ACTION APPEAL against demolition of solar power plant
The Israeli military plans to demolish a set of solar panels in Imneizil, a village in the south Hebron hills, cutting off the power to forty families, a health clinic and a school. The solar plant is the village's only source of electricity, and is subject to a military order effective from today (Thursday, 10 November 2011).
Imneizil is off the electricity, water and sewage networks due to military restrictions on Palestinian development in Area C (62 percent of the West Bank). Two years ago, a Spanish NGO installed solar panels on land belonging to the village, replacing expensive gasoline generators. The Israeli military refused to grant a building permit for the panels.
A few weeks ago, villagers found a demolition order near a fence around the panels. Israeli organization Rabbis for Human Rights launched a legal campaign against the demolition, arguing that the panels did not require a building permit in the first place, and that electricity is a basic humanitarian need. Yet, after 39 appeals, the order remains and hope is fading that the half-million dollar project can be saved.
The prospect of being cut off again horrifies Mohammad Yousef, Imneizil School's headmaster.
"Without electricity, the educational process comes to a standstill," he says. "For instance there is the computer. The printer. And then maybe you have a documentary film to show the students. You become unable to provide educational materials."
Additional Information:
The solar panels were installed by SEBA, a Spanish NGO, in coordination with Al-Najah University in Nablus. The total cost was 365,500 euros, of which the Spanish Cooperation supplied 290,000 euros.
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW:
Article 23 of the Hague Convention of 1907 clearly states that, "it is especially forbidden (for the occupier) to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war."
Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 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 cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations."
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
We encourage you to:
- Forward this information to your networks.
- Inform your representative in parliament about what is happening in Imneizil
- Contact the following officials and call on them to allow Palestinians in Area C to have free access to electricity, water and sewage infrastructure without the threat of demolitions:
- Your Ambassador and/or Consul General in Israel
- The Israeli Ambassador in your country
- Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak:
Ministry of Defence
Fax: +972 3 691 6940/696 2757
Email: minister@mod.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Minister
- Israeli Military Judge Advocate General
Major General Avihai Mandelblit
Fax: +972 3 569 4526/608 0366
Email: avimn@idf.gov.il
Salutation: Dear Judge Advocate General
- Israeli Military Chief of Staff: Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz
Fax: +972 3 691 6940/ 697 6218
Salutation: Dear Lieutenant-General
