WEST BANK-DAIRY FACTORY DEMOLITION Israeli forces demolish dairy factory in the West Bank

Record ID: 565537

  • Title: WEST BANK-DAIRY FACTORY DEMOLITION Israeli forces demolish dairy factory in the West Bank
  • Date: 3rd September 2014
  • Summary: HEBRON, WEST BANK (SEPTEMBER 2, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ISRAELI ARMY BULLDOZER DEMOLISHING AL RAYYAN DAIRY FACTORY VARIOUS OF TRUCK AND SOLDIERS OUTSIDE FACTORY GENERAL DIRECTOR OF AL RAYYAN FACTORY, MAAMUN RASHED, WALKING BESIDE ISRAELI SOLDIERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GENERAL DIRECTOR OF AL RAYYAN FACTORY, MAAMUN RASHED, SAYING: "This is an act of revenge against the factory, the families and the orphans that live off of it - this is something that is to nobody's benefit. Approximately 35 families now have directly lost their source of income and 4,000 orphans have lost their assistance. There was never any violation whatsoever and we would like to challenge anyone who says otherwise. We have been to the courts with full force and we know what the truth is." VARIOUS OF BULLDOZERS AND TRUCKS DEMOLISHING FACTORY TRUCKS AND BULLDOZERS DRIVING AWAY COMPANY LAWYER, ABDEL KARIM FARAH, TALKING TO ISRAELI SOLDIERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LAWYER, ABDEL KARIM FARAH, SAYING: "First they claim that there are building plan issues and then in a response to us regarding the confiscation, they said these are finances that belong to Hamas and there is a decision made for it to be transferred to the government." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE INSPECTING DAMAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF THE ISLAMIC CHARITABLE SOCIETY IN HEBRON, HATEM AL BAKRI, SAYING: "On this day, the criminal occupation authorities headed to al-Rayyan company that belongs to the Islamic Charity Organisation and destroyed everything in it completely. And with this complete destruction, Israel has also destroyed the hope of 4,000 orphans from the city of Hebron who were receiving aid and support from this financial institution." VARIOUS OF DAMAGE AND RUBBLE FACTORY ITEMS PLACED OUTSIDE DAIRY IN TUBS
  • Embargoed: 18th September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3WOAWV5KUDNZBST65RKKCVEB2
  • Story Text: Israeli army forces demolished a dairy factory in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Tuesday (September 2), citing a lack of a building permit and its affiliation with the Islamist group Hamas.
    Dozens of trucks and bulldozers destroyed the structures of the al-Rayyan Dairy Factory, which belongs to the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron.
    The general director of the factory, Maamun Rashed, strongly denounced what he said was an act of revenge'.
    "This is an act of revenge against the factory, the families and the orphans that live off of it - this is something that is to nobody's benefit. Approximately 35 families now have directly lost their source of income and 4,000 orphans have lost their assistance. There was never any violation whatsoever and we would like to challenge anyone who says otherwise. We have been to the courts with full force and we know what the truth is," Rashed said.
    Al Rayyan produces yoghurt, milk and other dairy products that are sold in the West Bank.
    A spokesperson for the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit within the Israeli defence ministry which administers the West Bank, said in a statement that they had demolished an "illegal building which was built without the necessary permits" and that "the activity of the dairy production is related to terror organisations."
    Abdel Karim Farah, the attorney representing the factory said that it was strange for Israel to claim both a lack of a building permit as well as the factory's affiliation to "terrorist orgnisations" as reasons for the demolition.
    "First they claim there are building plan issues and then in a response to us regarding the confiscation, they said these are finances that belong to Hamas and there is a decision made for it to be transferred to the government," Farah said, adding that Israeli forces raided the factory back in July and confiscated machinery worth 1 million USD.
    Israel intensified its crackdown on Hamas, through raids on its West Bank institutions and arrests of suspected activists, after accusing the group of abducting three Israeli teenagers who disappeared near a Jewish settlement in June.
    The bodies of the three teenagers were found three weeks later, buried near Hebron.
    Last month, a top Hamas official said members of his militant group kidnapped the three Israeli teenagers, the first acknowledgment of the movement's involvement.
    Hamas has up to now refused to confirm or deny Israeli accusations that it masterminded the abduction and killing of the three young men, one of them a joint U.S.-Israeli citizen, in Hebron.
    Soldiers raided at least 30 institutions it accused of affiliation with Hamas in July and shut down activities of the British-based Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW).
    Head of the Islamic Charitable Organisation in Hebron, Hatem al-Bakri denied that the factory was associated with any violent activities and said the factory used its profits to help thousands of needy orphans.
    "On this day, the criminal occupation authorities headed to al-Rayyan company that belongs to the Islamic Charity Organisation and destroyed everything in it completely. And with this complete destruction Israel has also destroyed the hope of 4,000 orphans from the city of Hebron who were receiving aid and support from this financial institution," al-Bakri said.
    Hamas is designated a terrorist group by Israel, the United States and European Union. It has charitable networks as well as armed cadres, contributing to its popularity among Palestinians.
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