Neria Zarog, who was arrested without charges in November has since been released. But now, Zarog faces a new battle. His home in Samaria is set to be demolished by the IDF.
However, according to international agreements, Zarog’s home is located in Area B of Judea and Samaria, an region where although Israel has security control over, civil matters are meant to be handled by the Palestinian Authority.
This means that Israel, according to international agreements, is not allowed to destroy a civilian structure in Area B so long as it isn’t deemed a security threat (which the army never did in the case of Zarog).
On those grounds, Zarog appealed to the Supreme Court in an effort to prevent his house from being destroyed by Israel.
Surprisingly, the Supreme Court has rejected his petition reports Kann journalist Roi Sharon.
נריה זארוג עתר לבגצ נגד המנה״ז בדרישה לבטל את צו ההריסה על ביתו, שנבנה בשטח B בטענה שאין לישראל סמכות להרוס מבנים בשטח B אלא רק לרשות הפלסטינית. העתירה נדחתה, אבל השופטים ציינו שזארוג יכול לפנות לרש”פ על מנת לקבל היתר בניה למבנה
— רועי שרון Roy Sharon (@roysharon11) January 8, 2020
The Supreme Court did however mention that Zarog can apply for a building permit via the Palestinian Authority. In other words, Israel’s Supreme Court recognizes the authority of the Palestinian Authority to authorize building permits in Area B while at the same time, they recognize the IDF’s authority to destroy civilian houses in that same area – a precedent that Israel’s detractors could use to further attack the Jewish state but probably will not as it’s at the expense of a ‘settler’.
Source: Israel in the News
