Israeli Home Demolitions Q&A
Are Israel's house demolitions legal under international law?
No. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention Occupying Powers are prohibited from destroying property or employing collective punishment. Article 53 reads: “Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons…is prohibited." Under this provision the practice of demolishing Palestinian houses is banned, as is the wholesale destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure.
Are Israeli settlements legal under International Law?
Under article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention Israel is prohibited from establishing settlements: "The Occupying Power shall not transfer parts of its own civilian population into territories it occupies"
Are expulsions of Palestinians legal under international law?
Under Articles 35 & 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention it is forbidden to deport or "forcibly transfer," the local population, including such common Israeli practises as revoking the Jerusalem residency of Palestinians or banning Palestinians from returning from work, study or travel abroad.
Are Israel's house demolitions legal under international law?
No. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention Occupying Powers are prohibited from destroying Palestinian property or employing collective punishment. Article 53 reads: “Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons…is prohibited." Under this provision the practice of demolishing Palestinian houses is banned, as is the wholesale destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure.
The vast majority of house demolitions in the Occupied Territories are conducted for Israeli 'administrative reasons'. Can this be justified under International Law?
The Fourth Geneva Convention (article 53) states: "Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities. or to social or co-operative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations."
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
Palestine 101
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History
- Al Nakba
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The Intifadas
- What is an "intifada?"
- The First Intifada Erupts, Forcing Israel to Recognize Palestinians
- The First Intifada - Historical overview
- The First Intifada - Introduction
- The Second Intifada - Introduction
- Second Intifada - International Law
- The Second Intifada - The Mitchell Report
- The Second Intifada - UN Resolution 1322
- 1967 WAR
- Original Documents
- Peace Processes
- The British Mandate
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Zionism
- Truman overrode strong State Department warning against partitioning of palestine in 1947
- What is political Zionism? - Introduction
- From its beginning, Israeli policy promoted war, not peace
- Meticulously planned Exodus saga gained sympathy For Zionist cause
- Zionism in US: Haganah's arms procurement
- Zionism in the US 1917-1948
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Key Topics
- Water Resources
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Apartheid
- Israel’s Palestinian-only buses draw accusations of segregation, apartheid
- The Russell Tribunal on Palestine
- Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu on Israeli Apartheid
- South African study: Israel practicing apartheid and colonialism
- Israel’s deportations and forcible transfers of Palestinians out of the west bank during the second intifada
- Discrimination in Israeli Law
- Adalah Position Paper On the Israeli Government’s New Decision Classifying Communities as National Priority Areas
- ICJ opinion on Apartheid WallICJ opinion on Apartheid Wall
- Apartheid Q & A - Al Haq
- International Court Apartheid Wall OCHA
- Qalqilya Apartheid Map
- Restricted Space in West Bank
- Israeli apartheid - Introduction
- What is Apartheid?
- Israel Apartheid Policies Enacted Egainst Palestinians
- Arrests and Detentions
- Checkpoints and Closures
- Education
- Home Demolitions
- Jerusalem
- Maps
- Refugees
- Settlements
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UN Resolutions
- UN Resolution 181 - The Partition of Palestine
- UN Resolution 194 - Right of Return
- UN Resolution 242 - Withdraw from Occupied Land
- UN Resolution 465 - Changing Physical and Demographic Nature of Palestine Illegal
- UN Resolution 694 - Reaffirming UN Res. 681
- UN Resolution 681 - Prohibition Against Acquiring Land Through War
- UN Resolutions - Introduction
- Verbatin Record of Security Council vote on Res. 242
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Us Aid to Israel
- US aid to Israel - 2015 Fact Sheet
- United States Needs to Reevaluate Its Assistance to Israel
- Sequester to Reduce U.S. Aid to Israel, but Not Below 2012 Level
- US Foreign Aid to Israel
- U.S. Aid to Israel - Introduction
- US Aid to Israel Fact Sheet
- The Cost of Israel to U.S. Taxpayers: True Lies About U.S. Aid to Israel
- U.S. Can't Afford Military Aid to Israel
- US Aid to Israel: 2014 Fact Sheet
- US Aid to Israel: Impact on America
- How Does Aid to Israel Impact Us?
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Environment
- The Occupation's Impact on Palestinian Environment - Introduction
- Environmental Impact of Settlements
- Environment Emerges as a Major Casualty in Palestine
- Gaza Strip Soil Has Been Contaminated Due to Bombings: Population in Danger
- Experimental Weapons' Use in Gaza May Cause Genetic Mutations in Unborn Palestinian Children
- Gaza