Hebron Rehabilitation Committee will open a court case against the supposed settlement road in Tel Rumaida area in Hebron

Ref. :(4/b/2005)
Date : 15/2/2005

Press Release

On the 11th of February 2005 an Israeli military decree holding number (t/17/05) was issued by the Israeli general commander Yaeer Nafeh commanding confiscating Palestinian lands in Tel Rumaida area in Hebron Old City in order to create a new road for Israeli settlers connects Tel Rumaida settlement with settlements of Beit Romano and Abraham Avenue.

The designed road to be created supposes to start from the middle of ALShuhada Street between “Beit Romano” and “Abraham Avenue” up to “Ramat Yashai” settlement in Tel Rumaida area west of Hebron Old City.
Creating this road will include demolishing parts of historical houses, Muslims’ graves, uprooting long-lived olive trees, and destroying ancient monuments in the area. Tel Rumaida area has been known as one of the famous archeological site through centuries. It has been subject to many Israeli settlers attacks. (For more details about Tel Rumaida please see the attached appendix).

Hebron Rehabilitation Committee have empowered the Israeli lawyer Mr. Shlomo Lecker to follow up this issue at the Israeli legal institutions. He will start with filing an objection against the mentioned above decree of the Military Objection Committee in Beat Eal as a procedure before opening a court case at the Israeli High Court.

The supposed confiscated land is owned by several Palestinian families, HRC have known among which ; Abu Sakour, Abu Munshar, Iqneiby, AlSaheb, Abu Ghalyoon families, in addition to a Muslims’ Cemetery, Alsaqawati Muslim Shrine, and Al Ain Aljadeda “Water Spring” which all belong to the Islamic Waqf in Hebron.

Creating the supposed road will enlarge the Israeli colonial area and will increase the Israeli control, which will lead into more tension in Hebron city. Meanwhile, it will add more pressure on Palestinian residents over there to force them out.

Implementing this decree violates Hebron Protocol which had been signed between Palestinians and Israelis in 1997.

Hebron Rehabilitation Committee calls upon you to help stopping implementing this aggression and inquiring your intervention at the Israeli levels to have them think once more before implementing their dangerous Decree.

Hebron Rehabilitation Committee

TEL RUMAIDA AREA

Hebron City has been built originally around Tel Rumaida area. According to archeological excavations carried out by several missions Tel Rumaida area is considered to be an archeological site, witnessed many civilizations throughout centuries. Tel Rumaida area dated back to the Bronze period, the Iron period, the Roman period, the Herodos period, and to the Bezants period.

Canaanites had built their political capital in Tel Rumaida more than 5500 years ago. Ein Jedyeda in the east side of that area used to be the main water resource for Hebron. Hebronits had planted then Fertile Hebron Vally “Wad AlKhalil lKhasib”.

Many archeological excavations had taken place in Tel Rumaida area. The first one was in 1963 to 1966, carried out by American mission under the supervision of the archeologist Philip Hammond. Then in 1982, 1985, 1986 and in 1999 by Israeli archeological missions.

All of the excavations have emphasized on the historical importance of Tel Rumaida and have approved the fact that the area had witnessed several civilizations.

Tel Rumaida area is considered as an archeological site since 1944, when the British Mandate listed it within the historical sites of Palestine. Thereafter, the Jordanian Government stressed that during its control to the West Bank until 1967.

After the Israeli occupation for West Bank the Israeli Government has issued a military order, which considered it an archeological site and prevented implementing any construction works, that might change its historical features. But within its settlement strategy Israel has allowed a group of settlers in 1984 to settle several mobile homes (caravans) over that archeological site and to move in them. Thereafter, the Israeli Government has closed their eyes toward the settlers enlargement activities in that area, and it has allowed them to build new buildings over there in 2000.

Hebron Rehabilitation Committee