17 sept 2016
Israeli soldiers forced, Friday, a Palestinian man to demolish his own home, in Jabal al-Mokabber town, south of occupied East Jerusalem, after the City Council ruled for the demolition of the property, under the pretext of being built without a permit.
The Palestinian, Morad Ja’abees, built him home ten years ago, and was living in it with his wife and eight other family members.
He resorted to demolishing the property as the fines and costs are more than 80.000 Israeli Shekels, should the City Council conduct the destruction.
“I received a demolition order three months ago,” he said, “Having Israel demolish my home would costs me much more than the costs of destroying my home on my own – It is very hard for a human being to destroy his home after he built it brick by brick….”
“I am from Jabal al-Mokabber; I was born here, raised her and will continue to be here, even if I have to live in a tent,” he added, “Israel is practicing ethnic cleansing against us, wants the Palestinians out of occupied Jerusalem.”
It is worth mentioning that dozens of Palestinians volunteered to help the Palestinian since early-morning hours until the evening, especially since they also had to remove the rubble as part of the Israeli ruling against the property.
The Palestinian, Morad Ja’abees, built him home ten years ago, and was living in it with his wife and eight other family members.
He resorted to demolishing the property as the fines and costs are more than 80.000 Israeli Shekels, should the City Council conduct the destruction.
“I received a demolition order three months ago,” he said, “Having Israel demolish my home would costs me much more than the costs of destroying my home on my own – It is very hard for a human being to destroy his home after he built it brick by brick….”
“I am from Jabal al-Mokabber; I was born here, raised her and will continue to be here, even if I have to live in a tent,” he added, “Israel is practicing ethnic cleansing against us, wants the Palestinians out of occupied Jerusalem.”
It is worth mentioning that dozens of Palestinians volunteered to help the Palestinian since early-morning hours until the evening, especially since they also had to remove the rubble as part of the Israeli ruling against the property.
10 sept 2016
The national bureau for defending the land and resisting settlement has strongly denounced Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu for defending the presence of settlements in the West Bank and comparing their residents to the Palestinian Arabs in Israel.
In a report on Saturday, the national bureau also condemned the head of the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem Nir Barkat for bragging, during his recent meeting with Likud officials, about his authority's cooperation with the police and the Shin Bet to punish Palestinian families in east Jerusalem, whose relatives are accused of carrying out attacks against Israelis.
It also warned of Israel's intents to use military orders extensively to seize Palestinian abandoned property in the West Bank in order to build or expand settlements.
The national bureau appealed to the international community to swiftly intervene to pressure the Israeli government to halt its settlement expansion activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In a report on Saturday, the national bureau also condemned the head of the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem Nir Barkat for bragging, during his recent meeting with Likud officials, about his authority's cooperation with the police and the Shin Bet to punish Palestinian families in east Jerusalem, whose relatives are accused of carrying out attacks against Israelis.
It also warned of Israel's intents to use military orders extensively to seize Palestinian abandoned property in the West Bank in order to build or expand settlements.
The national bureau appealed to the international community to swiftly intervene to pressure the Israeli government to halt its settlement expansion activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Israeli municipality in Jerusalem has seized a vast tract of Palestinian land in Jabel Mukaber neighborhood, east of the holy city, for the construction of a synagogue and a ritual pond for Jewish settlers from Nof Zion settlement.
According to Iroshalim newspaper, the Jerusalem district planning and building committee had already sanctioned a plan to annex the land for the building of the synagogue and pond.
According to councilwoman Laura Wharton, the seized land is for the building of a synagogue and mikveh (Jewish ritual purification bath).
The land seized is private land, though the identity of the owners is clear. "Tens of thousands of Palestinians living near Nof Zion are short of classrooms, kindergartens, public parks, community centers and basic services.
The city adds to its sins by advancing construction plans for new residents while failing to permit construction for the Palestinians," said Wharton, a member of Jerusalem's city council.
"All Israeli citizens are paying for the expropriation of land for a small number of settlers, who move into Palestinian areas which none of the world recognizes as Israeli territory," she added.
According to Iroshalim newspaper, the Jerusalem district planning and building committee had already sanctioned a plan to annex the land for the building of the synagogue and pond.
According to councilwoman Laura Wharton, the seized land is for the building of a synagogue and mikveh (Jewish ritual purification bath).
The land seized is private land, though the identity of the owners is clear. "Tens of thousands of Palestinians living near Nof Zion are short of classrooms, kindergartens, public parks, community centers and basic services.
The city adds to its sins by advancing construction plans for new residents while failing to permit construction for the Palestinians," said Wharton, a member of Jerusalem's city council.
"All Israeli citizens are paying for the expropriation of land for a small number of settlers, who move into Palestinian areas which none of the world recognizes as Israeli territory," she added.
9 sept 2016
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Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) : Israel has, for the first time, used the illegal home demolition policy it uses in Palestine in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Tel Aviv declared that Israel and the Golan are “part and parcel” and that the international community should get used to the fact that Israel will annex the Syrian territory that holds major energy reserves. Israel also aids “Syrian rebels” via a corridor from which UN blue helmets were displaced.
Israeli occupation authorities in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, on Wednesday, and for the first time, demolished a home, claiming it was built without permission. The demolition and claims that the house was built without permission violates Israel’s obligations under international law, according to which an |
occupying power must assure that administration in occupied territories adhere, to the greatest possible degree, to the law of the occupied country’s territory.
Israel has, however, enforced new Hebrew as official administrative language, denies building permits and engages in other violations of international law that aim at oppressing the Arab population and culture and Syrian administration in the occupied Golan.
Al Marsad, which is the only human rights organization that operates in the Golan, reported that hundreds of Israeli police accompanied by bulldozers demolished the home of Bassam Ibrahim in Majdal Shams, the largest town in the Israeli occupied Golan. In a statement, Al Marsad said:
“This is the first time that the Israeli authorities have demolished a home in Majdal Shams. … The destruction of this home marks the adoption of a new systematic policy of home demolitions by the Israeli authorities in the remaining Syrian villages in the Occupied Syrian Golan. The Syrian owners of dozens of other homes have been threatened with similar action. … As a result of the severe restrictions imposed by Israeli planning and construction committees, it is close to impossible for the Syrian population to obtain the necessary building permits. Therefore, the Syrian population is forced to build homes without building permits, as this is the only way to meet their housing needs given unprecedented levels of overcrowding,”
The rights organization accused Israel of preventing the Syrian population from building in their cities while encouraging and facilitating the construction and expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights. Israel occupied the Syrian Golan Heights after the June 1967 war.
Israel’s continued occupation violates international law and has been opposed by several UN General Assembly resolutions. None of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members (P5), however, has taken any tangible steps that would be consistent with their mandate and obligation to end the illegal occupation.
The failure of UN Security Council and the UN system as a whole has emboldened Israel to declare that “Israel and the Golan are part and parcel”. In June 2013 an Austrian United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) officer explained that Israel was maintaining a joint intelligence and operations room with “Syrian rebels”. Warnings by Syrian UN Envoy Dr. Al-Hamwi, in July 2013, to the effect that Israel commits methodical crimes in the Golan were ignored by the UN Security Council (UNSC).
By mid-2013, reports about the Israeli involvement in the war on Syria via the Israeli occupied Syrian Golan and in the UNDOF controlled neutral zone slowly made it to some of the Western and Arab media. The administration of Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu transformed that, what could have developed into a PR nightmare, into a propaganda success when Netanyahu visited an Israeli field hospital for “Syrian opposition fighters”.
Netanyahu told Israeli TV viewers and international press that the field hospital showed the true, humanitarian face of Israel. The PM did not mention a word about Israel’s direct and indirect military support of Jabhat al-Nusrah and other al-Qaeda associated brigades.
Israel has, however, enforced new Hebrew as official administrative language, denies building permits and engages in other violations of international law that aim at oppressing the Arab population and culture and Syrian administration in the occupied Golan.
Al Marsad, which is the only human rights organization that operates in the Golan, reported that hundreds of Israeli police accompanied by bulldozers demolished the home of Bassam Ibrahim in Majdal Shams, the largest town in the Israeli occupied Golan. In a statement, Al Marsad said:
“This is the first time that the Israeli authorities have demolished a home in Majdal Shams. … The destruction of this home marks the adoption of a new systematic policy of home demolitions by the Israeli authorities in the remaining Syrian villages in the Occupied Syrian Golan. The Syrian owners of dozens of other homes have been threatened with similar action. … As a result of the severe restrictions imposed by Israeli planning and construction committees, it is close to impossible for the Syrian population to obtain the necessary building permits. Therefore, the Syrian population is forced to build homes without building permits, as this is the only way to meet their housing needs given unprecedented levels of overcrowding,”
The rights organization accused Israel of preventing the Syrian population from building in their cities while encouraging and facilitating the construction and expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights. Israel occupied the Syrian Golan Heights after the June 1967 war.
Israel’s continued occupation violates international law and has been opposed by several UN General Assembly resolutions. None of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members (P5), however, has taken any tangible steps that would be consistent with their mandate and obligation to end the illegal occupation.
The failure of UN Security Council and the UN system as a whole has emboldened Israel to declare that “Israel and the Golan are part and parcel”. In June 2013 an Austrian United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) officer explained that Israel was maintaining a joint intelligence and operations room with “Syrian rebels”. Warnings by Syrian UN Envoy Dr. Al-Hamwi, in July 2013, to the effect that Israel commits methodical crimes in the Golan were ignored by the UN Security Council (UNSC).
By mid-2013, reports about the Israeli involvement in the war on Syria via the Israeli occupied Syrian Golan and in the UNDOF controlled neutral zone slowly made it to some of the Western and Arab media. The administration of Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu transformed that, what could have developed into a PR nightmare, into a propaganda success when Netanyahu visited an Israeli field hospital for “Syrian opposition fighters”.
Netanyahu told Israeli TV viewers and international press that the field hospital showed the true, humanitarian face of Israel. The PM did not mention a word about Israel’s direct and indirect military support of Jabhat al-Nusrah and other al-Qaeda associated brigades.
Image: The UNDOF withdrawal leaves a 12 – 16 km wide corridor uncontrolled by the UNDOF. In 2013 it transpired that Israel is providing support for Jabhat al-Nusrah, which includes a joint intelligence and military operations room in the Israeli occupied Golan, logistic support, weapons, field hospitals, and direct combat support. (Map plotting by Christof Lehmann) Click on map to view full size.
Also in 2013, Israeli machinations and cooperation with Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusrah, resulted in the withdrawal of UNDOF troops from a 12 – 16 kilometer wide corridor in the disengagement zone.
The corridor facilitated direct logistic support of Islamist insurgents in Syria via this corridor. Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Pyotr Ilyichev, urged the international community to use its influence on anti-Syrian militants in the Golan Heights to prevent the phase-down of the UNDOF peacekeeping mission.
However, the lip-service of the deputy representative did not manifest in a Russian sponsored UN Security Council resolution.
In February 2014, then Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman publicly called for “settling the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights within the framework of the Israeli – Palestinian negotiations” adding that “part of this comprehensive bargain has to cover an understanding between Israel, the international community and the USA” and adding that “the Golan is part and parcel with Israel”.
Wednesday morning, March 5, 2014, Israeli troops launched military attacks against Syria from the Israeli occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Several Syrian Internal Security Forces and civilians were injured. On March 7, mass protests in Syria denounced Israel’s aggression.
In May 2014, Israel denied Syrians in the occupied Golan Heights voting rights during Syrian elections. Again, the United Nations failed to respond.
In 2015, Israel intensified its annexation program, inspired by the discovery of substantial hydrocarbon resources in the Golan Heights. US interests involving Genie Energy and celebrities including Dick Cheney are involved in plans to develop the resources.
Prior to talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in April 2016, Netanyahu asserted that “Israel will never relinquish the Golan Heights”.
Putin, the President of a permanent UN Security Council member State was spectacularly silent about Israel’s “red lines”. In June, 2016 Syrians in the occupied Golan launched protests against Israel’s annexation plans. The international press was spectacularly silent. None of the fiver permanent UNSC member States officially responded to the first “home demolition”.
CH/L – nsnbc 09.09.2016
Also in 2013, Israeli machinations and cooperation with Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusrah, resulted in the withdrawal of UNDOF troops from a 12 – 16 kilometer wide corridor in the disengagement zone.
The corridor facilitated direct logistic support of Islamist insurgents in Syria via this corridor. Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Pyotr Ilyichev, urged the international community to use its influence on anti-Syrian militants in the Golan Heights to prevent the phase-down of the UNDOF peacekeeping mission.
However, the lip-service of the deputy representative did not manifest in a Russian sponsored UN Security Council resolution.
In February 2014, then Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman publicly called for “settling the Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights within the framework of the Israeli – Palestinian negotiations” adding that “part of this comprehensive bargain has to cover an understanding between Israel, the international community and the USA” and adding that “the Golan is part and parcel with Israel”.
Wednesday morning, March 5, 2014, Israeli troops launched military attacks against Syria from the Israeli occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Several Syrian Internal Security Forces and civilians were injured. On March 7, mass protests in Syria denounced Israel’s aggression.
In May 2014, Israel denied Syrians in the occupied Golan Heights voting rights during Syrian elections. Again, the United Nations failed to respond.
In 2015, Israel intensified its annexation program, inspired by the discovery of substantial hydrocarbon resources in the Golan Heights. US interests involving Genie Energy and celebrities including Dick Cheney are involved in plans to develop the resources.
Prior to talks between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, in April 2016, Netanyahu asserted that “Israel will never relinquish the Golan Heights”.
Putin, the President of a permanent UN Security Council member State was spectacularly silent about Israel’s “red lines”. In June, 2016 Syrians in the occupied Golan launched protests against Israel’s annexation plans. The international press was spectacularly silent. None of the fiver permanent UNSC member States officially responded to the first “home demolition”.
CH/L – nsnbc 09.09.2016
A group of Jewish settlers on Thursday entered under military protection an archaeological area north of al-Khalil city with the intention of taking it over.
Local activist Mohamed Awad told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that dozens of settlers escorted by officers from the Israeli army's civil administration and the Shin Bet stormed Khirbet Jala area, west of Beit Ummar town in al-Khalil, and combed the archaeological location with its wells and caves using maps and laptops.
Awad expressed fears of Israeli intents to build a settlement or carry out a Judaization project on the historical site, where there is an ancient Islamic shrine.
Local activist Mohamed Awad told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that dozens of settlers escorted by officers from the Israeli army's civil administration and the Shin Bet stormed Khirbet Jala area, west of Beit Ummar town in al-Khalil, and combed the archaeological location with its wells and caves using maps and laptops.
Awad expressed fears of Israeli intents to build a settlement or carry out a Judaization project on the historical site, where there is an ancient Islamic shrine.
Israeli navy ships opened fired, on Thursday, at a number of Palestinian fishing boats close to the shore in the besieged Gaza Strip, kidnapped five fishers and confiscated their boat.
Zakariyya Bakr, the head of the Fishers Committees at the Union of Agricultural Committees, said the navy ships fired many live rounds towards the boats, west of Wadi Gaza area, less than 4 nautical miles from the shore, and kidnapped five fishers.
Bakr added that the kidnapped fishers have been identified as Mohammad Abdul-Mo’ty al-Habeel, Abdul-Mo’ty Ibrahim al-Habeel, Fayez Abu Fool and Ali Ayman al-Habeel, and Ahmad Mohammad al-‘Arayshy.
The attack is part of frequent violations against the fishers in Gaza waters, in addition to attacks targeting workers and farmers in Palestinian lands across the border fence.
Zakariyya Bakr, the head of the Fishers Committees at the Union of Agricultural Committees, said the navy ships fired many live rounds towards the boats, west of Wadi Gaza area, less than 4 nautical miles from the shore, and kidnapped five fishers.
Bakr added that the kidnapped fishers have been identified as Mohammad Abdul-Mo’ty al-Habeel, Abdul-Mo’ty Ibrahim al-Habeel, Fayez Abu Fool and Ali Ayman al-Habeel, and Ahmad Mohammad al-‘Arayshy.
The attack is part of frequent violations against the fishers in Gaza waters, in addition to attacks targeting workers and farmers in Palestinian lands across the border fence.
8 sept 2016
image: Wikipedia
Israel, and, for the very first time, demolished a home in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights on Wednesday, claiming that it was built without a permit, a Golan-based human rights group said on Thursday.
Al Marsad, the only human rights group operating in the Golan Heights, stated, according to WAFA correspondence, that hundreds of Israeli police accompanied bulldozers as they proceeded to demolish the home of Bassam Ibrahim in Majdal Shams, the largest town in the occupied Syrian Golan, under the pretext that it was built without a permit.
“This is the first time that the Israeli authorities have demolished a home in Majdal Shams,” said Al Marsad. “The destruction of this home marks the adoption of a new systematic policy of home demolitions by the Israeli authorities in the remaining Syrian villages in the Occupied Syrian Golan. The Syrian owners of dozens of other homes have been threatened with similar action,” it said.
Al Marsad accused Israel of preventing the Syrian population from building in their cities while encouraging and facilitating the construction and expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights.
“As a result of the severe restrictions imposed by Israeli planning and construction committees, it is close to impossible for the Syrian population to obtain the necessary building permits. Therefore, the Syrian population is forced to build homes without building permits, as this is the only way to meet their housing needs given unprecedented levels of overcrowding,” said Al Marsad.
Israel occupied the Golan Heights in the June 1967 war.
Israel, and, for the very first time, demolished a home in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights on Wednesday, claiming that it was built without a permit, a Golan-based human rights group said on Thursday.
Al Marsad, the only human rights group operating in the Golan Heights, stated, according to WAFA correspondence, that hundreds of Israeli police accompanied bulldozers as they proceeded to demolish the home of Bassam Ibrahim in Majdal Shams, the largest town in the occupied Syrian Golan, under the pretext that it was built without a permit.
“This is the first time that the Israeli authorities have demolished a home in Majdal Shams,” said Al Marsad. “The destruction of this home marks the adoption of a new systematic policy of home demolitions by the Israeli authorities in the remaining Syrian villages in the Occupied Syrian Golan. The Syrian owners of dozens of other homes have been threatened with similar action,” it said.
Al Marsad accused Israel of preventing the Syrian population from building in their cities while encouraging and facilitating the construction and expansion of illegal Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights.
“As a result of the severe restrictions imposed by Israeli planning and construction committees, it is close to impossible for the Syrian population to obtain the necessary building permits. Therefore, the Syrian population is forced to build homes without building permits, as this is the only way to meet their housing needs given unprecedented levels of overcrowding,” said Al Marsad.
Israel occupied the Golan Heights in the June 1967 war.
Israeli settlers residing in the illegal Leshem settlement, in western Salfit, isolated an ancient Palestinian village from all sides.
A PIC news reporter quoted eyewitnesses as saying that ongoing works to improve Leshem’s infrastructure at the expense of Palestinian lands led to the dismemberment of Dir Samaan village.
“From now on, in order for Palestinians to enter the village they will have to obtain permits from the occupation army after settlers fenced it off from all corners,” said a Palestinian native inhabitant.
Researcher Khaled Maali urged the UNESCO to put Dir Samaan village on the World Heritage List so as to prevent its annexation to the Leshem settlement.
Maali warned of the dangerous upshots of Israeli illegal settlement on Palestinian archaeological sites and historical monuments in Salfit, among other occupied provinces.
“According to International Law, the Israeli illegal settlement is a war crime. It has led to the loss of Palestinian historical sites, several among which got leveled in favor of illegal settlement expansion,” Maali stated.
He added that the Israeli government aims at distorting facts on the ground and concocting a counterfeit Israeli history.
A PIC news reporter quoted eyewitnesses as saying that ongoing works to improve Leshem’s infrastructure at the expense of Palestinian lands led to the dismemberment of Dir Samaan village.
“From now on, in order for Palestinians to enter the village they will have to obtain permits from the occupation army after settlers fenced it off from all corners,” said a Palestinian native inhabitant.
Researcher Khaled Maali urged the UNESCO to put Dir Samaan village on the World Heritage List so as to prevent its annexation to the Leshem settlement.
Maali warned of the dangerous upshots of Israeli illegal settlement on Palestinian archaeological sites and historical monuments in Salfit, among other occupied provinces.
“According to International Law, the Israeli illegal settlement is a war crime. It has led to the loss of Palestinian historical sites, several among which got leveled in favor of illegal settlement expansion,” Maali stated.
He added that the Israeli government aims at distorting facts on the ground and concocting a counterfeit Israeli history.