6 may 2015
Extremist Jewish settlers leveled Palestinian lands in Masha town to the west of Salfit governorate under Israeli forces protection on Wednesday.
Local sources revealed that Jewish settlers leveled dozens of dunums of Palestinian lands close to Qana settlement for expansion purposes.
Researcher Khalil Maali said Qana outpost is constructed on Palestinian lands to the west of Masha town. It was previously controlled by the Jordanian army.
Settlement construction has accelerated in the area to the extent that more than 90% of the town’s lands have been confiscated. Three Israeli outposts are surrounding the town, Maali said.
Local sources revealed that Jewish settlers leveled dozens of dunums of Palestinian lands close to Qana settlement for expansion purposes.
Researcher Khalil Maali said Qana outpost is constructed on Palestinian lands to the west of Masha town. It was previously controlled by the Jordanian army.
Settlement construction has accelerated in the area to the extent that more than 90% of the town’s lands have been confiscated. Three Israeli outposts are surrounding the town, Maali said.
The Israeli Supreme Court, on Tuesday, issued a final decision to demolish and displace the people of Atir-Umm Al-Hieran, a Palestinian village which remains unrecognized in the Negev desert of southern Israel.
The decision will be utilized to establish a Jewish-only settlement upon the ruins of the Bedouin village, which has the population of more than 1,000 Palestinians, this just days before the anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba.
According to the PNN, the court's final decision, issued by a majority of two judges against one, came after 13 years of judicial proceedings and attempts to cancel the demolition and eviction orders.
The court in its decision admitted the Israeli intentions to demolish the village in order to establish a settlement "with a Jewish Zionist majority," according to the decision.
According to the court, the people of the village of Atir did not enter the land illegally, but were "relocated" to it in back in 1956, by an Israeli occupation authorities official order, after they were expelled from their villages of origin during the Nakba in 1948.
Following the relocation, the court claimed that Israel only "allowed" the Palestinian refugees (which it forcibly displaced) to use this land and, therefore, these people can be expelled from it at any given moment.
For its part, Adalah center, commenting on the decision, said that the Supreme Court was coveting behind the dry law, which gives Israel the right to lay hands on the land, and completely ignore the humanitarian, political, social and historical dimensions of the cause and the lives of its people. The law legitimizes the demolition of an entire village and the displacement of its children.
"The demolition of this village is a pure proof of the Israeli racism and its foremost goal, which is the displacement of as many Palestinians possible, for colonial goals of establishing Zionist settlements on the ruins of another nation."
Adalah center assured to follow up with the case, through the villagers and human rights organizations and associations, in addition to taking legally preventive measures, in order to defend the village and prevent the demolition and displacement.
Israeli occupation court, on Monday as well, issued an order to deport the population of Susiya village near Yatta, south of Hebron. The decision followed Israeli settlers' appeal to the court a month ago, demanding the displacement of Palestinian natives, for the expansion of the settlement constructed on Susiya lands.
The decision will be utilized to establish a Jewish-only settlement upon the ruins of the Bedouin village, which has the population of more than 1,000 Palestinians, this just days before the anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba.
According to the PNN, the court's final decision, issued by a majority of two judges against one, came after 13 years of judicial proceedings and attempts to cancel the demolition and eviction orders.
The court in its decision admitted the Israeli intentions to demolish the village in order to establish a settlement "with a Jewish Zionist majority," according to the decision.
According to the court, the people of the village of Atir did not enter the land illegally, but were "relocated" to it in back in 1956, by an Israeli occupation authorities official order, after they were expelled from their villages of origin during the Nakba in 1948.
Following the relocation, the court claimed that Israel only "allowed" the Palestinian refugees (which it forcibly displaced) to use this land and, therefore, these people can be expelled from it at any given moment.
For its part, Adalah center, commenting on the decision, said that the Supreme Court was coveting behind the dry law, which gives Israel the right to lay hands on the land, and completely ignore the humanitarian, political, social and historical dimensions of the cause and the lives of its people. The law legitimizes the demolition of an entire village and the displacement of its children.
"The demolition of this village is a pure proof of the Israeli racism and its foremost goal, which is the displacement of as many Palestinians possible, for colonial goals of establishing Zionist settlements on the ruins of another nation."
Adalah center assured to follow up with the case, through the villagers and human rights organizations and associations, in addition to taking legally preventive measures, in order to defend the village and prevent the demolition and displacement.
Israeli occupation court, on Monday as well, issued an order to deport the population of Susiya village near Yatta, south of Hebron. The decision followed Israeli settlers' appeal to the court a month ago, demanding the displacement of Palestinian natives, for the expansion of the settlement constructed on Susiya lands.
Besieged Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank's Jordan Valley have called on the international community to immediately intervene to halt Israeli military training in the area, which has already resulted in the temporary deportation of residents from four villages from their homes and threatens the future livelihood of these communities.
Massive Israeli military training in the northern Jordan Valley began on Sunday, with forces using live ammunition around the homes and farms of Palestinian communities. The army ordered residents from four villages to leave their homes for the duration of the training (until Thursday): 18 families from Humsa, 30 families from Hammamaat al Maleh, 5 families from Frush Beit Dejan and 13 families from Ibziq.
The families have not been given anywhere to stay, nor have they been given any type of support. Most of the deported families have babies and small children.
Families in the village of Al Hadidiya were told that they may have to move for some of this period, although they were given no official documents.
“One of the greatest fears of local Palestinians is that land in the area will be set fire to - many of them have fields of wheat that are just due to be harvested, and this could destroy their entire crops”, says Rashid Sawafta, coordinator of the local group Jordan Valley Solidarity. “If scrub land is burnt by the army it will devastate the grazing land of cow, sheep and goat farmers”, Sawafta added.
“These are very real fears. On 28 April a similar military exercise in the same area of Humsa Fouqa...resulted in the destruction of 3,000 to 4,000 dunams of crops and trees after the shootings and ammunitions of the Israeli army started fire on the land and Palestinian firefighter crews were prevented from reaching the area.”
Deported residents, almost all of whom make a living from farming and livestock, will further be unable to provide food and ensure adequate shelter for their sheep, goats and other animals.
Jordan Valley Solidarity has called on the international community to take immediate action to protect the affected communities. In its appeal, JVS notes that the Israeli military actions are “tantamount to ethnic cleansing in that it directly puts pressure on Palestinian families to leave the area and not return.”
More photos
Massive Israeli military training in the northern Jordan Valley began on Sunday, with forces using live ammunition around the homes and farms of Palestinian communities. The army ordered residents from four villages to leave their homes for the duration of the training (until Thursday): 18 families from Humsa, 30 families from Hammamaat al Maleh, 5 families from Frush Beit Dejan and 13 families from Ibziq.
The families have not been given anywhere to stay, nor have they been given any type of support. Most of the deported families have babies and small children.
Families in the village of Al Hadidiya were told that they may have to move for some of this period, although they were given no official documents.
“One of the greatest fears of local Palestinians is that land in the area will be set fire to - many of them have fields of wheat that are just due to be harvested, and this could destroy their entire crops”, says Rashid Sawafta, coordinator of the local group Jordan Valley Solidarity. “If scrub land is burnt by the army it will devastate the grazing land of cow, sheep and goat farmers”, Sawafta added.
“These are very real fears. On 28 April a similar military exercise in the same area of Humsa Fouqa...resulted in the destruction of 3,000 to 4,000 dunams of crops and trees after the shootings and ammunitions of the Israeli army started fire on the land and Palestinian firefighter crews were prevented from reaching the area.”
Deported residents, almost all of whom make a living from farming and livestock, will further be unable to provide food and ensure adequate shelter for their sheep, goats and other animals.
Jordan Valley Solidarity has called on the international community to take immediate action to protect the affected communities. In its appeal, JVS notes that the Israeli military actions are “tantamount to ethnic cleansing in that it directly puts pressure on Palestinian families to leave the area and not return.”
More photos
Settlers rebuilding the Synagogue-Tent
The Jabari family owns land sandwiched in between the illegal settlements of Kiryat Arba and Givat Ha’vot. In 2001, settlers illegally took over part of the land to erect a synagogue-tent on the Jaabari-family land.
All settlements are illegal under international law, unlike most settlements however, this synagogue has also been deemed illegal under Israeli law.
In February 2015 an Israeli court finally ordered the demolition of the tent-synagogue. Even though the demolition was carried out in April, the debris until now still remains on the land and settlers keep on partly rebuilding under the protection of the Israeli forces.
When settlers from the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba first constructed the tent-synagogue on the Jabari family land , they also erected a path connecting Kiryat Arba with the illegal settlement of Givat Hav’ot. It took the family until 2003 to get a demolition order issued by the Israeli Civil Administration. Nothing happened afterwards until the synagogue-tent was destroyed by heavy snow in 2013, only to be rebuild again by settlers.
Finally, on the 18th February 2015 an Israeli court issued a demolition order for the structure and the synagogue-tent was demolished early in the morning on 14th April 2014. Even though the tent was demolished, the Israeli military did not clean up the rubble, that until now is still on the family land. Since the demolition settlers have been partly rebuilding the synagogue-tent with the materials still on the land. “Price Tag” violence from the settlers, both adults and children, has rapidly increased since the demolition, with Palestinians walking past on the main road attacked by settlers, and the Jabari family has been attacked verbally and physically, with stones thrown by settlers. Israeli police and soldiers present at the sight- they watch but do not stop the settlers.
Watch this video taken by the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) on settler children attacking Palestinians and human rights observers.
The Jaabari family asked for support with harvesting their fodder crops. As all of their land is either bordering the demolished synagogue-tent or the illegal settlement of Givat Ha’vot, Youth against Settlements (YAS) arranged to help with the harvest on 1st May 2015.
Together with YAS, volunteers from a range of human rights organisations, both local and international, joined the family to harvest the area directly next to the demolished synagogue tent, the area most threatened by settlers.
Israeli occupation forces are prohibiting the Jabaris and all volunteers from using any kind of harvesting tools under threat of arrest. Shortly after harvesting began, settlers, police and the army arrived. At first they only watched the harvest, but after two hours the Israeli forces declared the field a closed military zone and everyone was ordered to leave.
On Saturday, another small field at the top of the Jabari’s land, close to the police station and the illegal settlement of Givat Ha’vot was harvested without interruption by settlers or Israeli forces. The majority of the Jabari family’s crops still remain to be brought in.
The Jabari family owns land sandwiched in between the illegal settlements of Kiryat Arba and Givat Ha’vot. In 2001, settlers illegally took over part of the land to erect a synagogue-tent on the Jaabari-family land.
All settlements are illegal under international law, unlike most settlements however, this synagogue has also been deemed illegal under Israeli law.
In February 2015 an Israeli court finally ordered the demolition of the tent-synagogue. Even though the demolition was carried out in April, the debris until now still remains on the land and settlers keep on partly rebuilding under the protection of the Israeli forces.
When settlers from the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba first constructed the tent-synagogue on the Jabari family land , they also erected a path connecting Kiryat Arba with the illegal settlement of Givat Hav’ot. It took the family until 2003 to get a demolition order issued by the Israeli Civil Administration. Nothing happened afterwards until the synagogue-tent was destroyed by heavy snow in 2013, only to be rebuild again by settlers.
Finally, on the 18th February 2015 an Israeli court issued a demolition order for the structure and the synagogue-tent was demolished early in the morning on 14th April 2014. Even though the tent was demolished, the Israeli military did not clean up the rubble, that until now is still on the family land. Since the demolition settlers have been partly rebuilding the synagogue-tent with the materials still on the land. “Price Tag” violence from the settlers, both adults and children, has rapidly increased since the demolition, with Palestinians walking past on the main road attacked by settlers, and the Jabari family has been attacked verbally and physically, with stones thrown by settlers. Israeli police and soldiers present at the sight- they watch but do not stop the settlers.
Watch this video taken by the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) on settler children attacking Palestinians and human rights observers.
The Jaabari family asked for support with harvesting their fodder crops. As all of their land is either bordering the demolished synagogue-tent or the illegal settlement of Givat Ha’vot, Youth against Settlements (YAS) arranged to help with the harvest on 1st May 2015.
Together with YAS, volunteers from a range of human rights organisations, both local and international, joined the family to harvest the area directly next to the demolished synagogue tent, the area most threatened by settlers.
Israeli occupation forces are prohibiting the Jabaris and all volunteers from using any kind of harvesting tools under threat of arrest. Shortly after harvesting began, settlers, police and the army arrived. At first they only watched the harvest, but after two hours the Israeli forces declared the field a closed military zone and everyone was ordered to leave.
On Saturday, another small field at the top of the Jabari’s land, close to the police station and the illegal settlement of Givat Ha’vot was harvested without interruption by settlers or Israeli forces. The majority of the Jabari family’s crops still remain to be brought in.
Members of the Israeli Ateret Cohanim settlement group invaded, on Wednesday at dawn, three apartments belonging to the Abu Nab Palestinian family, in the Central Neighborhood, in Silwan town in Jerusalem, and occupied them.
The group alleges Jewish residents owned the apartments before 1948, when Israel was established in the historic land of Palestine.
According to the Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic), approximately 20 settlers, accompanied by armed guards and undercover forces of the Israeli military, invaded the neighborhood, and headed towards the apartment building.
The settlers then smashed the front doors of the three apartments, and occupied them.
The owners, all family members, left their apartments on Tuesday evening, to visit one of their brothers who lives in historic Palestine, Silwanic said.
During the attack, cousins of the building’s owners, intercepted the settlers and clashed with them, especially when the assailants tried to blockade some windows, and sprayed the Palestinians with pepper-spray.
Neighbors told Silwanic that they phoned Ahmad Abu Nab and his brothers, Mohammad and Nasser, who rushed back to their building to find it surrounded by Israeli soldiers.
The army then kidnapped the three brothers, and took them to an interrogation facility.
Fifteen members of the Abu Nab family have been living in the apartment building since 1968, after renting it from its owners, members of the Abdul-Razeq Palestinian family.
Israeli settlement groups, including Elad and Ateret Cohanim, claim that the building was a synagogue before 1948.
The two groups are responsible for dozens of incidents in which they occupied homes in Silwan using many methods, including forgery, and in some cases offering large amounts to some owners, who were eventually seduced and sold the property, Silwanic said.
There are 39 illegal Israeli settlement outposts in Silwan, six of them in the Central Neighborhood, 28 in Wadi Hilweh and Beidoun neighborhoods, two outposts in the al-Farooq neighborhood, one in Ras al-‘Amoud, one in the ath-Thoury neighborhood, and one in Wadi ar-Rababa.
The group alleges Jewish residents owned the apartments before 1948, when Israel was established in the historic land of Palestine.
According to the Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic), approximately 20 settlers, accompanied by armed guards and undercover forces of the Israeli military, invaded the neighborhood, and headed towards the apartment building.
The settlers then smashed the front doors of the three apartments, and occupied them.
The owners, all family members, left their apartments on Tuesday evening, to visit one of their brothers who lives in historic Palestine, Silwanic said.
During the attack, cousins of the building’s owners, intercepted the settlers and clashed with them, especially when the assailants tried to blockade some windows, and sprayed the Palestinians with pepper-spray.
Neighbors told Silwanic that they phoned Ahmad Abu Nab and his brothers, Mohammad and Nasser, who rushed back to their building to find it surrounded by Israeli soldiers.
The army then kidnapped the three brothers, and took them to an interrogation facility.
Fifteen members of the Abu Nab family have been living in the apartment building since 1968, after renting it from its owners, members of the Abdul-Razeq Palestinian family.
Israeli settlement groups, including Elad and Ateret Cohanim, claim that the building was a synagogue before 1948.
The two groups are responsible for dozens of incidents in which they occupied homes in Silwan using many methods, including forgery, and in some cases offering large amounts to some owners, who were eventually seduced and sold the property, Silwanic said.
There are 39 illegal Israeli settlement outposts in Silwan, six of them in the Central Neighborhood, 28 in Wadi Hilweh and Beidoun neighborhoods, two outposts in the al-Farooq neighborhood, one in Ras al-‘Amoud, one in the ath-Thoury neighborhood, and one in Wadi ar-Rababa.
Israeli soldiers, accompanied by military bulldozers, invaded Wednesday Palestinian agricultural lands in Souba area, in Ethna town, west of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and uprooted dozens of trees.
Resident Abu Ayman Ebreiwish, from Souba, said military bulldozers uprooted dozens of trees, including olive trees, belonging to Tha’aer al-Qawasmi.
The soldiers surrounded the area before declaring it a “closed military zone,” to prevent the residents from approaching, and uprooted the trees.
The Israeli army has been preventing the residents from farming and tending their lands in the area, and previously confiscated tractors and other agricultural equipment from the villagers.
Resident Abu Ayman Ebreiwish, from Souba, said military bulldozers uprooted dozens of trees, including olive trees, belonging to Tha’aer al-Qawasmi.
The soldiers surrounded the area before declaring it a “closed military zone,” to prevent the residents from approaching, and uprooted the trees.
The Israeli army has been preventing the residents from farming and tending their lands in the area, and previously confiscated tractors and other agricultural equipment from the villagers.
5 may 2015
The Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) demolished over the past year 493 Palestinian facilities in occupied West Bank for allegedly being built without permit, an Israeli rights group said in Tuesday.
Planners for Planning Rights (Bimkom) affirmed in a press release issued Tuesday that 493 Palestinian facilities were demolished in 2014, forcibly displacing 969 Palestinians.
Meanwhile, settlement construction has notably escalated in occupied West Bank, where settlers’ number has been increasing to reach 400,000 Israelis living illegally in West Bank.
The Israeli human rights organization pointed out that the Israeli Supreme Court is considering a Palestinian appeal demanding the reactivation of local planning committees that were controlling Palestinian construction affairs before being canceled by an Israeli military order in 1971.
"The reactivation of Palestinian planning committees would solve the problem of Palestinian non-permitted construction and would put an end to Israeli demolition policy," Bimkom added.
During 2014, Israeli authorities allowed the construction of one single Palestinian home.
Planners for Planning Rights (Bimkom) affirmed in a press release issued Tuesday that 493 Palestinian facilities were demolished in 2014, forcibly displacing 969 Palestinians.
Meanwhile, settlement construction has notably escalated in occupied West Bank, where settlers’ number has been increasing to reach 400,000 Israelis living illegally in West Bank.
The Israeli human rights organization pointed out that the Israeli Supreme Court is considering a Palestinian appeal demanding the reactivation of local planning committees that were controlling Palestinian construction affairs before being canceled by an Israeli military order in 1971.
"The reactivation of Palestinian planning committees would solve the problem of Palestinian non-permitted construction and would put an end to Israeli demolition policy," Bimkom added.
During 2014, Israeli authorities allowed the construction of one single Palestinian home.
Susiya Village
An Israeli Court ruled Monday on the removal of Susiya Bedouin village, in Masafer Yatta area, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, after colonists of the illegal Susya settlement, demanded the removal of the Palestinian enclave.
Coordinator of the Popular and National Committee in southern Hebron Rateb Jabour told the WAFA News agency that the Israeli decision could be enforced at any given moment, rendering dozens of resident homeless.
He added that the head of the Susiya Village Council Jihad Nawaj’a, received an official Israeli order informing him of the intention to remove the village.
Nawaj’a stated that the Susiya has been subject to dozens of violations and assaults by Israeli soldiers and fanatic colonizers.
“Our village is a historic area; Israel wants to remove us to control it,” he added, “There are many Islamic and Roman archeological sites here.”
The villagers have been constantly suffering, and literally fighting for their very existence, since Israel started the construction of Susya colony in 1983 on privately owned lands belonging to five Palestinian families from Yatta.
The villagers were forcibly removed from their village in 1986, and relocated to the current location, yet again, are facing the same fate.
Removing the village means displacing at least 50 families, and the illegal annexation of hundreds of Dunams of private Palestinian lands.
Nawaj’a said the residents have all deeds proving ownership of their lands, but Israel continues to displace them, in addition to constantly preventing them from having any access to running water, electricity and other basic services.
Several Palestinian, Israel and international human rights groups frequently warned of the Israel plans, and said Tel Aviv is planning to destroy 13 Palestinian villages in Hebron, under the pretext of “being located in military training zones.”
Removing the 13 communities would lead to the displacement of around 1.650 persons.
An Israeli Court ruled Monday on the removal of Susiya Bedouin village, in Masafer Yatta area, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, after colonists of the illegal Susya settlement, demanded the removal of the Palestinian enclave.
Coordinator of the Popular and National Committee in southern Hebron Rateb Jabour told the WAFA News agency that the Israeli decision could be enforced at any given moment, rendering dozens of resident homeless.
He added that the head of the Susiya Village Council Jihad Nawaj’a, received an official Israeli order informing him of the intention to remove the village.
Nawaj’a stated that the Susiya has been subject to dozens of violations and assaults by Israeli soldiers and fanatic colonizers.
“Our village is a historic area; Israel wants to remove us to control it,” he added, “There are many Islamic and Roman archeological sites here.”
The villagers have been constantly suffering, and literally fighting for their very existence, since Israel started the construction of Susya colony in 1983 on privately owned lands belonging to five Palestinian families from Yatta.
The villagers were forcibly removed from their village in 1986, and relocated to the current location, yet again, are facing the same fate.
Removing the village means displacing at least 50 families, and the illegal annexation of hundreds of Dunams of private Palestinian lands.
Nawaj’a said the residents have all deeds proving ownership of their lands, but Israel continues to displace them, in addition to constantly preventing them from having any access to running water, electricity and other basic services.
Several Palestinian, Israel and international human rights groups frequently warned of the Israel plans, and said Tel Aviv is planning to destroy 13 Palestinian villages in Hebron, under the pretext of “being located in military training zones.”
Removing the 13 communities would lead to the displacement of around 1.650 persons.
Israeli soldiers placed, Monday, concrete blocks surrounding a Palestinian land Israel intends to illegally confiscate, in Silwan town, in occupied Jerusalem, leading to clashes between the army and local youths.
Member of the Follow-Up Committee in Silwan, Mohammad Abu al-Hummus, stated that several military vehicles invaded the town, before the soldiers started placing concrete blocks around more than a Dunam of Palestinian land.
He said Israel wants to use the land for a project belonging to the Hadassah Hospital, and that “placing the concrete blocks seems to be a preemptive measure to foil appeals filed by the residents against the decision.”
Abu al-Hummus added that the land in question is more than a Dunam (0.247 Acres) that Israel decided to confiscate in the 1970’s for “public use,” but started in recent years attempting to use it for the benefit of the medical center.
The invasion, and placing the concrete blocks, led to clashes between dozens of local youths and the Israeli soldiers; no injuries were reported.
The clashes largely took place near the main entrance of the town, while dozens of soldiers surrounded it.
Member of the Follow-Up Committee in Silwan, Mohammad Abu al-Hummus, stated that several military vehicles invaded the town, before the soldiers started placing concrete blocks around more than a Dunam of Palestinian land.
He said Israel wants to use the land for a project belonging to the Hadassah Hospital, and that “placing the concrete blocks seems to be a preemptive measure to foil appeals filed by the residents against the decision.”
Abu al-Hummus added that the land in question is more than a Dunam (0.247 Acres) that Israel decided to confiscate in the 1970’s for “public use,” but started in recent years attempting to use it for the benefit of the medical center.
The invasion, and placing the concrete blocks, led to clashes between dozens of local youths and the Israeli soldiers; no injuries were reported.
The clashes largely took place near the main entrance of the town, while dozens of soldiers surrounded it.
4 may 2015
Fire erupted in a northern Jordan Valley grazing land, on Monday, after Israeli army embarked on live ammunition military training in the area, according to a local official.
Aref Daraghmeh, head of Wadi al-Maleh village council, told WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency that fire engulfed large tracts of pastures used for grazing animals. He said the army denied locals from accessing their land to put out the fire.
Only yesterday, Israeli military drills near Nablus caused significant damage to hundreds of dunums of Palestinian-owned land.
On May 1, Jordan Valley Solidarity, a network of Palestinian grassroots community groups, petitioned to the UN, international embassies and international NGOs to pressure Israel to stop its regular military exercises in the northern Jordan Valley.
“This training will devastate the communities of Humsa Fouqa, Ibziq and Ras ar Ahmar and all of the surrounding area once again,” said the group.
Israel is planning to annex the Jordan Valley into a completely Israeli area, primarily in agriculture, targeting to ban territorial contiguity between a future Palestinian state and the rest of the Arab world.
Last May, a senior Israeli commander admitted that training exercises in the occupied West Bank involve live fire and are used to drive local Palestinian residents off their land.
Israeli Colonel Einav Shalev, an operations officer in the Israeli military’s central command, admitted using the tactic during a subcommittee meeting of Israel’s parliament in April 2014.
The revelation was a rare official acknowledgement of a measure that critics have long decried as part of a deliberate policy by the Israeli authorities to force Palestinians out of their land.
Aref Daraghmeh, head of Wadi al-Maleh village council, told WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency that fire engulfed large tracts of pastures used for grazing animals. He said the army denied locals from accessing their land to put out the fire.
Only yesterday, Israeli military drills near Nablus caused significant damage to hundreds of dunums of Palestinian-owned land.
On May 1, Jordan Valley Solidarity, a network of Palestinian grassroots community groups, petitioned to the UN, international embassies and international NGOs to pressure Israel to stop its regular military exercises in the northern Jordan Valley.
“This training will devastate the communities of Humsa Fouqa, Ibziq and Ras ar Ahmar and all of the surrounding area once again,” said the group.
Israel is planning to annex the Jordan Valley into a completely Israeli area, primarily in agriculture, targeting to ban territorial contiguity between a future Palestinian state and the rest of the Arab world.
Last May, a senior Israeli commander admitted that training exercises in the occupied West Bank involve live fire and are used to drive local Palestinian residents off their land.
Israeli Colonel Einav Shalev, an operations officer in the Israeli military’s central command, admitted using the tactic during a subcommittee meeting of Israel’s parliament in April 2014.
The revelation was a rare official acknowledgement of a measure that critics have long decried as part of a deliberate policy by the Israeli authorities to force Palestinians out of their land.
Israeli soldiers installed, Monday, a number of mobile homes on illegally confiscated, and uprooted Palestinian lands, belonging to Palestinian villagers, in the West Bank district of Bethlehem.
Head of the Kisan Village Council Hussein Ghazal said the soldiers installed twelve mobile homes on the lands that were bulldozed a month ago, as part of an illegal Israeli plan to build settlement units, and factories, on approximately 650 Dunams (160.6 Acres) of Palestinian lands.
The lands belong to Palestinians from Kisan village, and from Sa’ir town in the southern West Bank district of Hebron.
Ghazal said the lands are isolated behind a wall Israel recently build, to surround the illegally confiscated lands.
“The illegal Israeli measures are not only land theft, but are also preventing any expansion of Kisan,” he said, “The villagers are losing their lands, are being choked by Israel’s settlements and its illegal policies.”
Related:
Army Installs A Mobile Home On Kisan Village Land
For Second Time In 2 Days; Soldiers Bulldoze Lands Near Bethlehem
Head of the Kisan Village Council Hussein Ghazal said the soldiers installed twelve mobile homes on the lands that were bulldozed a month ago, as part of an illegal Israeli plan to build settlement units, and factories, on approximately 650 Dunams (160.6 Acres) of Palestinian lands.
The lands belong to Palestinians from Kisan village, and from Sa’ir town in the southern West Bank district of Hebron.
Ghazal said the lands are isolated behind a wall Israel recently build, to surround the illegally confiscated lands.
“The illegal Israeli measures are not only land theft, but are also preventing any expansion of Kisan,” he said, “The villagers are losing their lands, are being choked by Israel’s settlements and its illegal policies.”
Related:
Army Installs A Mobile Home On Kisan Village Land
For Second Time In 2 Days; Soldiers Bulldoze Lands Near Bethlehem
A number of armored Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers, conducted on Monday morning a limited invasion into Jabalia town, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and uprooted farmlands.
Media sources in Gaza said at least six armored D9 military bulldozers, and several armored vehicles, advanced into northern Gaza for a distance of approximately 100 meters.
The bulldozes then started uprooting and bulldozing agricultural lands, close to the border fence, and used smoke bombs to mask their vehicles while operating in northern Gaza.
The soldiers also advanced into the eastern side of Beit Hanoun nearby town, and fired several rounds of live ammunition to force the residents out of their lands.
In related news, soldiers fired live rounds on a number of farmers while in their lands, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday night after midnight, soldiers patrolled various areas across the border fence, and fired several flares while drones flew overhead.
The army conducts daily limited invasion in the coastal region, especially in Rafah and Khan Younis, in addition to the ongoing assaults against Gaza fishers and the boats.
Media sources in Gaza said at least six armored D9 military bulldozers, and several armored vehicles, advanced into northern Gaza for a distance of approximately 100 meters.
The bulldozes then started uprooting and bulldozing agricultural lands, close to the border fence, and used smoke bombs to mask their vehicles while operating in northern Gaza.
The soldiers also advanced into the eastern side of Beit Hanoun nearby town, and fired several rounds of live ammunition to force the residents out of their lands.
In related news, soldiers fired live rounds on a number of farmers while in their lands, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday night after midnight, soldiers patrolled various areas across the border fence, and fired several flares while drones flew overhead.
The army conducts daily limited invasion in the coastal region, especially in Rafah and Khan Younis, in addition to the ongoing assaults against Gaza fishers and the boats.
3 may 2015
By Nisreen Ramlawi [Translated from Arbic]
Every Arab citizen inside the green line (Israel), seemingly has the shelter to obtain a normal life, but on the ground, the occupation government and its institutions are working determinedly within the total disregard of the so-called "structural maps", which leads Arabs not to be able to obtain permits to build on their own lands.
In villages of the Negev, the coast and the Galilee Triangle, and for 20 years, the Israeli government has not ratified a single structural map to include the Palestinians. The Palestinians' flats and towns are shrinking, while their population is doubling. This led to having dozens of housing units constructed without a building permit, whose owners live under the threat of demolition.
There are more than 80 thousand Arab citizens living in unrecognized villages, most of which are based before the war 48, and despite the calims by Israel that it will stop the search regarding the Prawer project, which threatens to displace tens of thousands and the confiscate about 850 thousand acres of land, it is still working on its application on the ground very hard, and adapting laws to serve its objectives.
In an exclusive interview which PNN correspondent conducted, member of the People's Committee for the Defense of land and housing, Aziz Turi said that the Israeli authorities have continued to implement the demolition policy as it seeks to compel the Palestinians inside the green line to abandon their lands and move to live in the villages of the list in order to ground the use of the objectives of the settlement.
Turi added that Israel deprives the Palestinians of the Negev from all social and economic services such as water, electricity, construction of roads, secure public transport, in addition to the provision of health services and education for children. Furthermore, they live in constant fear of house loss and shelter, and living in the open because of the policy of demolishing houses.
The towns of the southern triangle, like the Negev constantly suffer from the scarcity of construction land the inability to expand flat construction, not having structural building map since 1963. Despite the continuous objections by the residents, in cooperation with the People's Committees, the Israeli occupation government did not take any of it into consideration, which means that the map will not be ratified for more long-term years.
In an article entitled "The housing crisis in Qalenswa, where to?," political activist Dr. Abdul Rahman Mari says that the issue of houses threatened with demolition in [Qalenswa] town is not new. In fact, it has been the main-focus event for the last two weeks, following the issuance of demolishing citizen's house under the pretext of unlicensed construction. After the mass crowd was demonstration, this unfair decision was postponed only for a few months.
In Lod and Ramle, the situation is no different. More than 70% of the residents were forced to live in the houses which Israeli authorities refuse to license.
Engineers in the city point out that there are approximately 3- 4 thousand houses labeled as "illegal," while the Ramla Municipality, several days before its , has issued s orders for the demolition of 30 houses constructed in a number of neighborhoods.
To his part, MP Jamal Zahalka, chairman of the parliamentary assembly block, in an earlier statement said that the housing distress among Arab citizens inside the green line was causing suffocation, where there is a shortage of about 40 thousand housing units, adding that he does not foresee any solutions coming.
Zahalka said that the housing crisis in Arab towns and villages is not only a product of economic policies, but rather stems from political and ideological reasons, as the Israeli goal since the Nakba is to reduce the scope of the land where the Arabs and the siege of the Palestinian Arab lives on.
In the context of the topic, PNN reported that since the beginning of 2015, nearly 100 Palestinian house inside the green line were demolished which was considered the introduction of the Zionist predominance of religious savagery to bring settlers and new immigrants to install Israel ownership on that ground and working on its Judaization, as is happening now in the occupied Jerusalem.
The Palestinians were inside the green line last week organized a demonstration in Tel Aviv, as a rejection against the policy of demolition of their homes by the Israeli occupation authorities. A a statement by the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee at the time that "the " demolition war " on the Arab houses under the pretext of the so-called falsely unauthorized construction has become very clear.
Every Arab citizen inside the green line (Israel), seemingly has the shelter to obtain a normal life, but on the ground, the occupation government and its institutions are working determinedly within the total disregard of the so-called "structural maps", which leads Arabs not to be able to obtain permits to build on their own lands.
In villages of the Negev, the coast and the Galilee Triangle, and for 20 years, the Israeli government has not ratified a single structural map to include the Palestinians. The Palestinians' flats and towns are shrinking, while their population is doubling. This led to having dozens of housing units constructed without a building permit, whose owners live under the threat of demolition.
There are more than 80 thousand Arab citizens living in unrecognized villages, most of which are based before the war 48, and despite the calims by Israel that it will stop the search regarding the Prawer project, which threatens to displace tens of thousands and the confiscate about 850 thousand acres of land, it is still working on its application on the ground very hard, and adapting laws to serve its objectives.
In an exclusive interview which PNN correspondent conducted, member of the People's Committee for the Defense of land and housing, Aziz Turi said that the Israeli authorities have continued to implement the demolition policy as it seeks to compel the Palestinians inside the green line to abandon their lands and move to live in the villages of the list in order to ground the use of the objectives of the settlement.
Turi added that Israel deprives the Palestinians of the Negev from all social and economic services such as water, electricity, construction of roads, secure public transport, in addition to the provision of health services and education for children. Furthermore, they live in constant fear of house loss and shelter, and living in the open because of the policy of demolishing houses.
The towns of the southern triangle, like the Negev constantly suffer from the scarcity of construction land the inability to expand flat construction, not having structural building map since 1963. Despite the continuous objections by the residents, in cooperation with the People's Committees, the Israeli occupation government did not take any of it into consideration, which means that the map will not be ratified for more long-term years.
In an article entitled "The housing crisis in Qalenswa, where to?," political activist Dr. Abdul Rahman Mari says that the issue of houses threatened with demolition in [Qalenswa] town is not new. In fact, it has been the main-focus event for the last two weeks, following the issuance of demolishing citizen's house under the pretext of unlicensed construction. After the mass crowd was demonstration, this unfair decision was postponed only for a few months.
In Lod and Ramle, the situation is no different. More than 70% of the residents were forced to live in the houses which Israeli authorities refuse to license.
Engineers in the city point out that there are approximately 3- 4 thousand houses labeled as "illegal," while the Ramla Municipality, several days before its , has issued s orders for the demolition of 30 houses constructed in a number of neighborhoods.
To his part, MP Jamal Zahalka, chairman of the parliamentary assembly block, in an earlier statement said that the housing distress among Arab citizens inside the green line was causing suffocation, where there is a shortage of about 40 thousand housing units, adding that he does not foresee any solutions coming.
Zahalka said that the housing crisis in Arab towns and villages is not only a product of economic policies, but rather stems from political and ideological reasons, as the Israeli goal since the Nakba is to reduce the scope of the land where the Arabs and the siege of the Palestinian Arab lives on.
In the context of the topic, PNN reported that since the beginning of 2015, nearly 100 Palestinian house inside the green line were demolished which was considered the introduction of the Zionist predominance of religious savagery to bring settlers and new immigrants to install Israel ownership on that ground and working on its Judaization, as is happening now in the occupied Jerusalem.
The Palestinians were inside the green line last week organized a demonstration in Tel Aviv, as a rejection against the policy of demolition of their homes by the Israeli occupation authorities. A a statement by the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee at the time that "the " demolition war " on the Arab houses under the pretext of the so-called falsely unauthorized construction has become very clear.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) at dawn Sunday broke into local offices for currency exchange in the West Bank city of al-Khalil and grabbed hold of money and other properties.
A drove of Israeli army jeeps rolled into al-Khalil City at the crack of dawn and stormed the local offices of the Abdine agencies for currency exchange in Ein Sara, Al-Salam Street, Bab al-Zaouia, Douar al-Manara and al-Haras, bystanders at the scene told a PIC journalist.
The invading IOF troops further dragged the offices’ owner, Fdhl al-Abdine, out of his family home and forced him to unbolt the entrance doors moments before they held sway over important documents, laptops, and hard cash.
A similar assault by the IOF cropped up last June on allegations of chasing down the youngsters Amer Abu Eisha and Marwan al-Qawasmi following the disappearance of three Israeli soldiers from al-Khalil.
A drove of Israeli army jeeps rolled into al-Khalil City at the crack of dawn and stormed the local offices of the Abdine agencies for currency exchange in Ein Sara, Al-Salam Street, Bab al-Zaouia, Douar al-Manara and al-Haras, bystanders at the scene told a PIC journalist.
The invading IOF troops further dragged the offices’ owner, Fdhl al-Abdine, out of his family home and forced him to unbolt the entrance doors moments before they held sway over important documents, laptops, and hard cash.
A similar assault by the IOF cropped up last June on allegations of chasing down the youngsters Amer Abu Eisha and Marwan al-Qawasmi following the disappearance of three Israeli soldiers from al-Khalil.
Israeli occupation forces on Sunday morning have sabotaged hundreds of dunums of agricultural lands in Khirbet Tawil east Nablus, using military crawlers.
Local sources said that Israeli forces have sabotaged these lands, following a military drill which took place there.
Their crawlers and machines were brought in to Nablus since last week in preparation.
Israeli Forces Raid Agricultural Lands in Khirbet al-Tawil
Israeli forces, Sunday morning, sabotaged hundreds of dunams of agricultural lands in Khirbet al-Tawil, east of Nablus, using military crawlers.
According to the PNN, local sources said that Israeli forces have sabotaged these lands, following a military drill which took place there.
Their crawlers and machines were brought in to Nablus since last week in preparation.
Al Ray further reported that a member of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, Yousef Dereya, said that Israeli forces mobilized over 60 tanks in the area, a week ago.
He explained that Palestinian civilians in Khirbet al-Tawil woke up to the sounds of heavy gun fire, causing extreme panic.
Local sources said that Israeli forces have sabotaged these lands, following a military drill which took place there.
Their crawlers and machines were brought in to Nablus since last week in preparation.
Israeli Forces Raid Agricultural Lands in Khirbet al-Tawil
Israeli forces, Sunday morning, sabotaged hundreds of dunams of agricultural lands in Khirbet al-Tawil, east of Nablus, using military crawlers.
According to the PNN, local sources said that Israeli forces have sabotaged these lands, following a military drill which took place there.
Their crawlers and machines were brought in to Nablus since last week in preparation.
Al Ray further reported that a member of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, Yousef Dereya, said that Israeli forces mobilized over 60 tanks in the area, a week ago.
He explained that Palestinian civilians in Khirbet al-Tawil woke up to the sounds of heavy gun fire, causing extreme panic.