What the Israeli military does with the Palestinian property it steals

When Israeli soldiers stole USD 45,000-worth of equipment and materials from a Hebron orphanage on 1 May and piled the goods onto two huge flatbed trucks [1], workers at the orphanage wondered if they would ever see any of it again.

Surprisingly, they did. But not in the way that they had hoped.

New clothes made at the orphanage lie scattered around Hebron’s city dump

Days later, it was discovered that the Israeli military had thrown everything it had stolen in the local dump, which lies just outside Hebron city.

Textiles found by workers at the dump were identified as those which had been seized from the girl’s orphanage

Eye witness reports confirm that an Israeli truck arrived at the city dump at 5.30pm on Thursday 1 May, and was met by more than 50 scrap collectors who proceeded to empty the truck of sewing machines, steam irons, dresses, tables, and chairs. [2]

The dump lies at the edge of Hebron city

Property belonging to the orphanage is now for sale by scrap merchants.

Palestinian teenagers stand next to sewing machines that were rescued from the dump by scrap merchants in order to be sold on

They salvaged what they could from the dump and are trying to earn a living from it.

Despite suffering some damage the sewing machines are still salvageable

These pictures document how the Israeli army behaves in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the extent of its respect for Palestinian property.

Before and after the Israeli army intervention...