Israel admits demolishing structures in Hebron without a hearing — Jerusalem Post
The Israeli state informed the High Court of Justice that parts of two commercial properties near the northern entrance to Hebron were demolished without a prior hearing. The authorities explained that the military commander considered the work urgently necessary for security reasons, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The state also acknowledged that it did not post a demolition notice at the site due to an error. Business owners Mustafa and Sufyan Qawasmeh, as well as Al-Quds Ceramics and Sanitary Ware, petitioned the court to halt the work. They deny any involvement in the October 23 attack in which two Israeli soldiers were killed and describe the demolitions as collective punishment.
The parties’ positions in court
The petition concerns about 17 dunams of commercial land with offices, display areas and merchandise. According to the petitioners, the military ordered them to remove property before the demolition without providing a written order or explaining the appeal procedure. The owners say that on the day of the attack, the facility was closed except for a guard, and the attackers climbed over locked gates.
The state’s response states that the attackers used a factory on one of the plots as cover and fired from behind a corrugated fence and equipment. The military considered the structures near the checkpoint an immediate security threat. The work involved dismantling the fence at the facility allegedly used by the attackers, as well as demolishing a fence and an office container on the opposite plot.
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Work halted after court petition
Judge Gila Kanfi Steinitz initially ordered the state to provide a response and expressed the expectation that it would refrain from changing the situation on the ground pending a further decision. The state said the described work had taken place before the authorities received the petition and the court order, and that work was stopped immediately after they were received.
The state added that it does not plan any immediate further demolitions at these two properties. At the same time, it said that any further measures concerning illegal construction would be carried out in accordance with established procedures.
Separately, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, citing Palestinian authorities, said that approximately 1,500 Palestinians were forced to leave their homes after the attack. The Israeli army, in turn, said that residents wishing to leave temporarily were allowed to pass through designated checkpoints. The military also reported searches of approximately 200 properties and the detention of 10 suspects.
