11 mar 2014
Occupation forces, on Tuesday, served residents with notifications that three privately-owned Palestinian houses, to the south of Nablus, are scheduled for demolition. In addition, two water wells near Hebron are also to be destroyed, according to activists.
The Israeli army invaded the village of Yatma, to the south of Nablus, serving notices to three families in regard to the army’s intent to demolish their houses, said activist Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activities in the northern West Bank, according to a WAFA report.
Meanwhile in Hebron, anti-settlement activist Ra’ed Jubur said that a staff from the Israeli civil administration, backed by military forces, arrived in Kherbat al-Fakhit, to the south of Hebron, with notification for the demolition of two water wells, belonging to two local residents.
The wells are used for collecting rain water, for their daily supply.
The Israeli army invaded the village of Yatma, to the south of Nablus, serving notices to three families in regard to the army’s intent to demolish their houses, said activist Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activities in the northern West Bank, according to a WAFA report.
Meanwhile in Hebron, anti-settlement activist Ra’ed Jubur said that a staff from the Israeli civil administration, backed by military forces, arrived in Kherbat al-Fakhit, to the south of Hebron, with notification for the demolition of two water wells, belonging to two local residents.
The wells are used for collecting rain water, for their daily supply.
The Israeli Municipality forced the Jerusalemite citizen Mohammed Samara on Monday to demolish his home in the neighborhood of Ashqariyeh in Beit Hanina, north-east of occupied Jerusalem. Samara said he was forced to demolish the hut, where he lives with his four family members, in order to avoid paying a heavy fine to the occupation authorities.
He explained in a press statement that he built the hut on an area of 40 square meters, on the family's land after the occupation bulldozers demolished his home in the beginning of 2012, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The citizen added that the municipal crews had earlier raided his land and notified him to demolish the hut, and that he had been trying to postpone the demolition in order to obtain the building license, but in vain.
He explained in a press statement that he built the hut on an area of 40 square meters, on the family's land after the occupation bulldozers demolished his home in the beginning of 2012, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The citizen added that the municipal crews had earlier raided his land and notified him to demolish the hut, and that he had been trying to postpone the demolition in order to obtain the building license, but in vain.
Yoav, an Israeli military unit responsible for demolishing houses in the Negev, desecrated the Islamic cemetery in Al-Araqeb on Monday, Land Research Center said in a press release.
According to the LRC, the Israeli soldiers entered the cemetery under the pretext of taking pictures of the mosque and minaret. However, their real intention was and still is to wipe off Al Araqeb and kick its inhabitants out so that they can have control over the land. For that, they have been trying to erase every Arabic presence in the area.
People of Al-Araqeb tried to defy the members of the unit. The latter told them that: "You do not have any sanctuaries here since all this land is ours."
It should be remarked that Al-Araqeb, which is located in the Palestinian Negev, was a target for the Israeli house demolition operations for more than 65 times! It is inhabited by 22 families that consist of around 130 people, more than half of whom are children.
According to the LRC, the Israeli soldiers entered the cemetery under the pretext of taking pictures of the mosque and minaret. However, their real intention was and still is to wipe off Al Araqeb and kick its inhabitants out so that they can have control over the land. For that, they have been trying to erase every Arabic presence in the area.
People of Al-Araqeb tried to defy the members of the unit. The latter told them that: "You do not have any sanctuaries here since all this land is ours."
It should be remarked that Al-Araqeb, which is located in the Palestinian Negev, was a target for the Israeli house demolition operations for more than 65 times! It is inhabited by 22 families that consist of around 130 people, more than half of whom are children.
Four military vehicles and bulldozers stormed east of Khan Younis and razed an agricultural land in the village of Khuz'a on Tuesday morning.
In a different context, Israeli navy opened fire toward the Palestinian fishermen boats sailing near the al-Sudaniyeh coastal area, northwest of the Gaza Strip.
In a different context, Israeli navy opened fire toward the Palestinian fishermen boats sailing near the al-Sudaniyeh coastal area, northwest of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli occupation forces seized on Tuesday a vehicle belonging to a prisoner from al-Sila al-Harthiya village, west of Jenin.
Security source said that Israeli forces seized a vehicle belonging to the prisoner Fouad Abdul Rahman Jaradat, after raiding and searching his parents' house in the village.
Security source said that Israeli forces seized a vehicle belonging to the prisoner Fouad Abdul Rahman Jaradat, after raiding and searching his parents' house in the village.
10 mar 2014
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Mohammad Samara was forced to self-demolish his barracks in the neighbourhood of Beit Hanina north of Jerusalem under the pretext of building without a permit.
Samara said that he self-demolished his residential barracks to execute an order from the Jerusalem municipality issued on 03/01/2014 under the pretext of building without a permit on a land classified as “green” where building is not allowed. Samara explained that the area of the barracks is 40 square meters and consists of one room and its facilities; note that 4 individuals lived in the barracks which had been established for two years. He pointed out that the municipality bulldozers demolished his 72-square meter residential home on |
30/01/2012 under the pretext of building without a permit. After years of trying to obtain a building permit, the municipality demolished his home without prior notice; note that they also imposed an 18-thousand NIS building violation fee on him.
He added that “OCHA” organization provided him with the barracks in order to have a home for him and his family but the municipality still harassed them and issued an administrative demolition order for it.
He added that “OCHA” organization provided him with the barracks in order to have a home for him and his family but the municipality still harassed them and issued an administrative demolition order for it.
Four Palestinian-owned plots near Qalqilya were retrieved to their owners after being previously seized by Israeli companies claiming their ownership to the land. Qalqilya governorate said in a statement on Monday that “brokers have long attempted to forge documents relating to ownership of the land which is adjacent to settlements and the apartheid wall.”
“Israeli settlement companies finance those brokers and are encouraged by the Israeli government which seeks in all means to seize the land in favor of the settlement projects,” added the statement.
The statement said Israeli documents and maps, recently published, indicate Israel’s desire to keep four settlement blocs (Karne, Shomron, Ma'ale Shomron and Kedumim) in addition to another bloc remained in Jerusalem district.
Governor of Qalqilya, Rafe’ Rawajbeh, stressed that ‘the government will not spare an effort to retrieve the lands by all means’, saying the land is the essence of the main conflict issues with Israel.
“Israeli settlement companies finance those brokers and are encouraged by the Israeli government which seeks in all means to seize the land in favor of the settlement projects,” added the statement.
The statement said Israeli documents and maps, recently published, indicate Israel’s desire to keep four settlement blocs (Karne, Shomron, Ma'ale Shomron and Kedumim) in addition to another bloc remained in Jerusalem district.
Governor of Qalqilya, Rafe’ Rawajbeh, stressed that ‘the government will not spare an effort to retrieve the lands by all means’, saying the land is the essence of the main conflict issues with Israel.
The Israeli forces Monday destroyed part of a private-owned Palestinian park near Burqa, a village to the north of Nablus, witnesses said. They said that forces stormed al-Masʻudiya park and demolished the toilet facilities.
The owners said that they were previously notified regarding the demolition of one of the rooms under the pretext of ' unlicensed building'.
The owners said that they were previously notified regarding the demolition of one of the rooms under the pretext of ' unlicensed building'.
Jewish settlers seized control over 100 dunums of Palestinian agricultural land in Malih area in the Jordan Valley on Monday. Aref Daraghme, the chairman of the Malih and Bedouin tribes municipality, told the PIC reporter that the settlers bulldozed 100 dunums of land in Khirbat Samra hamlet and prevented Bedouins from approaching it.
He said that two bulldozers were working since the early morning hours in leveling the land.
Daraghme said that inhabitants in that hamlet were depending on cattle raising and farming for their living and are constantly harassed by Israeli occupation forces.
He recalled that the settlers confiscated another land lot three years ago adjacent to the one seized today and planted it with grapes despite objections by its Palestinian owners.
He said that two bulldozers were working since the early morning hours in leveling the land.
Daraghme said that inhabitants in that hamlet were depending on cattle raising and farming for their living and are constantly harassed by Israeli occupation forces.
He recalled that the settlers confiscated another land lot three years ago adjacent to the one seized today and planted it with grapes despite objections by its Palestinian owners.
Israeli forces on Monday confiscated land from Burin village south of Nablus, a local official said.
Majd Assouss, the head of a committee in the village, told Ma'an that Israeli forces had officially announced that 2,000 dunams (495 acres) belonging to the local high school would be confiscated for "security reasons," without providing further details.
An Israeli army spokeswoman denied the reports.
"Nothing like that happened," she said.
Majd Assouss, the head of a committee in the village, told Ma'an that Israeli forces had officially announced that 2,000 dunams (495 acres) belonging to the local high school would be confiscated for "security reasons," without providing further details.
An Israeli army spokeswoman denied the reports.
"Nothing like that happened," she said.
Israeli soldiers invaded Palestinian farmlands in the al-Khader town, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and uprooted them.
Ahmad Salah, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in al-Khader, said several Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers uprooted farmlands in the al-Kishk area.
The attacked lands are close to the illegitimate Israeli settlement of Efrat, built on lands that belong to residents of the al-Kader, the Palestinian Public Broadcasting Corporation (PPBC) has reported.
Salah stated a number of fanatic settlers recently installed mobile homes in the area, in preparation to install an outpost, and illegally occupy privately owned Palestinian lands.
He added that the attack is part of repeated attempts to expand the settlement, especially amidst an escalating campaign, by soldiers and settlers, against Palestinian orchards, and villagers, in the area.
Ahmad Salah, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in al-Khader, said several Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers uprooted farmlands in the al-Kishk area.
The attacked lands are close to the illegitimate Israeli settlement of Efrat, built on lands that belong to residents of the al-Kader, the Palestinian Public Broadcasting Corporation (PPBC) has reported.
Salah stated a number of fanatic settlers recently installed mobile homes in the area, in preparation to install an outpost, and illegally occupy privately owned Palestinian lands.
He added that the attack is part of repeated attempts to expand the settlement, especially amidst an escalating campaign, by soldiers and settlers, against Palestinian orchards, and villagers, in the area.
Israeli settlers razed on Sunday Palestinian agricultural lands in al-Khader village southern Bethlehem, while others roamed al-Khalil and Nablus streets. The coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in al-Khader village in Bethlehem, Ahmed Salah, confirmed that Israeli settlers have bulldozed Palestinian agricultural land near Eliezer settlement built on the village lands.
The sources added that the settlers' bulldozing aims to confiscate the village lands in favor of settlement expansion.
Israeli settlers are used to razing Palestinian lands on a daily basis in favor of settlement expansion in different areas of the West Bank.
On the other hand, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian workers while working in an agricultural road near Burin town south of Nablus, and prevented them from continuing their work.
Local sources told PIC reporter that settlers from Bracha and Yitzhar settlements, built on lands south of Nablus, attacked a Palestinian bulldozer working on agricultural road to facilitate farmers' access to their lands. They stoned the workers and forced them to leave the land.
The sources added that clashes erupted between farmers and settlers before Israeli occupation forces reached the scene and forced workers to stop working.
Meanwhile, groups of settlers carried out at dawn Monday provocative practices in the old town and Shuhada Street in al-Khalil.
Local sources confirmed that the settlers attacked Palestinian homes at dawn in an attempt to break into the houses under IOF protection, causing a state of panic among the citizens.
IOF soldiers and settlers usually carry out such attacks in the Old City in al-Khalil aiming to force the citizens to abandon their homes and pave the way for settlement projects.
The sources added that the settlers' bulldozing aims to confiscate the village lands in favor of settlement expansion.
Israeli settlers are used to razing Palestinian lands on a daily basis in favor of settlement expansion in different areas of the West Bank.
On the other hand, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian workers while working in an agricultural road near Burin town south of Nablus, and prevented them from continuing their work.
Local sources told PIC reporter that settlers from Bracha and Yitzhar settlements, built on lands south of Nablus, attacked a Palestinian bulldozer working on agricultural road to facilitate farmers' access to their lands. They stoned the workers and forced them to leave the land.
The sources added that clashes erupted between farmers and settlers before Israeli occupation forces reached the scene and forced workers to stop working.
Meanwhile, groups of settlers carried out at dawn Monday provocative practices in the old town and Shuhada Street in al-Khalil.
Local sources confirmed that the settlers attacked Palestinian homes at dawn in an attempt to break into the houses under IOF protection, causing a state of panic among the citizens.
IOF soldiers and settlers usually carry out such attacks in the Old City in al-Khalil aiming to force the citizens to abandon their homes and pave the way for settlement projects.
9 mar 2014
Two Palestinians were injured and eight were detained on Sunday after Israeli forces dispersed dozens who were planting trees on their confiscated land east of Jerusalem, a local official said.
Muhammad Salama, a council member of the village of Anata, told Ma'an that 100 people from the village were working on their land, which was seized by Israeli settlers in July 2013, when soldiers arrived that the scene.
"Shortly after the villagers arrived and started to dig and plant saplings, Israeli police officers stormed the area along with the settler and assaulted the villagers with pepper spray before detaining nine young men," Salama said.
He said Mahmoud Mustafa Ulayyan and Muhammad Hassan were taken to the hospital for treatment after fainting due to the gas.
Israeli forces arrested Moussa Hassan Salama, Mahmoud Saleh Ibrahim, Muayyad Muin Haikal, Muhammad Khalil Obaiyyat, Adel Samih Ulayyan, Hassan Ahmad Hassan al-Hilo, Ahmad Issa Ulayyan, Yassin Abdelal, and Abed Zahran.
A statement from the Israeli police said that a policeman was lightly injured after Palestinians threw stones.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said she was not familiar with the incident.
Salama said that an Israeli settlers had seized 400 dunams (100 acres) of land from Anata and surrounded the land with barbed wire.
Residents of the village have filed a lawsuit against the settlers, but an Israeli court decision has not yet been made, he added.
More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law.
Muhammad Salama, a council member of the village of Anata, told Ma'an that 100 people from the village were working on their land, which was seized by Israeli settlers in July 2013, when soldiers arrived that the scene.
"Shortly after the villagers arrived and started to dig and plant saplings, Israeli police officers stormed the area along with the settler and assaulted the villagers with pepper spray before detaining nine young men," Salama said.
He said Mahmoud Mustafa Ulayyan and Muhammad Hassan were taken to the hospital for treatment after fainting due to the gas.
Israeli forces arrested Moussa Hassan Salama, Mahmoud Saleh Ibrahim, Muayyad Muin Haikal, Muhammad Khalil Obaiyyat, Adel Samih Ulayyan, Hassan Ahmad Hassan al-Hilo, Ahmad Issa Ulayyan, Yassin Abdelal, and Abed Zahran.
A statement from the Israeli police said that a policeman was lightly injured after Palestinians threw stones.
An Israeli army spokeswoman said she was not familiar with the incident.
Salama said that an Israeli settlers had seized 400 dunams (100 acres) of land from Anata and surrounded the land with barbed wire.
Residents of the village have filed a lawsuit against the settlers, but an Israeli court decision has not yet been made, he added.
More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law.
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) suppressed on Sunday afternoon a march organized by Palestinian activists and residents of the town of Annana, in the area of Khan al-Ahmar, east of Jerusalem. PIC's correspondent reported that undercover elements, accompanied by Israeli soldiers and settlers, attacked the march that was staged in protest against the confiscation of nearly 1,000 dunums of citizens’ lands.
Three civilians were wounded, while 13 others were arrested by the IOF.
The participants in the anti-E1 scheme march were assaulted by the settlers, while the Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at them in order to disperse them.
Three civilians were wounded, while 13 others were arrested by the IOF.
The participants in the anti-E1 scheme march were assaulted by the settlers, while the Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades at them in order to disperse them.
By Ruth Eglash
Mahmoud Mohammed Kaabneh is at a loss. Israeli soldiers arrived with bulldozers last month and demolished his home. With little recourse, financial support or option to rebuild, he and his wife and 10 children are living with relatives for the foreseeable future.
“I have no idea what we will do. They destroyed six of our buildings, three where my family lived and three where my animals lived,” said Kaabneh, 43, a Palestinian herder who has spent most of his life here on this desolate hillside in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley
Kaabneh and his family are among about 160 Palestinians in the region whose homes were destroyed in the first six weeks of this year by Israeli authorities, who control most of the valley and deemed the structures illegal because they lacked proper permits.
Israel carries out such demolitions throughout the parts of the West Bank that remain under its control, known as Area C. But human rights organizations say there has been a sharp increase in the tear-downs in recent months, especially in the Jordan Valley.
According to a United Nations report issued last month, demolitions of Palestinian houses in the valley reached a five-year high in 2013. In that year, 390 structures were torn down, leaving 590 people — more than half of them children — scrambling to find a new place to live. In 2012, 172 houses were demolished, the U.N. report said.
The fate of the Jordan Valley — and its thousands of residents — is one of the core issues at the center of Secretary of State John F. Kerry’s effort to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. About 7,500 Jewish settlers and 10,000 Palestinians live in the Israeli-controlled valley, in small farming communities that produce dates, herbs, flowers and winter vegetables. Another 50,000 Palestinians are governed by the Palestinian Authority in the ancient city of Jericho.
Palestinians view the area, which borders Jordan to the east, as the key to economic stability in any future state, because of its fertile land and available water. Without this breadbasket, they say, a new Palestine would not be economically viable. The valley would also serve as Palestine’s border with Jordan and its access to the wider world.
For Israel, the Jordan Valley is a strategic, nonnegotiable territory, essential for securing its borders and protecting its population. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said repeatedly that he will not consider handing over security to any other entity, such as foreign peacekeepers.
In January, Israeli Interior Minister Gideon Saar inaugurated more construction in the Jordan Valley Jewish settlement of Gitit. Last month, he led a march of right-wing activists through the area, declaring that “Jewish settlement in the [Jordan] Valley will remain and prosper for generations to come.”
Activists who monitor alleged Israeli violations of Palestinian rights accuse Israel of using the peace talks as a cover to reduce the presence here of Palestinian farmers and Bedouins as part of a push to ensure that the area ultimately stays in Israel’s hands. They note that demolitions have increased by 43 percent since the negotiations began in July, according to U.N. statistics.
“The peace process should not be used as a cover for increasing violations of international law,” said Neill Kirrane, a policy and liaison officer at the East Jerusalem offices of the Swedish development organization Diakonia. Under international humanitarian law, he said, Israel is considered the occupying power of the West Bank and is therefore obliged to protect Palestinian civilians who live there, “ensuring that their rights and welfare are provided for.”
Maj. Guy Inbar, spokesman for the military-run authority that coordinates Israeli government activities in the West Bank, said Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley have the right to build if they can prove land ownership and if they gain the appropriate building permits.
Israel, he added, has also started drafting plans for new Palestinian communities in the area, at least five of which have been announced.
“Israel does recognize the need to create options” for the people living there, Inbar said.
Sarit Michaeli, a spokeswoman for Israeli rights organization B’Tselem, said she viewed those plans with “cautious optimism” but noted that they have yet to receive final approval.
Meanwhile, building permits have proved nearly impossible to obtain, according to a recent B’Tselem report. More than 94 percent of 3,750 building requests submitted by Palestinians between 2000 and 2012 were rejected by Israel, the report said, leaving residents no choice but to build illegally and face possible demolition.
Michaeli said the main problem is that large swaths of Jordan Valley land are off-limits to Palestinians because the areas are closed military zones, protected nature reserves or zoned as part of an Israeli settlement.
Since Israelis and Palestinians signed the Oslo Accords in 1993, the West Bank has been divided into three parts. Areas A and B, about 40 percent of the West Bank, include major Palestinian cities and most of the Palestinian population; they are governed by the Palestinian Authority, which provides security. Area C, where the Jordan Valley lies, is fully controlled by Israel.
“Since the signing of the Oslo Accords and the division of the West Bank, it has been widely accepted by Israelis that areas A and B are owned by Palestinians, while Area C is still open to debate,” Michaeli said. “The problem is that the actions throughout Area C are forcing Palestinians to move closer to areas A and B.”
Back in Ein al-Hilwa, local council head Arif Daraghmeh said Israeli military patrols return daily to the village to make sure there is no rebuilding of the demolished structures.
“Look over there. That is the Israeli settlement of Maskiot,” he said, pointing to a cluster of red-roofed houses sitting neatly on the adjacent hillside — a former unauthorized outpost that the Israeli government approved in 2006. “They also started off with just a tent, but now they have proper buildings and water and electricity. We are not even allowed to put up a simple tent.”
Source: WASHINGTON POST
Mahmoud Mohammed Kaabneh is at a loss. Israeli soldiers arrived with bulldozers last month and demolished his home. With little recourse, financial support or option to rebuild, he and his wife and 10 children are living with relatives for the foreseeable future.
“I have no idea what we will do. They destroyed six of our buildings, three where my family lived and three where my animals lived,” said Kaabneh, 43, a Palestinian herder who has spent most of his life here on this desolate hillside in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley
Kaabneh and his family are among about 160 Palestinians in the region whose homes were destroyed in the first six weeks of this year by Israeli authorities, who control most of the valley and deemed the structures illegal because they lacked proper permits.
Israel carries out such demolitions throughout the parts of the West Bank that remain under its control, known as Area C. But human rights organizations say there has been a sharp increase in the tear-downs in recent months, especially in the Jordan Valley.
According to a United Nations report issued last month, demolitions of Palestinian houses in the valley reached a five-year high in 2013. In that year, 390 structures were torn down, leaving 590 people — more than half of them children — scrambling to find a new place to live. In 2012, 172 houses were demolished, the U.N. report said.
The fate of the Jordan Valley — and its thousands of residents — is one of the core issues at the center of Secretary of State John F. Kerry’s effort to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. About 7,500 Jewish settlers and 10,000 Palestinians live in the Israeli-controlled valley, in small farming communities that produce dates, herbs, flowers and winter vegetables. Another 50,000 Palestinians are governed by the Palestinian Authority in the ancient city of Jericho.
Palestinians view the area, which borders Jordan to the east, as the key to economic stability in any future state, because of its fertile land and available water. Without this breadbasket, they say, a new Palestine would not be economically viable. The valley would also serve as Palestine’s border with Jordan and its access to the wider world.
For Israel, the Jordan Valley is a strategic, nonnegotiable territory, essential for securing its borders and protecting its population. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said repeatedly that he will not consider handing over security to any other entity, such as foreign peacekeepers.
In January, Israeli Interior Minister Gideon Saar inaugurated more construction in the Jordan Valley Jewish settlement of Gitit. Last month, he led a march of right-wing activists through the area, declaring that “Jewish settlement in the [Jordan] Valley will remain and prosper for generations to come.”
Activists who monitor alleged Israeli violations of Palestinian rights accuse Israel of using the peace talks as a cover to reduce the presence here of Palestinian farmers and Bedouins as part of a push to ensure that the area ultimately stays in Israel’s hands. They note that demolitions have increased by 43 percent since the negotiations began in July, according to U.N. statistics.
“The peace process should not be used as a cover for increasing violations of international law,” said Neill Kirrane, a policy and liaison officer at the East Jerusalem offices of the Swedish development organization Diakonia. Under international humanitarian law, he said, Israel is considered the occupying power of the West Bank and is therefore obliged to protect Palestinian civilians who live there, “ensuring that their rights and welfare are provided for.”
Maj. Guy Inbar, spokesman for the military-run authority that coordinates Israeli government activities in the West Bank, said Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley have the right to build if they can prove land ownership and if they gain the appropriate building permits.
Israel, he added, has also started drafting plans for new Palestinian communities in the area, at least five of which have been announced.
“Israel does recognize the need to create options” for the people living there, Inbar said.
Sarit Michaeli, a spokeswoman for Israeli rights organization B’Tselem, said she viewed those plans with “cautious optimism” but noted that they have yet to receive final approval.
Meanwhile, building permits have proved nearly impossible to obtain, according to a recent B’Tselem report. More than 94 percent of 3,750 building requests submitted by Palestinians between 2000 and 2012 were rejected by Israel, the report said, leaving residents no choice but to build illegally and face possible demolition.
Michaeli said the main problem is that large swaths of Jordan Valley land are off-limits to Palestinians because the areas are closed military zones, protected nature reserves or zoned as part of an Israeli settlement.
Since Israelis and Palestinians signed the Oslo Accords in 1993, the West Bank has been divided into three parts. Areas A and B, about 40 percent of the West Bank, include major Palestinian cities and most of the Palestinian population; they are governed by the Palestinian Authority, which provides security. Area C, where the Jordan Valley lies, is fully controlled by Israel.
“Since the signing of the Oslo Accords and the division of the West Bank, it has been widely accepted by Israelis that areas A and B are owned by Palestinians, while Area C is still open to debate,” Michaeli said. “The problem is that the actions throughout Area C are forcing Palestinians to move closer to areas A and B.”
Back in Ein al-Hilwa, local council head Arif Daraghmeh said Israeli military patrols return daily to the village to make sure there is no rebuilding of the demolished structures.
“Look over there. That is the Israeli settlement of Maskiot,” he said, pointing to a cluster of red-roofed houses sitting neatly on the adjacent hillside — a former unauthorized outpost that the Israeli government approved in 2006. “They also started off with just a tent, but now they have proper buildings and water and electricity. We are not even allowed to put up a simple tent.”
Source: WASHINGTON POST
6 mar 2014
Jerusalemite notables warned of the decision of the District Court in Jerusalem to transfer management of the archaeological area south of al-Aqsa Mosque (the Umayyad-era palaces) to the Elad Association. Head of the Supreme Islamic Council Sheikh Ikrima Sabri said that this association has been waging attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque and wants to ignite a religious war in the region.
Dr. Sabri held the Israeli government responsible for these serious developments, and urged the Arab and Islamic governments to take serious actions in order to thwart the serious conspiracy that targets Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque.
Sheikh Abdel Azim Salhab, head of Islamic Endowments Council, said in a statement on Thursday that Jerusalem is an occupied city and that the occupation authorities have no right to change its nature.
He added that the city and al-Aqsa Mosque have been exposed to serious violations by the Jewish extremists and rightist associations, supported by the Israeli police, and stressed that the region located south of the mosque is an Islamic endowment.
For his part, Dr. Jamal Amro, a specialist in Jerusalem affairs, said that the Judaization project requires the distribution of roles by the Israeli government on the civil society institutions.
He said that the Elad Association is able to destroy the Islamic monuments and introduce Jewish fake monuments with its budget of 4 billion shekels.
Amro warned that the association intends to carry out large-scale excavations in the area.
Dr. Sabri held the Israeli government responsible for these serious developments, and urged the Arab and Islamic governments to take serious actions in order to thwart the serious conspiracy that targets Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque.
Sheikh Abdel Azim Salhab, head of Islamic Endowments Council, said in a statement on Thursday that Jerusalem is an occupied city and that the occupation authorities have no right to change its nature.
He added that the city and al-Aqsa Mosque have been exposed to serious violations by the Jewish extremists and rightist associations, supported by the Israeli police, and stressed that the region located south of the mosque is an Islamic endowment.
For his part, Dr. Jamal Amro, a specialist in Jerusalem affairs, said that the Judaization project requires the distribution of roles by the Israeli government on the civil society institutions.
He said that the Elad Association is able to destroy the Islamic monuments and introduce Jewish fake monuments with its budget of 4 billion shekels.
Amro warned that the association intends to carry out large-scale excavations in the area.
Israeli authorities razed a land near Solomon's Pools in the village of Ertas, south of Bethlehem.
It's worth noting that the Israeli authorities evacuated a week ago a military watchtower that was built on the land, to return yesterday and start razing the 102 dunums of Palestinian land, belonging to Abu Sway family.
In a different context, Israeli occupation forces handed on Thursday residents in Ethna village, west of Hebron, notices to stop construction on their lands.
Mayor of Ethna municipality, Hashem al-Tumaizi, said that the village is always exposed to Israeli demolitions and harassments, adding that the policy that is implemented by the Israeli authorities aims at deporting the residents from their homes.
Al-Tumaizi called on the governmental institutions and international community to protect and support these areas.
It's worth noting that the Israeli authorities evacuated a week ago a military watchtower that was built on the land, to return yesterday and start razing the 102 dunums of Palestinian land, belonging to Abu Sway family.
In a different context, Israeli occupation forces handed on Thursday residents in Ethna village, west of Hebron, notices to stop construction on their lands.
Mayor of Ethna municipality, Hashem al-Tumaizi, said that the village is always exposed to Israeli demolitions and harassments, adding that the policy that is implemented by the Israeli authorities aims at deporting the residents from their homes.
Al-Tumaizi called on the governmental institutions and international community to protect and support these areas.
5 mar 2014
According to data published by an Israeli governmental body, the Israeli authorities have demolished 11 Palestinian buildings in the Negev, south of the 1948 occupied territories, under the pretext of illegal construction. Israel Land Authority said in a press statement that its inspectors, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and the Green Patrol, demolished this week eleven illegal buildings in the Negev.
The Israeli authorities demolished a tent on an area of 70 meters, a residential building, a hut and a mobile home over an area of 50 meters in the town of Kseifa.
Bulldozers belonging to the municipality in the city of Haifa, north of occupied Palestine, demolished on Tuesday a restaurant owned by a Palestinian citizen from the village of Ras al-Ain.
The Israeli authorities demolished a tent on an area of 70 meters, a residential building, a hut and a mobile home over an area of 50 meters in the town of Kseifa.
Bulldozers belonging to the municipality in the city of Haifa, north of occupied Palestine, demolished on Tuesday a restaurant owned by a Palestinian citizen from the village of Ras al-Ain.
Two decades after peace efforts began, more than 60 percent of the West Bank remains under sole Israeli control, and the fate of this territory is a key point of contention in U.S.-led Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. The division of the West Bank into islands of Palestinian self-rule and areas under full Israel control was devised as part of interim peace agreements in the 1990s and meant to be temporary, but has remained in place for lack of a final peace deal.
This glance includes new figures published Wednesday by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which conducted an extensive survey of Palestinian communities in the territory under full Israeli control, known as Area C.
POPULATION
Palestinians in Area C: 297,900, or nearly double an estimate from several years ago previously used by the U.N.
Palestinians in Areas A and B, which are under limited Palestinian self-rule: 2.1 million.
Israeli settlers in Area C: some 350,000.
COMMUNITIES
Palestinian towns, villages and hamlets that are fully or partially in Area C: 532.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank sanctioned by the government: about 120.
Israeli settlement outposts not formally authorized but backed by the state: about 100.
LAND
Seventy percent of Area C is allocated for the use of Israeli settlements or the Israeli military, the U.N. says. In the rest, Palestinian construction, while theoretically possible, is heavily restricted.
Palestinian self-rule areas cover about 38 percent of the West Bank.
SOURCE OF PALESTINIAN LIVELIHOOD IN AREA C
Work in Israel and Israeli settlements: 24 percent.
Work for the Palestinian self-rule government: 23 percent.
Local services: 19 percent.
Farming and herding: 34 percent.
BUILDING AND DEMOLITIONS
Palestinians in Area C requested 444 building permits from Israel in 2010. Of those, four were granted, according to the Israeli group Bimkom, which advocates for equal planning rights for Palestinians.
In Israel's West Bank settlements, work began last year on 2,534 apartments, compared to 1,133 in 2012, or an increase of 123 percent. Nationally, Israel had a 3.4 percent increase in housing starts in that period, according to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics.
This glance includes new figures published Wednesday by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which conducted an extensive survey of Palestinian communities in the territory under full Israeli control, known as Area C.
POPULATION
Palestinians in Area C: 297,900, or nearly double an estimate from several years ago previously used by the U.N.
Palestinians in Areas A and B, which are under limited Palestinian self-rule: 2.1 million.
Israeli settlers in Area C: some 350,000.
COMMUNITIES
Palestinian towns, villages and hamlets that are fully or partially in Area C: 532.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank sanctioned by the government: about 120.
Israeli settlement outposts not formally authorized but backed by the state: about 100.
LAND
Seventy percent of Area C is allocated for the use of Israeli settlements or the Israeli military, the U.N. says. In the rest, Palestinian construction, while theoretically possible, is heavily restricted.
Palestinian self-rule areas cover about 38 percent of the West Bank.
SOURCE OF PALESTINIAN LIVELIHOOD IN AREA C
Work in Israel and Israeli settlements: 24 percent.
Work for the Palestinian self-rule government: 23 percent.
Local services: 19 percent.
Farming and herding: 34 percent.
BUILDING AND DEMOLITIONS
Palestinians in Area C requested 444 building permits from Israel in 2010. Of those, four were granted, according to the Israeli group Bimkom, which advocates for equal planning rights for Palestinians.
In Israel's West Bank settlements, work began last year on 2,534 apartments, compared to 1,133 in 2012, or an increase of 123 percent. Nationally, Israel had a 3.4 percent increase in housing starts in that period, according to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics.
