this matter, and after three hours from receiving the letter, he responded stating that there were no intention to demolish the house.
The owner of the house received on 21 June an oral notification from an Israeli officer, asking to evacuate the house. Al Derbashi was told that the house is being used for some “illegal activities”.
Al Derbashi was granted 24 hours to evacuate the house. It’s worth mentioning that the Israeli occupying forces have carried out many activities in the area around the house to terrorise people living there. In this regard, on 24 June, the Israeli occupying forces have fired against the house for half an hour and, on the same day, Israeli bulldozers uprooted a group of trees planted around the house.
Al Derbashi’s house is located close to the al Ghussain factory, which used to be the only producer of oxygen for the Gaza Strip, and which has been destroyed at the beginning of the month.
PCHR is deeply concerned about the safety of the people living in the area around Netzarim conjunction, as they are subjected, on a daily basis, to fire shooting and other form of attacks by the Israeli occupying forces, not excluding forms of degrading treatment.
Accordingly, PCHR calls the international community, particularly the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, to immediately intervene and to protect Palestinian civilians and their properties.
