16 mar 2015
Settler groups tried to take over a Palestinian-rented house of Sub Laban family in Jerusalem Old City’s neighborhood of Aqabat al-Khalidiya Monday morning in the presence of the Israeli police, local sources said.
The settlers demanded immediate eviction of the house under the claim of being owned by Jews according to a decision of the Israeli Jerusalem District Court.
Tensions have been running high as dozens of Israeli settlers arrived at the scene and attempted to evacuate the Sub Laban’s house by force amidst heightened presence of police, locals, and foreign peace activists.
The spokesman of the neighborhood Basim al-Qadoumi told QPress that the house is located within a historic building dating back to the Ottoman and Mamluk era. The Sub Laban family has inhabited the house for a very long time as the family rented it before 1967, he added.
The tenant along with a group of foreigners and locals are sitting-in inside the house in solidarity with the family which refuses to evict its home. The Israeli Jerusalem District Court postponed Monday noon the eviction of the house until May.
Israeli police raided the house early morning and ordered the Sub Laban family to evict it, granting them only ten minutes to leave the apartment.
The evacuation was delayed following attempts by the family’s lawyer who managed to delay it for two hours in a successful attempt to obtain a court ruling to halt the eviction.
Jewish settlers last February attempted to evict the house, claiming that the house belongs to a Jewish family and that settlers have the right to inhabit it instead of a Palestinian family.
Rafat Sub Laban said his family rented the house in 1956 from Jordan’s then Custodian of Enemy Property (CEP), 11 years before Israel occupied the eastern part of Jerusalem.
The house was originally owned by Jewish migrants before the CEP assumed control of Jewish-owned property upon the Israeli-Arab war in 1948.
The Jordanian Custodian of Enemy Property was established to handle property taken from Jews in the West Bank in 1948. In 1967, this function was disbanded.
The Jewish organization Ateret Cohanim filed a lawsuit at the Israeli magistrate court to seize the property one year and a half ago, and won it. Nevertheless, the family appealed the decision before the District Court, which is due to return with a verdict on May 31, 2015.
It is not the first time that settlers raid Arab houses in Occupied Jerusalem for evacuation purposes. More than 20 housing units have recently been taken over forcibly by Jewish settlers in Silwan neighborhood.
The settlers demanded immediate eviction of the house under the claim of being owned by Jews according to a decision of the Israeli Jerusalem District Court.
Tensions have been running high as dozens of Israeli settlers arrived at the scene and attempted to evacuate the Sub Laban’s house by force amidst heightened presence of police, locals, and foreign peace activists.
The spokesman of the neighborhood Basim al-Qadoumi told QPress that the house is located within a historic building dating back to the Ottoman and Mamluk era. The Sub Laban family has inhabited the house for a very long time as the family rented it before 1967, he added.
The tenant along with a group of foreigners and locals are sitting-in inside the house in solidarity with the family which refuses to evict its home. The Israeli Jerusalem District Court postponed Monday noon the eviction of the house until May.
Israeli police raided the house early morning and ordered the Sub Laban family to evict it, granting them only ten minutes to leave the apartment.
The evacuation was delayed following attempts by the family’s lawyer who managed to delay it for two hours in a successful attempt to obtain a court ruling to halt the eviction.
Jewish settlers last February attempted to evict the house, claiming that the house belongs to a Jewish family and that settlers have the right to inhabit it instead of a Palestinian family.
Rafat Sub Laban said his family rented the house in 1956 from Jordan’s then Custodian of Enemy Property (CEP), 11 years before Israel occupied the eastern part of Jerusalem.
The house was originally owned by Jewish migrants before the CEP assumed control of Jewish-owned property upon the Israeli-Arab war in 1948.
The Jordanian Custodian of Enemy Property was established to handle property taken from Jews in the West Bank in 1948. In 1967, this function was disbanded.
The Jewish organization Ateret Cohanim filed a lawsuit at the Israeli magistrate court to seize the property one year and a half ago, and won it. Nevertheless, the family appealed the decision before the District Court, which is due to return with a verdict on May 31, 2015.
It is not the first time that settlers raid Arab houses in Occupied Jerusalem for evacuation purposes. More than 20 housing units have recently been taken over forcibly by Jewish settlers in Silwan neighborhood.
11 mar 2015
Several Israeli military vehicles, and armored bulldozers, invaded on Wednesday morning Barta’a village, west of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and demolished a brick factory.
Tawfiq Qabaha, member of the Barta’a village council, told the Radio Bethlehem 2000 that more than twenty military vehicles, and bulldozers, invaded the village and demolished a factory belonging to resident Jabr Awad.
The soldiers surrounded the entire area, and declared it a closed military zone, before demolishing the factory.
Qabaha said the factory was more than 350 square/meters, and that the losses are estimated by 200.000 New Israeli Shekels.
IOF demolishes factory, steel structure in Jenin
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) demolished Wednesday morning a Palestinian-owned factory and steel structure in Barta and Zebda towns southeast of Jenin.
The PIC reporter said that IOF soldiers stormed since the early morning hours Barta town, isolated behind the separation wall, and demolished a factory under construction.
Local residents were brutally assaulted during the demolition process, the sources added.
The IOF soldiers surrounded the area and were heavily deployed at the town’s entrances before demolishing the factory under the pretext of being built without permit in area C (under full Israeli civil and security control).
Several Palestinian facilities were recently demolished in the town as part of the Israeli policy to prevent the horizontal expansion in the town.
On the other hand, IOF soldiers demolished a steel structure used by local farmers as livestock barns in Zebda town to the south of the city.
Tawfiq Qabaha, member of the Barta’a village council, told the Radio Bethlehem 2000 that more than twenty military vehicles, and bulldozers, invaded the village and demolished a factory belonging to resident Jabr Awad.
The soldiers surrounded the entire area, and declared it a closed military zone, before demolishing the factory.
Qabaha said the factory was more than 350 square/meters, and that the losses are estimated by 200.000 New Israeli Shekels.
IOF demolishes factory, steel structure in Jenin
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) demolished Wednesday morning a Palestinian-owned factory and steel structure in Barta and Zebda towns southeast of Jenin.
The PIC reporter said that IOF soldiers stormed since the early morning hours Barta town, isolated behind the separation wall, and demolished a factory under construction.
Local residents were brutally assaulted during the demolition process, the sources added.
The IOF soldiers surrounded the area and were heavily deployed at the town’s entrances before demolishing the factory under the pretext of being built without permit in area C (under full Israeli civil and security control).
Several Palestinian facilities were recently demolished in the town as part of the Israeli policy to prevent the horizontal expansion in the town.
On the other hand, IOF soldiers demolished a steel structure used by local farmers as livestock barns in Zebda town to the south of the city.
Several armored Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers carried out, on Wednesday morning, a limited invasion into an area east of the al-Maghazi refugee camp, in central Gaza, and bulldozed farmlands.
Eyewitnesses said the vehicles, accompanied by four armored D9 bulldozers, stationed in the Kissufim military base across the border fence, advanced into the area while firing rounds of live ammunition at a number of homes, causing damage but no injuries.
They added that the army bulldozed and uprooted Palestinian lands, and fired rounds of live ammunition at local farmers, forcing them to leave.
The invasion is part of daily Israeli violations against the Palestinians in the besieged and impoverished coastal region.
Such attacks, include uprooting farmlands, and repeated assaults on fishers in Gaza waters and even while on shore.
Last Saturday, Israeli navy gunships opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats killing Tawfiq Abu Ryala, 34, and kidnapped two others.
Eyewitnesses said the vehicles, accompanied by four armored D9 bulldozers, stationed in the Kissufim military base across the border fence, advanced into the area while firing rounds of live ammunition at a number of homes, causing damage but no injuries.
They added that the army bulldozed and uprooted Palestinian lands, and fired rounds of live ammunition at local farmers, forcing them to leave.
The invasion is part of daily Israeli violations against the Palestinians in the besieged and impoverished coastal region.
Such attacks, include uprooting farmlands, and repeated assaults on fishers in Gaza waters and even while on shore.
Last Saturday, Israeli navy gunships opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats killing Tawfiq Abu Ryala, 34, and kidnapped two others.
10 mar 2015
Israeli occupation forces this morning have bulldozed wide lands for Palestinians from Al-Issawiyya village in East Jerusalem.
Sources said that a big number of soldiers started bulldozing the lands following the break in. One of the landlords said that the bulldozers were accompanied by the authority of nature and antiquities, in addition to the municipality, heavily guarded by private units broke into the land and immediately began bulldozing without giving any notices or explanations.
The demolitions lead to clashes between the youngsters and Israeli forces.
Israeli authorities have more than once declared intentions to build National park on lands between Al-Issawiyya an;d Al-Tur (Olive Mt. The bulldozers demolished fences and barracks that are owned by a number of families.
Witnesses said that Mohammed Badriyya (70) was one of these owners. His health deteriorated after Israeli forces demolished his barrack with the poultry inside it.
Israeli forces following the demolition formed Security cordon and blocked the owners from approaching. The bulldozing carried on without any explanation given.
Member of Al-Issawiyya follow up committee, Muhammad Abul Hummus warned of these demolitions and theft of land for constructing a national park on about 740 dunums of Al-Tur and Issawiyya.
Sources said that a big number of soldiers started bulldozing the lands following the break in. One of the landlords said that the bulldozers were accompanied by the authority of nature and antiquities, in addition to the municipality, heavily guarded by private units broke into the land and immediately began bulldozing without giving any notices or explanations.
The demolitions lead to clashes between the youngsters and Israeli forces.
Israeli authorities have more than once declared intentions to build National park on lands between Al-Issawiyya an;d Al-Tur (Olive Mt. The bulldozers demolished fences and barracks that are owned by a number of families.
Witnesses said that Mohammed Badriyya (70) was one of these owners. His health deteriorated after Israeli forces demolished his barrack with the poultry inside it.
Israeli forces following the demolition formed Security cordon and blocked the owners from approaching. The bulldozing carried on without any explanation given.
Member of Al-Issawiyya follow up committee, Muhammad Abul Hummus warned of these demolitions and theft of land for constructing a national park on about 740 dunums of Al-Tur and Issawiyya.
EU condemns destruction of structures put up on outskirts of Arab neighborhood of Issawiya, inhabited by Bedouin communities.
Israeli authorities on Tuesday demolished an EU-funded shelter in Arab east Jerusalem, the European Union said, denouncing the move.
"We condemn today's demolition of temporary shelters funded by the European Union... as part of its response to the needs of the affected communities," an EU statement said.
EU funds have helped to pay for some 200 temporary buildings used as shelters in villages inhabited by Bedouin communities in the West Bank, just outside Arab east Jerusalem.
The structures demolished on Tuesday were small metal constructions put up on the outskirts of Arab neighborhood Issawiya, an AFP correspondent said. The area was empty of residents following the demolition by bulldozer. Jerusalem's municipality was not immediately available for comment. A spokesman for Regavim, a rightwing lobby group, said the move was unusual.
"This doesn't happen every day, and it certainly doesn't happen to EU buildings," Avi Hyman told AFP. Israeli authorities regularly demolish structures inhabited by the Bedouin in the West Bank, and have tried to move communities into housing planned by the state.
Activists say Israel is deliberately displacing the Bedouin in order to build settlements in the area of the West Bank just outside east Jerusalem. That effective annexation of a corridor running through the middle of the West Bank would make the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state impossible.
Israeli authorities on Tuesday demolished an EU-funded shelter in Arab east Jerusalem, the European Union said, denouncing the move.
"We condemn today's demolition of temporary shelters funded by the European Union... as part of its response to the needs of the affected communities," an EU statement said.
EU funds have helped to pay for some 200 temporary buildings used as shelters in villages inhabited by Bedouin communities in the West Bank, just outside Arab east Jerusalem.
The structures demolished on Tuesday were small metal constructions put up on the outskirts of Arab neighborhood Issawiya, an AFP correspondent said. The area was empty of residents following the demolition by bulldozer. Jerusalem's municipality was not immediately available for comment. A spokesman for Regavim, a rightwing lobby group, said the move was unusual.
"This doesn't happen every day, and it certainly doesn't happen to EU buildings," Avi Hyman told AFP. Israeli authorities regularly demolish structures inhabited by the Bedouin in the West Bank, and have tried to move communities into housing planned by the state.
Activists say Israel is deliberately displacing the Bedouin in order to build settlements in the area of the West Bank just outside east Jerusalem. That effective annexation of a corridor running through the middle of the West Bank would make the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state impossible.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) razed Tuesday morning seven Palestinian houses in northern Jordan Valley.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the IOF stormed the area long with three army bulldozers and announced it a closed military zone.
The eyewitnesses revealed that the Israeli bulldozers completely destroyed seven houses which were providing shelter to more than seventy individuals mostly women and children who have now become homeless.
The demolition process has been implemented amid the presence of many pressmen and foreigner activists. The IOF soldiers, however, barred the journalists from approaching the area during the destruction process.
The IOF notified the houses’ owners of the demolition order one month ago under the pretext that the houses were built on lands owned by Israel. The owners, for their parts, confirmed having official documents that prove their ownership of the lands.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the IOF stormed the area long with three army bulldozers and announced it a closed military zone.
The eyewitnesses revealed that the Israeli bulldozers completely destroyed seven houses which were providing shelter to more than seventy individuals mostly women and children who have now become homeless.
The demolition process has been implemented amid the presence of many pressmen and foreigner activists. The IOF soldiers, however, barred the journalists from approaching the area during the destruction process.
The IOF notified the houses’ owners of the demolition order one month ago under the pretext that the houses were built on lands owned by Israel. The owners, for their parts, confirmed having official documents that prove their ownership of the lands.
Israeli soldiers bulldozed large areas of Palestinian lands, in Kisan village east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, to build an “industrial zone” that would serve near illegal Israeli colonies.
Hussein Ghazal, head of the Kisan Village Council, told the WAFA News Agency that the soldiers bulldozed, during early morning hours, large areas of Palestinian agricultural lands near the northern entrance of the village.
The lands belong to residents of Sa’ir town near Hebron, and members of the ‘Obeyyat family in Bethlehem.
Ghazal said the destruction targeted large areas of Palestinian farmlands, and that Israel intends to bulldoze and uproot more than 600 Dunams (148.26 Acres) to build an Industrial Zone that would serve illegal Israeli colonies.
He added that the Israeli plan would completely isolate the village, as it will become fully surrounded by Israel’s illegal colonies.
Hussein Ghazal, head of the Kisan Village Council, told the WAFA News Agency that the soldiers bulldozed, during early morning hours, large areas of Palestinian agricultural lands near the northern entrance of the village.
The lands belong to residents of Sa’ir town near Hebron, and members of the ‘Obeyyat family in Bethlehem.
Ghazal said the destruction targeted large areas of Palestinian farmlands, and that Israel intends to bulldoze and uproot more than 600 Dunams (148.26 Acres) to build an Industrial Zone that would serve illegal Israeli colonies.
He added that the Israeli plan would completely isolate the village, as it will become fully surrounded by Israel’s illegal colonies.
9 mar 2015
The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) have opened part of a freeway connecting Israeli settlements in eastern and southern Occupied Jerusalem city.
The passageway dismembers the Beit Safafa village and separates between families of the same community.
Observers warned of the serious repercussions of such a Judaization scheme and of Israeli intents to eliminate the Palestinian character and existence in Jerusalem’s neighborhoods.
The highway, which makes part of a Judaization bid implemented by the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem in coordination with the ministry of transportation, passes over two kms through the heart of Beit Safafa.
The bid aims at smoothing Israelis’ access out of and into Occupied Jerusalem and connecting the different tissues of Israel’s illegal settlements in northern and southern Jerusalem.
The implementation of the tender led to the confiscation of around 300 dunums of Beit Safafa private land tracts and 400 dunums of land lots in both sides of the street, along with hundreds of dunums previously confiscated in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
The highway not only disconnects the different parts of the village but isolates whole families and neighborhoods from each other and blocks all means of socio-cultural exchange between the Safafa community members.
The Israeli occupation authorities turned blind eyes to the distress signals launched by some 12,000 native inhabitants to minimize the socio-demographic threats implied by the bid.
The passageway dismembers the Beit Safafa village and separates between families of the same community.
Observers warned of the serious repercussions of such a Judaization scheme and of Israeli intents to eliminate the Palestinian character and existence in Jerusalem’s neighborhoods.
The highway, which makes part of a Judaization bid implemented by the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem in coordination with the ministry of transportation, passes over two kms through the heart of Beit Safafa.
The bid aims at smoothing Israelis’ access out of and into Occupied Jerusalem and connecting the different tissues of Israel’s illegal settlements in northern and southern Jerusalem.
The implementation of the tender led to the confiscation of around 300 dunums of Beit Safafa private land tracts and 400 dunums of land lots in both sides of the street, along with hundreds of dunums previously confiscated in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
The highway not only disconnects the different parts of the village but isolates whole families and neighborhoods from each other and blocks all means of socio-cultural exchange between the Safafa community members.
The Israeli occupation authorities turned blind eyes to the distress signals launched by some 12,000 native inhabitants to minimize the socio-demographic threats implied by the bid.
Several Israeli military vehicles, and bulldozers, invaded the al-Jaroushiyya village, north of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, and demolished a home belonging to a local judge.
The soldiers surrounded the home of Justice Kifah ash-Shouly, a judge in the Appeal Court in the central West Bank city of Ramallah, demolished his property and the walls that surrounding it.
The judge told the WAFA Palestinian News Agency that the demolished building was a 120 square/meter two-story home.
He said he was still building his home, and stopped the construction two years ago, after the army ordered him to do so, under the pretext it was being built without a permit.
Since then, the soldiers never contacted the judge until they came to demolish his property.
“This is yet another Israeli crime, another violation, committed by the occupation against the Palestinian people,” he said, “This is an ongoing war against our very existence in our lands; all of Israel’s justifications, and allegations, are false.”
The soldiers surrounded the home of Justice Kifah ash-Shouly, a judge in the Appeal Court in the central West Bank city of Ramallah, demolished his property and the walls that surrounding it.
The judge told the WAFA Palestinian News Agency that the demolished building was a 120 square/meter two-story home.
He said he was still building his home, and stopped the construction two years ago, after the army ordered him to do so, under the pretext it was being built without a permit.
Since then, the soldiers never contacted the judge until they came to demolish his property.
“This is yet another Israeli crime, another violation, committed by the occupation against the Palestinian people,” he said, “This is an ongoing war against our very existence in our lands; all of Israel’s justifications, and allegations, are false.”
Israeli military bulldozers uprooted large areas of Palestinian farmlands, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and uprooted more than 300 Olive trees. Army invades a construction company in Hebron, and nearby towns.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official in charge of Israeli Settlements file in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, said the soldiers bulldozed dozens of dunams of farmlands, in the al-Lahaf area, east of Nablus.
Daghlas added that the soldiers uprooted and cut more than 300 olive trees, and bulldozed large areas, planted with wheat and barley.
The lands belong to many Palestinians; some of them have been identified as Naji Hamdan, Mahmoud Eshtayya, Najeh Eshtayya, Sharif Eshtayya and Mohammad Eshtayya.
In addition, soldiers stormed a construction company, belonging to resident Fuad ash-Shamessly, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and violently searched before confiscating several filed and documents.
The soldiers also invaded a number of neighborhoods in the city, in addition to the towns of Doura, Halhoul, Yatta and as-Sammoa’.
Furthermore, the soldiers installed roadblocks on the northern entrance of Hebron, and near Sa’ir town, before stopping and searching dozens of cars, and investigated the ID cards of the passengers.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official in charge of Israeli Settlements file in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, said the soldiers bulldozed dozens of dunams of farmlands, in the al-Lahaf area, east of Nablus.
Daghlas added that the soldiers uprooted and cut more than 300 olive trees, and bulldozed large areas, planted with wheat and barley.
The lands belong to many Palestinians; some of them have been identified as Naji Hamdan, Mahmoud Eshtayya, Najeh Eshtayya, Sharif Eshtayya and Mohammad Eshtayya.
In addition, soldiers stormed a construction company, belonging to resident Fuad ash-Shamessly, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and violently searched before confiscating several filed and documents.
The soldiers also invaded a number of neighborhoods in the city, in addition to the towns of Doura, Halhoul, Yatta and as-Sammoa’.
Furthermore, the soldiers installed roadblocks on the northern entrance of Hebron, and near Sa’ir town, before stopping and searching dozens of cars, and investigated the ID cards of the passengers.
In a statement released by the Likud Party, Sunday,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly said Tel Aviv
would never withdraw from any of part of the occupied territories
“Israel will never make concessions, no withdrawals,” he said, “any territory ceded by Israel would fall in the hands of Islamic extremism, and terror groups, supported by Iran.”
Likud Party spokesperson Elie Bennet said the speech, made by Netanyahu in Bar Ilan in 2009 calling for a Palestinian state next to Israel, “is not relevant anymore.”
Netanyahu’s aid during the time of the speech Ron Dermer said the Prime Minister vowed commitment to the two-state solution, establishing a Palestinian State along the 1967 borders through peace talks.
Dermer, currently Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, allegedly informed Quartet Committee head Tony Blair “Israel does not only want to grant the Palestinians a state, but also one along the 1967 border."
“Israel will never make concessions, no withdrawals,” he said, “any territory ceded by Israel would fall in the hands of Islamic extremism, and terror groups, supported by Iran.”
Likud Party spokesperson Elie Bennet said the speech, made by Netanyahu in Bar Ilan in 2009 calling for a Palestinian state next to Israel, “is not relevant anymore.”
Netanyahu’s aid during the time of the speech Ron Dermer said the Prime Minister vowed commitment to the two-state solution, establishing a Palestinian State along the 1967 borders through peace talks.
Dermer, currently Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, allegedly informed Quartet Committee head Tony Blair “Israel does not only want to grant the Palestinians a state, but also one along the 1967 border."
Israeli Ynet News said the Netanyahu - Likud statement was made after it published what it called “a secret list of concessions made by Netanyahu to the Palestinians during his previous term in office.”
It said the concessions completely contradict all positions and stances Netanyahu currently presents.
Israeli TV Channel 10 said during Netanyahu’s previous term, when the document was being addressed, Dermer told Blair that the Prime Minister promised in writing Tel Aviv “would cede territory, identical to all areas Israel captured in 1967, allowing the Palestinians to establish a state.”
It said the alleged commitment came when the Quartet sponsored direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, especially since Blair was skeptical about the sincerity of those statements, an issue that pushed Dermer to commit in writing.
According to the Ynet, Dermer denied the report, and said there has been no commitment of any type regarding this issue, and that the issue here is just about a paper that was meant to help advance stalled negotiations.
It said Netanyahu dispatched, in his second term in office, a close affiliate to talks with the Palestinian side, “offering drastic concessions” that include land swaps, a limited Right of Return to the refugees, and a potential deal on Jerusalem.
The Ynet said, after the “concessions list” was revealed in August 2013, its print publication, Yedioth Aharonoth, published a summary of the results of secret talks between Netanyahu’s senior aide, Yitzhak Molcho, and Palestinian official Hussein al-Agha.
It said the concessions completely contradict all positions and stances Netanyahu currently presents.
Israeli TV Channel 10 said during Netanyahu’s previous term, when the document was being addressed, Dermer told Blair that the Prime Minister promised in writing Tel Aviv “would cede territory, identical to all areas Israel captured in 1967, allowing the Palestinians to establish a state.”
It said the alleged commitment came when the Quartet sponsored direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, especially since Blair was skeptical about the sincerity of those statements, an issue that pushed Dermer to commit in writing.
According to the Ynet, Dermer denied the report, and said there has been no commitment of any type regarding this issue, and that the issue here is just about a paper that was meant to help advance stalled negotiations.
It said Netanyahu dispatched, in his second term in office, a close affiliate to talks with the Palestinian side, “offering drastic concessions” that include land swaps, a limited Right of Return to the refugees, and a potential deal on Jerusalem.
The Ynet said, after the “concessions list” was revealed in August 2013, its print publication, Yedioth Aharonoth, published a summary of the results of secret talks between Netanyahu’s senior aide, Yitzhak Molcho, and Palestinian official Hussein al-Agha.
8 mar 2015
Head of the Central Command of the Israeli army Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon signed an order canceling the status of an army firing zone in the Jordan Valley, which will allow for the expansion of the settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim, Haaretz newspaper reported Sunday.
The Israeli military has reportedly cancelled the status of a training zone in the Jordan Valley in yet another attempt to further expand the regime’s illegal settlement activities in the area, according to the paper's report.
However, the army continues to demolish Palestinian homes in the Jordan Valley claiming they are in firing zones, the same source added.
On January 18, the Israeli military ordered a reduction in the size of the Firing Zone 912 to allow the expansion of the nearby Ma’aleh Adumim settlement.
The area, which was declared a firing zone in 1972, covers approximately 150 dunums.
Israeli officials have already unveiled plans for the construction of 88 housing units, in the first stage, in the area called Nofei Adumim.
The newspaper further quoted an Israeli settlement expert as branding the firing zones, which cover almost 1 million dunums in the West Bank, as a "ploy" as most of those areas have never been used for military operations.
He dubbed the confiscated land lots "reserve tracts’’ to be used by the Israeli authorities in favor of illegal settlement expansion at the ‘’right’’ moment.
The Israeli military has reportedly cancelled the status of a training zone in the Jordan Valley in yet another attempt to further expand the regime’s illegal settlement activities in the area, according to the paper's report.
However, the army continues to demolish Palestinian homes in the Jordan Valley claiming they are in firing zones, the same source added.
On January 18, the Israeli military ordered a reduction in the size of the Firing Zone 912 to allow the expansion of the nearby Ma’aleh Adumim settlement.
The area, which was declared a firing zone in 1972, covers approximately 150 dunums.
Israeli officials have already unveiled plans for the construction of 88 housing units, in the first stage, in the area called Nofei Adumim.
The newspaper further quoted an Israeli settlement expert as branding the firing zones, which cover almost 1 million dunums in the West Bank, as a "ploy" as most of those areas have never been used for military operations.
He dubbed the confiscated land lots "reserve tracts’’ to be used by the Israeli authorities in favor of illegal settlement expansion at the ‘’right’’ moment.
Several Israeli military vehicles, accompanied by two armored bulldozers, invaded Kisan village, east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, bulldozed and uprooted Palestinian agricultural lands.
Hussein Ghazal, head of the Kisan Village Council, said a large military force surrounded the village before invading it, and uprooted lands near its northern entrance.
Ghazal added that the lands belong to residents from Sa’ir town, near Hebron, and the Bethlehem family of ‘Obeyyat.
The official said Israel is trying to illegally confiscate the Palestinian lands to build factories that belong to nearby illegal colonies, adding that the Israeli plan would isolate the village from its surrounding Palestinian areas.
Kisan has been subject to repeated Israeli military invasions that included uprooting farmlands, home invasions and arrests, in addition to destruction of homes and other property.
Hussein Ghazal, head of the Kisan Village Council, said a large military force surrounded the village before invading it, and uprooted lands near its northern entrance.
Ghazal added that the lands belong to residents from Sa’ir town, near Hebron, and the Bethlehem family of ‘Obeyyat.
The official said Israel is trying to illegally confiscate the Palestinian lands to build factories that belong to nearby illegal colonies, adding that the Israeli plan would isolate the village from its surrounding Palestinian areas.
Kisan has been subject to repeated Israeli military invasions that included uprooting farmlands, home invasions and arrests, in addition to destruction of homes and other property.
