22 jan 2014
The Aqsa Foundation for Endowments and Heritage revealed in a report on Wednesday that the occupation has begun new excavations in Wadi Hilweh in Silwan, only few tens of meters south of Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Foundation said that the occupation is destroying ancient Islamic monuments in the area, and that earlier it had destroyed an Islamic cemetery adjacent to the site.
It added that the Israeli Antiquities Authority has started excavations funded by Elad Association, at the entrance to Wadi Hilweh neighborhood, in a confiscated Palestinian land that had been used for many years as parking.
It said in its statement that these excavations came within the preparations for the construction of a biblical center, with the support of Netanyahu government.
The Aqsa Foundation warned of the seriousness of these excavations, through which the occupation seeks to destroy and obliterate the Islamic landmarks in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City of Jerusalem, and to isolate Al-Aqsa from its Palestinian surroundings.
It has called on all the concerned Islamic and Arab bodies to confront the Israeli Judaization plans that are targeting Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
It added that the Israeli Antiquities Authority has started excavations funded by Elad Association, at the entrance to Wadi Hilweh neighborhood, in a confiscated Palestinian land that had been used for many years as parking.
It said in its statement that these excavations came within the preparations for the construction of a biblical center, with the support of Netanyahu government.
The Aqsa Foundation warned of the seriousness of these excavations, through which the occupation seeks to destroy and obliterate the Islamic landmarks in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City of Jerusalem, and to isolate Al-Aqsa from its Palestinian surroundings.
It has called on all the concerned Islamic and Arab bodies to confront the Israeli Judaization plans that are targeting Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Dozens of Israeli soldiers have invaded a Palestinian community northeast of Tubas, in the central West Bank, demolishing agricultural and residential structures.
The Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA) has reported that the soldiers demolished a home built in 1967, residential structures, and two barns in Khirbit Ibzeeq, northeast of Tubas.
Soldiers also demolished a number of residential structures which had been rebuilt after being previously destroyed by the army.
Furthermore, the army also destroyed a solar cell used for generating electricity, in a small village close to Aqraba nearby town.
Several residential and agricultural structures have also been demolished in Khirbit Yezra village, east of Tubas.
The area is subject to dozens of Israeli military violations, including ongoing destruction of property belonging to local villagers and shepherds, for the benefit of Israel’s illegitimate settlements and its military camps.
The army also repeatedly uses those areas for military drills, using live ammunition and explosives.
Earlier on Wednesday, a Palestinian child was seriously injured after an unexploded bomb, dropped by the army during training, exploded in his hands in the Jordan Valley.
In February of last year, a Palestinian child was killed and three other children were injured, in two separate incidents, when un-exploded Israeli military bombs detonated near them, in northern Gaza.
In November of 2012, a five-year old Palestinian child suffered head injuries and died of his wounds, in a similar incident which took place in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Earlier the same month, three children, between the ages of three and five, were seriously injured when an explosive device left by the Israeli army detonated near them in the town of Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza.
In related news, a group of Israeli settlers uprooted more than 800 olive saplings in Sinjel village, north of the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Head of the Sinjel Village Council, Ayyoub Sweid, said that the settlers stole the uprooted saplings.
He added that the saplings were planted by the residents on 200 Dunams (49.42 Acres) of Palestinian orchards as part of a project funded by the International Red Cross.
The Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA) has reported that the soldiers demolished a home built in 1967, residential structures, and two barns in Khirbit Ibzeeq, northeast of Tubas.
Soldiers also demolished a number of residential structures which had been rebuilt after being previously destroyed by the army.
Furthermore, the army also destroyed a solar cell used for generating electricity, in a small village close to Aqraba nearby town.
Several residential and agricultural structures have also been demolished in Khirbit Yezra village, east of Tubas.
The area is subject to dozens of Israeli military violations, including ongoing destruction of property belonging to local villagers and shepherds, for the benefit of Israel’s illegitimate settlements and its military camps.
The army also repeatedly uses those areas for military drills, using live ammunition and explosives.
Earlier on Wednesday, a Palestinian child was seriously injured after an unexploded bomb, dropped by the army during training, exploded in his hands in the Jordan Valley.
In February of last year, a Palestinian child was killed and three other children were injured, in two separate incidents, when un-exploded Israeli military bombs detonated near them, in northern Gaza.
In November of 2012, a five-year old Palestinian child suffered head injuries and died of his wounds, in a similar incident which took place in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Earlier the same month, three children, between the ages of three and five, were seriously injured when an explosive device left by the Israeli army detonated near them in the town of Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza.
In related news, a group of Israeli settlers uprooted more than 800 olive saplings in Sinjel village, north of the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Head of the Sinjel Village Council, Ayyoub Sweid, said that the settlers stole the uprooted saplings.
He added that the saplings were planted by the residents on 200 Dunams (49.42 Acres) of Palestinian orchards as part of a project funded by the International Red Cross.
21 jan 2014
IDF soldiers in front of the Kirya in Tel Aviv
40% of Palestine land is used as military bases or military training zoon by Israel military, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. However, it explained that Israel military ministry still spends nearly 100 million shekels ($28.6 million) annually to rent offices, apartments and even private homes for various purposes.
It reported that Israel military ministry spent more than 79, 580,305 NIS in 2013 in renting buildings for military uses , making clear that Israel army controlled 7 to 8 million dunames of Palestinian land in 2010.
According to the report , most of military bases are in south occupied Palestine while dozens of them are in central occupied Palestine especially near Jerusalem. It also noted that some military establishments are housed in civilian office buildings in Gush Dan.
The report also explained that Israel rents 32 apartments for the military ministry and the IOF, most of them for military intelligence." It is not clear what all these apartments are used for, but some are used for screening personnel for top secret army unit," Haaretz cited.
Twenty-eight of the apartments are in Tel Aviv, and there is also one in Rosh Ha’ayin, one near Beit Shemesh, one in Haifa and one in an undisclosed location. The annual rent for these apartments comes to 1.9 million shekels in total.
The military establishment also rents thousands of parking spaces all over occupied Palestine , at a cost of 2.65 million shekels. Most of the parking is in the Tel Aviv area, but there are also parking spaces rented in Jerusalem, near the Haifa wholesale market, in Tzrifin and in Tiberias.
The military also pays some 9.5 million shekels to rent space at Haifa Port, and 127,000 shekels to rent space at the Herzliya marina for a naval patrol boat stationed there.
40% of Palestine land is used as military bases or military training zoon by Israel military, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. However, it explained that Israel military ministry still spends nearly 100 million shekels ($28.6 million) annually to rent offices, apartments and even private homes for various purposes.
It reported that Israel military ministry spent more than 79, 580,305 NIS in 2013 in renting buildings for military uses , making clear that Israel army controlled 7 to 8 million dunames of Palestinian land in 2010.
According to the report , most of military bases are in south occupied Palestine while dozens of them are in central occupied Palestine especially near Jerusalem. It also noted that some military establishments are housed in civilian office buildings in Gush Dan.
The report also explained that Israel rents 32 apartments for the military ministry and the IOF, most of them for military intelligence." It is not clear what all these apartments are used for, but some are used for screening personnel for top secret army unit," Haaretz cited.
Twenty-eight of the apartments are in Tel Aviv, and there is also one in Rosh Ha’ayin, one near Beit Shemesh, one in Haifa and one in an undisclosed location. The annual rent for these apartments comes to 1.9 million shekels in total.
The military establishment also rents thousands of parking spaces all over occupied Palestine , at a cost of 2.65 million shekels. Most of the parking is in the Tel Aviv area, but there are also parking spaces rented in Jerusalem, near the Haifa wholesale market, in Tzrifin and in Tiberias.
The military also pays some 9.5 million shekels to rent space at Haifa Port, and 127,000 shekels to rent space at the Herzliya marina for a naval patrol boat stationed there.
20 jan 2014
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The Israeli authorities recently built a cafeteria, a park for dogs and several restrooms on the lands of “Ma’man Allah” cemetery west of Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem municipality also threw the wood shavings to cover the rest of the remaining graves in the Muslim cemetery. Mustafa Abu Zahra, head of Islamic cemeteries in the Islamic Awqaf, said that the occupation authorities built a cafeteria, a park for dogs and several restrooms on the lands of “Ma’man Allah” cemetery and exactly on the area where the “Independence Park” is built. He added that the occupation authorities covered the southern area of the cemetery which is around 15 Dunoms with wood shavings with a height of 30-50 centimetres in addition to covering parts of the cemetery in the area near the “Museum of Tolerance” and pointed out that there are piles of wood shavings that are projected to be used to cover more parts of the cemetery. |
A Palestinian man whose bulldozer was seized by Israeli forces two weeks ago was forced to dig up a road in the village of Abu Dis in order to get it back, the man told Ma'an.
A native of Eizariya village east of Jerusalem, Badr Dahdoul was removing roadblocks from a road near al-Quds University in Abu Dis two weeks ago when Israeli forces detained him and confiscated his bulldozer.
The road had originally been closed by Israeli forces while they were demolishing a Palestinian house near the separation wall as it passes through Abu Dis.
Dahdoul explained that he was taken into custody while removing the roadblocks and was ordered to pay a fine of 12,000 shekels ($3,400).
On Sunday, Israeli authorities forced Dahdoul to damage the road with his bulldozer before they would agree to return it to him.
Member of Abu Dis local council Abdul-Salam Ayyad, however, blamed Dahdoul for damaging the road.
"He should have retrieved his bulldozer through legal procedures instead of damaging the only route residents use to reach the main street," he said.
A native of Eizariya village east of Jerusalem, Badr Dahdoul was removing roadblocks from a road near al-Quds University in Abu Dis two weeks ago when Israeli forces detained him and confiscated his bulldozer.
The road had originally been closed by Israeli forces while they were demolishing a Palestinian house near the separation wall as it passes through Abu Dis.
Dahdoul explained that he was taken into custody while removing the roadblocks and was ordered to pay a fine of 12,000 shekels ($3,400).
On Sunday, Israeli authorities forced Dahdoul to damage the road with his bulldozer before they would agree to return it to him.
Member of Abu Dis local council Abdul-Salam Ayyad, however, blamed Dahdoul for damaging the road.
"He should have retrieved his bulldozer through legal procedures instead of damaging the only route residents use to reach the main street," he said.
IOF Forces raided on Monday, the two villages of Beit Awa and Deir Samet in Hebron and demolished several structures.
PNN reporter said that Israeli forces demolished a store and 500 square meters barracks in Beit Awa village and two rooms and a 400 square meters barracks in Deir Samet village.
He added that clashes were due to erupt between the Israeli forces and Palestinians in Beit Awa that would have turned violent.
PNN reporter said that Israeli forces demolished a store and 500 square meters barracks in Beit Awa village and two rooms and a 400 square meters barracks in Deir Samet village.
He added that clashes were due to erupt between the Israeli forces and Palestinians in Beit Awa that would have turned violent.
The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) ordered 25 families in Ebzeeq valley in the northern Jordan Valley on Sunday to leave their homes to make way for army maneuvers. Aref Daraghma, the head of the municipal council of the Jordan Valley and tribal communities, said in a press release that the IOA informed inhabitants of Ebzeeq that they should leave their homes and land on Monday morning.
He quoted the IOA as telling the inhabitants that the maneuvers will last for six hours and would be launched on their land.
Daraghma said that around 120 individuals would be forced to keep away from their source of sustenance.
He said that the inhabitants fear of army leftover ordnance that could be dangerous to their children.
The IOA systematically terrorize inhabitants of the Jordan Valley employing such methods as military exercises and demolition of facilities in the final hope of terrorizing them into leaving their land.
He quoted the IOA as telling the inhabitants that the maneuvers will last for six hours and would be launched on their land.
Daraghma said that around 120 individuals would be forced to keep away from their source of sustenance.
He said that the inhabitants fear of army leftover ordnance that could be dangerous to their children.
The IOA systematically terrorize inhabitants of the Jordan Valley employing such methods as military exercises and demolition of facilities in the final hope of terrorizing them into leaving their land.
19 jan 2014
Israeli municipality workers on Sunday distributed orders for the demolition of eight buildings in East Jerusalem, witnesses and residents told Ma'an.
Witnesses said municipality workers accompanied by Israeli police issued demolition notices for buildings in the Silwan area of East Jerusalem.
The workers issued notices in the neighborhoods of Wadi al-Hilweh, Ein al-Lawza, Bier Ayub, and Wad Yasoul, witnesses said.
Resident Said Nasser said he was handed demolition orders for three car repair shops he owns in the Ein al-Lawza neighborhood.
He said he was notified that he would be fined 150,000 shekels ($43,000) for the shops' "illegal" construction.
The shops were built 20 years ago, he said.
Israel rarely grants Palestinians permits to build in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. It has demolished at least 27,000 Palestinian homes and structures since occupying the West Bank in 1967, according to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Witnesses said municipality workers accompanied by Israeli police issued demolition notices for buildings in the Silwan area of East Jerusalem.
The workers issued notices in the neighborhoods of Wadi al-Hilweh, Ein al-Lawza, Bier Ayub, and Wad Yasoul, witnesses said.
Resident Said Nasser said he was handed demolition orders for three car repair shops he owns in the Ein al-Lawza neighborhood.
He said he was notified that he would be fined 150,000 shekels ($43,000) for the shops' "illegal" construction.
The shops were built 20 years ago, he said.
Israel rarely grants Palestinians permits to build in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. It has demolished at least 27,000 Palestinian homes and structures since occupying the West Bank in 1967, according to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told US Secretary of State John Kerry that he wants to annex a fourth bloc of West Bank settlements, army radio reported on Sunday.
Until now, Israel has always spoken of its intention to annex three blocs of settlements in any future agreement with the Palestinians: the Etzion bloc in the south; Maale Adumim to the east of Jerusalem; and the Ariel bloc in the north.
The report said Netanyahu was proposing that Israel also keep hold of a group of settlements deep in the West Bank -- Beit El, Ofra and Psagot -- which lie to the north and east of Ramallah, the radio said.
A settlement bloc is an area where clusters of settlements have been established in relatively close proximity to one another, in which the majority of the West Bank's 367,000 settlers currently live.
If Israel was to keep hold of the "Beit El bloc" as well as the others, it would mean annexing a total of 13 percent of the occupied West Bank, the radio said, describing it as a "very large percentage" of the territory.
"In the negotiating room, Netanyahu is talking about 13 percent of territory," the radio's diplomatic correspondent Ilil Shahar said, quoting sources close to Netanyahu.
"Netanyahu is proposing to a (land) swap of three to four percent then paying for the rest," she said.
In previous rounds of negotiations, former prime minister Ehud Barak in 2001 spoke of Israel annexing six to eight percent, and in 2008, then premier Ehud Olmert spoke about seven percent.
The Palestinians want to keep Israel's annexation of land they want for a future state to an absolute minimum, and have spoken of a maximum land swap of about two percent.
Netanyahu's office refused to comment on the report.
Shaul Arieli, an expert on mapping and the future Israeli-Palestinian borders described the proposal as unfeasible.
"If we're really talking about 13 percent, we're talking about an idea that's a non-starter from the Palestinian point of view," he told the radio.
"Israel does not have the ability to compensate the Palestinians at that level, our potential for compensation is not more than three to four percent, and of course the idea of paying is unacceptable."
Israel and the Palestinians embarked upon a nine-month track of direct negotiations at the urging of US Secretary of State John Kerry, at the end of July, which appear to have made little progress.
Currently, Kerry's main focus is trying to get the sides to agree on a framework to guide the negotiations forward in the coming months.
Although the term "settlement bloc" has been used by Israeli leaders for years, the parameters of such areas have never been clearly defined, with the best indicator of their location being the looping route of the sprawling West Bank barrier.
The phrase is a euphemism for those settlements that are supposedly within the Israeli national "consensus" as being the areas that should and likely will remain part of Israel under any future peace agreement, according to settlement watchdog Peace Now.
Until now, Israel has always spoken of its intention to annex three blocs of settlements in any future agreement with the Palestinians: the Etzion bloc in the south; Maale Adumim to the east of Jerusalem; and the Ariel bloc in the north.
The report said Netanyahu was proposing that Israel also keep hold of a group of settlements deep in the West Bank -- Beit El, Ofra and Psagot -- which lie to the north and east of Ramallah, the radio said.
A settlement bloc is an area where clusters of settlements have been established in relatively close proximity to one another, in which the majority of the West Bank's 367,000 settlers currently live.
If Israel was to keep hold of the "Beit El bloc" as well as the others, it would mean annexing a total of 13 percent of the occupied West Bank, the radio said, describing it as a "very large percentage" of the territory.
"In the negotiating room, Netanyahu is talking about 13 percent of territory," the radio's diplomatic correspondent Ilil Shahar said, quoting sources close to Netanyahu.
"Netanyahu is proposing to a (land) swap of three to four percent then paying for the rest," she said.
In previous rounds of negotiations, former prime minister Ehud Barak in 2001 spoke of Israel annexing six to eight percent, and in 2008, then premier Ehud Olmert spoke about seven percent.
The Palestinians want to keep Israel's annexation of land they want for a future state to an absolute minimum, and have spoken of a maximum land swap of about two percent.
Netanyahu's office refused to comment on the report.
Shaul Arieli, an expert on mapping and the future Israeli-Palestinian borders described the proposal as unfeasible.
"If we're really talking about 13 percent, we're talking about an idea that's a non-starter from the Palestinian point of view," he told the radio.
"Israel does not have the ability to compensate the Palestinians at that level, our potential for compensation is not more than three to four percent, and of course the idea of paying is unacceptable."
Israel and the Palestinians embarked upon a nine-month track of direct negotiations at the urging of US Secretary of State John Kerry, at the end of July, which appear to have made little progress.
Currently, Kerry's main focus is trying to get the sides to agree on a framework to guide the negotiations forward in the coming months.
Although the term "settlement bloc" has been used by Israeli leaders for years, the parameters of such areas have never been clearly defined, with the best indicator of their location being the looping route of the sprawling West Bank barrier.
The phrase is a euphemism for those settlements that are supposedly within the Israeli national "consensus" as being the areas that should and likely will remain part of Israel under any future peace agreement, according to settlement watchdog Peace Now.
Israeli warplanes launched two raids on Palestinian resistance positions in southern and central Gaza Strip at dawn Sunday. Local sources told the PIC reporter that the warplanes blasted a position for the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, in Bani Suhaila to the east of Khan Younis, south of the Strip.
They added that the second raid targeted another position for the Hamas armed wing in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
The sources affirmed that the raids caused only material damage and no casualties were reported.
The IOF command claimed that the raids were in reprisal to the firing of a homemade rocket from Gaza Strip on the western Negev.
Meanwhile, a field observer told Quds Press that groups of IOF soldiers entered northern Gaza Strip at dawn Sunday and bulldozed land amidst indiscriminate shooting.
He said that the soldiers opened heavy gunfire but no casualties were suffered.
They added that the second raid targeted another position for the Hamas armed wing in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza.
The sources affirmed that the raids caused only material damage and no casualties were reported.
The IOF command claimed that the raids were in reprisal to the firing of a homemade rocket from Gaza Strip on the western Negev.
Meanwhile, a field observer told Quds Press that groups of IOF soldiers entered northern Gaza Strip at dawn Sunday and bulldozed land amidst indiscriminate shooting.
He said that the soldiers opened heavy gunfire but no casualties were suffered.
17 jan 2014
The Hamas movement warned of the occupation authorities' intention to seize lands surrounding the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city of al-Khalil.
Hamas stressed in a statement on Thursday that the occupation's plan to steal the lands surrounding the Ibrahimi Mosque and its continued war on the holy sites and Islamic monuments in the city of al-Khalil represent a new Israeli crime against the Palestinian territory and a desperate attempt that will not succeed in obliterating the Islamic landmark of the city and isolating it from its Palestinian surroundings.
It strongly denounced the silence of the international community regarding the occupation procedures, and called on the Palestinian Authority to put an end to the negotiations and security coordination with the occupation.
It also urged the Palestinian people to confront the Israeli plans and defend their land and holy places, and called upon the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to shoulder their responsibilities and protect the Palestinian territory from the danger of settlement and Judaization.
Hamas stressed in a statement on Thursday that the occupation's plan to steal the lands surrounding the Ibrahimi Mosque and its continued war on the holy sites and Islamic monuments in the city of al-Khalil represent a new Israeli crime against the Palestinian territory and a desperate attempt that will not succeed in obliterating the Islamic landmark of the city and isolating it from its Palestinian surroundings.
It strongly denounced the silence of the international community regarding the occupation procedures, and called on the Palestinian Authority to put an end to the negotiations and security coordination with the occupation.
It also urged the Palestinian people to confront the Israeli plans and defend their land and holy places, and called upon the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to shoulder their responsibilities and protect the Palestinian territory from the danger of settlement and Judaization.
This Thursday, Israeli forces handed out 12 demolition orders to Palestinians residing in the village of Sa'ir in the southern al-Khalil hills close to Hebron.
The Israeli military has closed the village and given the residents one month to file a complaint before carrying out the demolitions.
Human rights groups say that the demolition orders are part of a strategy by the regime in Tel Aviv to annex the southern al-Khalil hills to Israel and a greater strategy to maintain military control over the Jordan Valley, the Negev and the southern al-Khalil hills, Press TV reports.
This week, Israeli forces demolished dozens of Palestinian homes in the Jordan Valley, leaving villagers without shelter in the winter cold.
Also, Israelis have seized all human rights aid as well as shelter that was handed out to the Palestinians.
The Israeli military has closed the village and given the residents one month to file a complaint before carrying out the demolitions.
Human rights groups say that the demolition orders are part of a strategy by the regime in Tel Aviv to annex the southern al-Khalil hills to Israel and a greater strategy to maintain military control over the Jordan Valley, the Negev and the southern al-Khalil hills, Press TV reports.
This week, Israeli forces demolished dozens of Palestinian homes in the Jordan Valley, leaving villagers without shelter in the winter cold.
Also, Israelis have seized all human rights aid as well as shelter that was handed out to the Palestinians.
The Israeli municipality plans to demolish the Palestinian neighborhood al-Mahatta in Haifa, reports The Electronic Intifada. 160 people from more than 30 families are facing eviction due to the plan, all of them carrying Israeli citizenship.
The program to demolish the al-Mahatta is part of an national plan to develop the coastal areas in Israel.The neighborhood will be replaced by nightclubs, restaurants, an expansion of the railway and new housing units.
In jewish Israeli neighbourhoods in Haifa the municipality encourages public participation in the planning of development projects. In the case of al-Mahatta however, Haifa’s mayor Yona Yahav has refused to work with the neighborhood committee and the residents have only been given vague answers regarding the plans for the neighborhood.
“This is ethnic gentrification because it only pushes out poorer Arab citizens … This is colonialism turning the ruins of the Nakba into an economic pearl for the state to bring in profit”, Orwa Switat, a local urban planner and activist told The Electronic Intifada.
The program to demolish the al-Mahatta is part of an national plan to develop the coastal areas in Israel.The neighborhood will be replaced by nightclubs, restaurants, an expansion of the railway and new housing units.
In jewish Israeli neighbourhoods in Haifa the municipality encourages public participation in the planning of development projects. In the case of al-Mahatta however, Haifa’s mayor Yona Yahav has refused to work with the neighborhood committee and the residents have only been given vague answers regarding the plans for the neighborhood.
“This is ethnic gentrification because it only pushes out poorer Arab citizens … This is colonialism turning the ruins of the Nakba into an economic pearl for the state to bring in profit”, Orwa Switat, a local urban planner and activist told The Electronic Intifada.
Dozens of Israeli settlers accompanied by Israeli forces early Friday began farming on lands confiscated from Palestinian farmers in a village south of Hebron, a popular committee coordinator told Ma'an.
Ratib al-Jbour said that the settlers began planting saplings on land that was confiscated from the village of al-Hathaleen.
Approximately 150 dunams (37 acres) were confiscated months ago, he said.
Israeli forces detained several shepherds from the al-Hathaleen family, Al-Jbour said, without providing further details.
An Israeli army spokesman did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Ratib al-Jbour said that the settlers began planting saplings on land that was confiscated from the village of al-Hathaleen.
Approximately 150 dunams (37 acres) were confiscated months ago, he said.
Israeli forces detained several shepherds from the al-Hathaleen family, Al-Jbour said, without providing further details.
An Israeli army spokesman did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
16 jan 2014
A "Jew free" Palestinian state would be tantamount with ethnic cleansing said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with Canada's CTV, reports the algemeiner.
"It's absurd that we're willing to recognize, that I'm willing to recognize the Palestinians, but in exchange, they're not willing to recognize the Jewish state, the nation state of the Jewish people. There's something wrong there", said Netanyahu, highlighting that, due to him, the crux of the disagreement in the negotiations is not about the settlement or about territories, but about the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.
In the interview Netanyahu also stated that the Palestinians living inside Israel have full civic rights and are not asked to leave.
"It's absurd that we're willing to recognize, that I'm willing to recognize the Palestinians, but in exchange, they're not willing to recognize the Jewish state, the nation state of the Jewish people. There's something wrong there", said Netanyahu, highlighting that, due to him, the crux of the disagreement in the negotiations is not about the settlement or about territories, but about the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state.
In the interview Netanyahu also stated that the Palestinians living inside Israel have full civic rights and are not asked to leave.
Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) served on Wednesday demolition notifications against six Palestinian homes and three water wells in Sa’ir town in al-Khalil, south of West Bank. The IOA handed Shalaldeh family notifications to demolish six houses under construction and three water wells located over 50 dunums of agricultural land belonging to the family.
The Israeli notifications included summoning the family to Israeli court by the end of the next month, family sources added.
Israeli settlers had uprooted four hundreds of olive trees in the area two years ago.
The Israeli notifications included summoning the family to Israeli court by the end of the next month, family sources added.
Israeli settlers had uprooted four hundreds of olive trees in the area two years ago.
15 jan 2014
Hundreds of settlers raided private Palestinian land near the illegal Hebron settlement of Kiryat Arba on Tuesday.
Badee Dweik, an activist with the International Solidarity Movement, said that over 300 settlers raided land belonging to Rashid al-Zarou, Hamid al-Zarou, and Hamdy Abu Rmeila.
The settlers planted some trees on the land and dug up private land.
Badee Dweik, an activist with the International Solidarity Movement, said that over 300 settlers raided land belonging to Rashid al-Zarou, Hamid al-Zarou, and Hamdy Abu Rmeila.
The settlers planted some trees on the land and dug up private land.
Israeli soldiers confiscated on Wednesday, the camera of researcher Khaled Maali from Salfit, while he was filming the mosque that was burned by Israeli settlers in Deir Istiya village Wednesday morning.
Maali said that the soldiers prevented him from reaching the area or filming the Mosque, though he showed one of the soldiers his press card.
He added that one of the soldiers saw him filming the mosque and tried to prevent him from doing so, yet Maali continued filming the place when the soldier confiscated his camera and erased the pictures.
Maali said that the soldiers prevented him from reaching the area or filming the Mosque, though he showed one of the soldiers his press card.
He added that one of the soldiers saw him filming the mosque and tried to prevent him from doing so, yet Maali continued filming the place when the soldier confiscated his camera and erased the pictures.
A number of fanatic Israeli settlers burned the entrance of Ali Bin Abi Taleb Mosque, in the Deir Estia village, near the central West Bank city of Salfit.
Local sources said that the settlers infiltrated the village and attempted to burn the entire mosque, but local residents saw them and chased them away, managing to extinguish the fire before it spread.
Israeli settlers are responsible for dozens of similar attacks against mosques, churches, Islamic and Christian holy sites and graveyards in occupied Palestine.
In many cases, they wrote racist graffiti, not only against the Arabs and Palestinians but also, in several cases, against the Muslim Prophet Mohammad and Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, January 14, 2014, dozens of Israeli settlers, protected by soldiers, took over a Palestinian-owned plot of land in an area east of the city of Hebron, and began planting it with olive trees.
On Monday, January 13, 2014, settlers cut down nearly 50 Palestinian olive trees, east of Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Last year, Israelis attacked, defaced and burned
several Islamic and Christian holy sites and graveyards in different parts of occupied Palestine.
They also cut, uprooted and burned hundreds of Palestinians trees, as well as flooded farmlands with sewage water in different parts of the occupied West Bank.
Settlers torch mosque in Salfit, spray racist graffiti
A group of settlers on Wednesday set fire to the facade of a mosque in the Salfit village of Deir Istiya and sprayed racist slogans on its walls, local officials said.
The mayor of Deir Istiya, Ayyub Abu Hijlah, told Ma'an that settlers sneaked into the village before dawn prayers and set fire to the main door of the mosque, causing minor damages.
"Local residents, alerted by a worshiper who saw the fire while on his way to perform dawn prayer, scared the settlers away and put out the fire," he said.
PA official Ghassan Daghlas said that locals managed to extinguish the blaze before it spread to the interior of the mosque.
"Arabs out!" and "Best regards from Qusra," were sprayed on the mosque, according to Israeli news site Ynet.
Other graffiti reading: "The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked" was also found.
Last Tuesday, villagers in the Qusra and Jalud area managed to apprehend a group of settlers who had attempted to attack them and their property, holding them for several hours in a house.
The settlers, who were from the illegal outpost of Esh Kodesh, were later transferred to Israeli security forces after the villagers called PA liaison officials.
Settler attacks against Palestinians and their property are routine and often happen in the presence of Israeli military forces.
Local sources said that the settlers infiltrated the village and attempted to burn the entire mosque, but local residents saw them and chased them away, managing to extinguish the fire before it spread.
Israeli settlers are responsible for dozens of similar attacks against mosques, churches, Islamic and Christian holy sites and graveyards in occupied Palestine.
In many cases, they wrote racist graffiti, not only against the Arabs and Palestinians but also, in several cases, against the Muslim Prophet Mohammad and Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, January 14, 2014, dozens of Israeli settlers, protected by soldiers, took over a Palestinian-owned plot of land in an area east of the city of Hebron, and began planting it with olive trees.
On Monday, January 13, 2014, settlers cut down nearly 50 Palestinian olive trees, east of Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Last year, Israelis attacked, defaced and burned
several Islamic and Christian holy sites and graveyards in different parts of occupied Palestine.
They also cut, uprooted and burned hundreds of Palestinians trees, as well as flooded farmlands with sewage water in different parts of the occupied West Bank.
Settlers torch mosque in Salfit, spray racist graffiti
A group of settlers on Wednesday set fire to the facade of a mosque in the Salfit village of Deir Istiya and sprayed racist slogans on its walls, local officials said.
The mayor of Deir Istiya, Ayyub Abu Hijlah, told Ma'an that settlers sneaked into the village before dawn prayers and set fire to the main door of the mosque, causing minor damages.
"Local residents, alerted by a worshiper who saw the fire while on his way to perform dawn prayer, scared the settlers away and put out the fire," he said.
PA official Ghassan Daghlas said that locals managed to extinguish the blaze before it spread to the interior of the mosque.
"Arabs out!" and "Best regards from Qusra," were sprayed on the mosque, according to Israeli news site Ynet.
Other graffiti reading: "The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked" was also found.
Last Tuesday, villagers in the Qusra and Jalud area managed to apprehend a group of settlers who had attempted to attack them and their property, holding them for several hours in a house.
The settlers, who were from the illegal outpost of Esh Kodesh, were later transferred to Israeli security forces after the villagers called PA liaison officials.
Settler attacks against Palestinians and their property are routine and often happen in the presence of Israeli military forces.
14 jan 2014
Last month Israelis Military Central Command signed a new law which states that Palestinians have been prohibited from challenging military court decisions to confiscate their property.
They can still appeal through the Supreme Court, but the process is cumbersome and costly Haaretz reports.
The Supreme Court is consistent with long-standing government policy the Israeli Military has stated.
Israeli commander bans Palestinians from objecting to confiscation of property
Commander of the Israeli central command Nitzan Alon has issued a military order banning Palestinians’ objection to his confiscation orders of their property. The Israeli radio said on Monday that the decision bans Palestinians from appealing against confiscation orders at West Bank military courts.
It added that the military orders in the West Bank allow Israeli army commanders to confiscate property of Palestinians on suspicion of being used for security or homicide purposes.
They can still appeal through the Supreme Court, but the process is cumbersome and costly Haaretz reports.
The Supreme Court is consistent with long-standing government policy the Israeli Military has stated.
Israeli commander bans Palestinians from objecting to confiscation of property
Commander of the Israeli central command Nitzan Alon has issued a military order banning Palestinians’ objection to his confiscation orders of their property. The Israeli radio said on Monday that the decision bans Palestinians from appealing against confiscation orders at West Bank military courts.
It added that the military orders in the West Bank allow Israeli army commanders to confiscate property of Palestinians on suspicion of being used for security or homicide purposes.
13 jan 2014
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Israeli occupation forces confiscated Monday dozens of tents that were distributed by the International Committee of the Red Cross to families in the village of Jeftlek in the Jordan Valley, whose houses were demolished by the Israeli authorities last week.
Local source said that staff from the Israeli Civil Administration came to the village in the morning hours, seized six tents that were distributed to three families, on claims that these tents were erected in a closed military area. the source added that these confiscated tents resided 25 members of al-Menia family who are now without shelter. |
12 jan 2014
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Israeli archaeological teams have recently started new excavations near the Silwan tunnel in East Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Foundation said in a statement on Sunday.
The foundation said that its teams had noticed surface and underground excavations near the tunnel, which runs from the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Silwan. The excavations are the continuation of an Israeli project to build a biblical park in the area alongside the City of David archaeological park, the statement added. The park will be built on 2200 square meters and will be connected with a network of tunnels Israeli |
authorities have been digging under parts of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the statement.
In the past, tunnels have partially collapsed and caused holes to open up above them, threatening Palestinian homes, roads, and a local mosque.
Israel frequently permits excavations and archaeological digs in East Jerusalem, specifically around the Al-Aqsa mosque, that threaten the structural integrity of Palestinian homes and holy sites in the area.
In 1967, Israel demolished the 800-year-old Moroccan Quarter of Jerusalem, displacing 650 Palestinians and destroying numerous mosques, homes, and holy sites, in order to build a plaza in front of the Western Wall.
Israel also evicted around 6,000 Palestinians from nearby areas in order to massively expand the city's historical Jewish Quarter.
In Photos: New Israeli excavation near Silwan tunnel in East Jerusalem Published today (updated) 12/01/2014 16:32 (MaanImages) JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli archaeological teams have recently started new excavations near the Silwan tunnel in East Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Foundation said in a statement on Sunday.
The foundation said that its teams had noticed surface and underground excavations near the tunnel, which runs from the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Silwan.
The excavations are the continuation of an Israeli project to build a biblical park in the area alongside the City of David archaeological park, the statement added.
The park will be built on 2200 square meters and will be connected with a network of tunnels Israeli authorities have been digging under parts of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the statement.
In the past, tunnels have partially collapsed and caused holes to open up above them, threatening Palestinian homes, roads, and a local mosque.
Israel frequently permits excavations and archaeological digs in East Jerusalem, specifically around the Al-Aqsa mosque, that threaten the structural integrity of Palestinian homes and holy sites in the area.
In 1967, Israel demolished the 800-year-old Moroccan Quarter of Jerusalem, displacing 650 Palestinians and destroying numerous mosques, homes, and holy sites, in order to build a plaza in front of the Western Wall.
Israel also evicted around 6,000 Palestinians from nearby areas in order to massively expand the city's historical Jewish Quarter.
Israeli officials announced on Thursday that a new archaeological park would be constructed in Tel Rumeida, next to a Jewish settlement in the center of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.
The park is located on lands that were farmed by a Palestinian resident since 1949 as part of long term lease agreements with Jordanian and then Israeli authorities.
Critics charge that Israeli authorities often use archaeological digs to justify the displacement of Palestinian residents under the pretext of searching for ancient Jewish ruins.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
In the past, tunnels have partially collapsed and caused holes to open up above them, threatening Palestinian homes, roads, and a local mosque.
Israel frequently permits excavations and archaeological digs in East Jerusalem, specifically around the Al-Aqsa mosque, that threaten the structural integrity of Palestinian homes and holy sites in the area.
In 1967, Israel demolished the 800-year-old Moroccan Quarter of Jerusalem, displacing 650 Palestinians and destroying numerous mosques, homes, and holy sites, in order to build a plaza in front of the Western Wall.
Israel also evicted around 6,000 Palestinians from nearby areas in order to massively expand the city's historical Jewish Quarter.
In Photos: New Israeli excavation near Silwan tunnel in East Jerusalem Published today (updated) 12/01/2014 16:32 (MaanImages) JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli archaeological teams have recently started new excavations near the Silwan tunnel in East Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Foundation said in a statement on Sunday.
The foundation said that its teams had noticed surface and underground excavations near the tunnel, which runs from the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Silwan.
The excavations are the continuation of an Israeli project to build a biblical park in the area alongside the City of David archaeological park, the statement added.
The park will be built on 2200 square meters and will be connected with a network of tunnels Israeli authorities have been digging under parts of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the statement.
In the past, tunnels have partially collapsed and caused holes to open up above them, threatening Palestinian homes, roads, and a local mosque.
Israel frequently permits excavations and archaeological digs in East Jerusalem, specifically around the Al-Aqsa mosque, that threaten the structural integrity of Palestinian homes and holy sites in the area.
In 1967, Israel demolished the 800-year-old Moroccan Quarter of Jerusalem, displacing 650 Palestinians and destroying numerous mosques, homes, and holy sites, in order to build a plaza in front of the Western Wall.
Israel also evicted around 6,000 Palestinians from nearby areas in order to massively expand the city's historical Jewish Quarter.
Israeli officials announced on Thursday that a new archaeological park would be constructed in Tel Rumeida, next to a Jewish settlement in the center of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.
The park is located on lands that were farmed by a Palestinian resident since 1949 as part of long term lease agreements with Jordanian and then Israeli authorities.
Critics charge that Israeli authorities often use archaeological digs to justify the displacement of Palestinian residents under the pretext of searching for ancient Jewish ruins.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Palestinian farmers said that the Israeli occupation authority uses nowadays heavy construction vehicles and explosives to level the Palestinian land around the illegal industrial settlement of Ariel in order to expand the settlement for the building of more factories. They added that these settlement expansion works are taking place on Palestinian annexed lands near the farms of Abu Kayed and Abu Basal, west of Salfit city, noting that the expansion of this settlement would reduce the green areas used for grazing cattle.
These annexed lands belong to Salfit city and the towns of Kifl Hares and Bruqin.
The Hebrew radio had quoted Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that everyone knows that the settlement blocs of Ariel, Gush Etzion and Ma'ale Adumim would always remain part of the Israeli state as it is the case with Jerusalem.
These annexed lands belong to Salfit city and the towns of Kifl Hares and Bruqin.
The Hebrew radio had quoted Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu as saying that everyone knows that the settlement blocs of Ariel, Gush Etzion and Ma'ale Adumim would always remain part of the Israeli state as it is the case with Jerusalem.