30 jan 2016
Israeli authorities notified Palestinian Bedouin families, on Thursday, of the planned demolition of their houses, giving them a deadline of February 1st to evacuate the structures.
The structures are situated between the occupied West Bank cities of Nablus and Ramallah, according to Al Ray.
Suleiman El-Zawahra, a Palestinian citizen, said that the families were told evacuate the structures, stressing that the demolition process targets more than 30 facilities which are used for housing and ranching.
In an interview with Quds Press Service, El-Zawahra noted that the structures belong to a number of Palestinian Bedouin families, and are inhabited by around 80 individuals.
He explained that Israeli authorities have declared the region a “closed military zone” which means building and residing there are prohibited. He stressed that the Bedouin families have been living there for nearly 30 years.
El-Zawahra explained that the families were told to evacuate the area years ago, but filed a petition against the decision. The court recently rejected the appeal.
He pointed out that the families do not have any alternative accommodation.
Israeli authorities continue to demolish many Palestinian Bedouin villages in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in order to expand Israeli settlements.
The structures are situated between the occupied West Bank cities of Nablus and Ramallah, according to Al Ray.
Suleiman El-Zawahra, a Palestinian citizen, said that the families were told evacuate the structures, stressing that the demolition process targets more than 30 facilities which are used for housing and ranching.
In an interview with Quds Press Service, El-Zawahra noted that the structures belong to a number of Palestinian Bedouin families, and are inhabited by around 80 individuals.
He explained that Israeli authorities have declared the region a “closed military zone” which means building and residing there are prohibited. He stressed that the Bedouin families have been living there for nearly 30 years.
El-Zawahra explained that the families were told to evacuate the area years ago, but filed a petition against the decision. The court recently rejected the appeal.
He pointed out that the families do not have any alternative accommodation.
Israeli authorities continue to demolish many Palestinian Bedouin villages in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in order to expand Israeli settlements.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Friday night confiscated heavy equipment used for paving a road in northern Jordan Valley for the prohibition of work on that road.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that Israeli forces confiscated three bulldozers and three trucks while working on opening an agricultural land in al-Deir border area to the east of Ain al-Beida village in northern Jordan Valley.
Israeli troops took the workers along with the vehicles to a nearby military camp and warned them of carrying on work on that road, the sources pointed out.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that Israeli forces confiscated three bulldozers and three trucks while working on opening an agricultural land in al-Deir border area to the east of Ain al-Beida village in northern Jordan Valley.
Israeli troops took the workers along with the vehicles to a nearby military camp and warned them of carrying on work on that road, the sources pointed out.
29 jan 2016
Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, on Friday at dawn, the students' dorms in Abu Dis University, east of occupied Jerusalem, searched and ransacked them causing excessive property damage, and confiscated computers and flags.
The army detained the university guards in one room, before conducting the invasion, and violent searches.
The University said the soldiers surrounded the campus before invading it, approximately at three at dawn, and started breaking into student’s rooms and searching them.
The soldiers smashed several computers and laptops, confiscated Palestinian flags and flags of different factions.
Following the invasion, clashes took place close to the university as many youths hurled stones and empty bottles on the military vehicles, while the soldiers fired several live rounds and gas bombs.
The army detained the university guards in one room, before conducting the invasion, and violent searches.
The University said the soldiers surrounded the campus before invading it, approximately at three at dawn, and started breaking into student’s rooms and searching them.
The soldiers smashed several computers and laptops, confiscated Palestinian flags and flags of different factions.
Following the invasion, clashes took place close to the university as many youths hurled stones and empty bottles on the military vehicles, while the soldiers fired several live rounds and gas bombs.
Preacher of the holy al-Aqsa Mosque and the Head of the Islamic Supreme Council, Sheikh Ekrema Sabri, warned, on Wednesday, of an Israeli plan to knock down over 30,000 Palestinian homes in the holy occupied city of Jerusalem.
Sabri said in an exclusive statement to the PIC, the Israeli occupation demolished five Palestinian homes over the past couple of days and arrested dozens of Palestinian youths.
Sheikh Sabri spoke out against the preplanned demolition policies pursued by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian homes under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
He further denounced the demolition of the family homes of slain Palestinian anti-occupation activists, dubbing it a policy of collective punishment against the Palestinians.
The preacher added that 54 Palestinian homes had been subjected to arbitrary demolition since the start of 2016. Sheikh Sabri said a popular campaign is set to kick off on February 8, to collect donations for the reconstruction of the demolished homes. He further warned of the ongoing Israeli aggression and sacrilegious schemes on Muslims’ the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
Sabri said in an exclusive statement to the PIC, the Israeli occupation demolished five Palestinian homes over the past couple of days and arrested dozens of Palestinian youths.
Sheikh Sabri spoke out against the preplanned demolition policies pursued by the Israeli occupation against Palestinian homes under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
He further denounced the demolition of the family homes of slain Palestinian anti-occupation activists, dubbing it a policy of collective punishment against the Palestinians.
The preacher added that 54 Palestinian homes had been subjected to arbitrary demolition since the start of 2016. Sheikh Sabri said a popular campaign is set to kick off on February 8, to collect donations for the reconstruction of the demolished homes. He further warned of the ongoing Israeli aggression and sacrilegious schemes on Muslims’ the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
28 jan 2016
The Israeli Occupation Authority (IOA) distributed demolition notices to Palestinian Bedouin families in the West Bank informing them of the intention to raze 30 structures by February the first.
One of the notified Bedouins, Suleiman Zawahra, said that the demolition orders include structures housing 80 people as well as other facilities used for raising sheep in al-Rashrash hamlet between Nablus and Ramallah.
The Palestinian owners of those structures have been residing in their homes for 30 years, he pointed out. Zawahra told Quds press that the IOA prohibits the construction of houses or residence facilities in that area under the pretext of being declared as a closed military zone.
An Israeli court has recently refused an appeal that was filed by Bedouin residents years ago in protest at the demolition orders. An Israeli report disclosed that 78% of those closed military areas have been used to expand the nearby settlements. He estimated the area of that region at one million and 765 thousand dunums, which is equal to a third of the West Bank’s area.
One of the notified Bedouins, Suleiman Zawahra, said that the demolition orders include structures housing 80 people as well as other facilities used for raising sheep in al-Rashrash hamlet between Nablus and Ramallah.
The Palestinian owners of those structures have been residing in their homes for 30 years, he pointed out. Zawahra told Quds press that the IOA prohibits the construction of houses or residence facilities in that area under the pretext of being declared as a closed military zone.
An Israeli court has recently refused an appeal that was filed by Bedouin residents years ago in protest at the demolition orders. An Israeli report disclosed that 78% of those closed military areas have been used to expand the nearby settlements. He estimated the area of that region at one million and 765 thousand dunums, which is equal to a third of the West Bank’s area.
Israeli bulldozers Thursday morning razed a mosque in the unrecognized village of Rakhmeh in the Negev for the second time in a month.
The regional council of the unrecognized Arab villages said, in a statement, that Israeli troops escorted the bulldozers and besieged the village prior to the demolition of the mosque.
The Arab MK in the Israeli Knesset, Talab Abu Arar, opined that razing the mosque is a violation of Palestinian sacred places.
He told Quds Press that the Israeli authorities aim at displacing and expelling Palestinians out of their land.
The Director General of the Arab Center for Alternative Planning, Hana Sweid, told Quds Press that the number of structures threatened with demolition by Israeli forces in Negev area for lacking construction permits is estimated at 50,000. The Israeli authorities refuse to recognize 51 Arab villages in Negev and have systematically been destroying homes of those villages.
The regional council of the unrecognized Arab villages said, in a statement, that Israeli troops escorted the bulldozers and besieged the village prior to the demolition of the mosque.
The Arab MK in the Israeli Knesset, Talab Abu Arar, opined that razing the mosque is a violation of Palestinian sacred places.
He told Quds Press that the Israeli authorities aim at displacing and expelling Palestinians out of their land.
The Director General of the Arab Center for Alternative Planning, Hana Sweid, told Quds Press that the number of structures threatened with demolition by Israeli forces in Negev area for lacking construction permits is estimated at 50,000. The Israeli authorities refuse to recognize 51 Arab villages in Negev and have systematically been destroying homes of those villages.
Israeli authorities, overnight, served several Palestinian families with eviction orders from Ein al-Rushrash, a locality southeast Douma village, south of Nablus, according to a local activist.
Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement construction in northern West Bank, said that Israeli forces handed a number of Palestinian families orders notifying them of the intention to evict them from Ein al-Rushrash.
Daghlas noted, according to WAFA, that there are about 85 Palestinians living in 30 residential structures in this locality.
This comes just 16 days after Israel announced plans to install six watchtowers along a main north-south West Bank road, and delivered stop-construction orders to Palestinian houses in Khirbat al-Marajim, also south of Douma.
Israeli forces notified Palestinian villagers of Sarra, Madama and Burin villages of plans to set up six military watchtowers along the Ramallah-Nablus road, also marked as Route 60, effectively seizing and denying villagers access to hundreds of dunams of Palestinian farmlands on both sides of Route 60.
Since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, Palestinians have not been able to travel freely on the Nablus-Ramallah road, which is spotted with Israeli checkpoints where the road passes from areas under Palestinian Authority or Israeli military control.
In addition to checkpoints, Israeli authorities have established several bypass roads, enabling Israel traffic to avoid areas of Route 60 which pass through Palestinian jurisdiction.
Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement construction in northern West Bank, said that Israeli forces handed a number of Palestinian families orders notifying them of the intention to evict them from Ein al-Rushrash.
Daghlas noted, according to WAFA, that there are about 85 Palestinians living in 30 residential structures in this locality.
This comes just 16 days after Israel announced plans to install six watchtowers along a main north-south West Bank road, and delivered stop-construction orders to Palestinian houses in Khirbat al-Marajim, also south of Douma.
Israeli forces notified Palestinian villagers of Sarra, Madama and Burin villages of plans to set up six military watchtowers along the Ramallah-Nablus road, also marked as Route 60, effectively seizing and denying villagers access to hundreds of dunams of Palestinian farmlands on both sides of Route 60.
Since the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, Palestinians have not been able to travel freely on the Nablus-Ramallah road, which is spotted with Israeli checkpoints where the road passes from areas under Palestinian Authority or Israeli military control.
In addition to checkpoints, Israeli authorities have established several bypass roads, enabling Israel traffic to avoid areas of Route 60 which pass through Palestinian jurisdiction.
27 jan 2016
Israeli gunboats on Wednesday opened machine gunfire at Palestinian fishing boats to the west of al-Sudaniya area in northern Gaza. Israeli forces, as well, arrested four fishermen and confiscated their fishing boat.
According to the committee of documenting Israeli violations against Gazan fishermen, the arrested Gazans were taken to an unknown destination.
The attack is another episode in the series of Israeli violations of the Cairo-brokered truce accord signed on August 26, 2014 in the wake of the Israeli aggression on the besieged coastal enclave, which killed over 2,300 Palestinians, mostly civilians.
According to the committee of documenting Israeli violations against Gazan fishermen, the arrested Gazans were taken to an unknown destination.
The attack is another episode in the series of Israeli violations of the Cairo-brokered truce accord signed on August 26, 2014 in the wake of the Israeli aggression on the besieged coastal enclave, which killed over 2,300 Palestinians, mostly civilians.
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Eighteen Jerusalemite were injured during the demolition of Kifaya Risheq’s house in the neighborhood of Shu’fat north of Jerusalem and 24 individuals including 17 children were displaced.
Rajeh Hawareen from the Palestinian Red Crescent explained that the occupation forces assaulted the residents including women and children. Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that 18 Jerusalemites by pepper gas and bruises. Among the injured was 11-year old Malak Risheq who is a special needs person. Also, the 17-year old Khaled Risheq was wounded in his head after being severely beaten by the occupation forces and one young man was |
wounded in his leg. Three paramedics were also injured during the assault and one woman fainted.
Demolition and displacement…
Kifaya Risheq explained that the forces evacuated the residents by force and without prior notice. They did not allow them to take the contents of their house nor did they allow them to grab their personal items; the municipality’s crews took some of the house contents before proceeding with the demolition process.
She added that the forces deliberately pushed the residents during the unexpected evacuation especially during this cold weather.
It is noteworthy that 24 individuals line in the house including 17 children (Kifaya and her children and their families).
She explained that the house was built in 2000 and the family had paid 75 thousand NIS in building violation fees in addition to paying taxes on their land; the family has been fighting in court to protect their property since 2001.
Kifaya also explained that the house is 150 square meters and consists of 7 rooms and their facilities as well as an outside courtyard.
The occupation authorities are preparing to open the settlement street “21” to connect the Israeli settlements, Pisgat Zi’ev and Nabi Yackov, with Ramat Shlomo settlement reaching the settlements of Atarot and Modi’in in the north.
Demolition and displacement…
Kifaya Risheq explained that the forces evacuated the residents by force and without prior notice. They did not allow them to take the contents of their house nor did they allow them to grab their personal items; the municipality’s crews took some of the house contents before proceeding with the demolition process.
She added that the forces deliberately pushed the residents during the unexpected evacuation especially during this cold weather.
It is noteworthy that 24 individuals line in the house including 17 children (Kifaya and her children and their families).
She explained that the house was built in 2000 and the family had paid 75 thousand NIS in building violation fees in addition to paying taxes on their land; the family has been fighting in court to protect their property since 2001.
Kifaya also explained that the house is 150 square meters and consists of 7 rooms and their facilities as well as an outside courtyard.
The occupation authorities are preparing to open the settlement street “21” to connect the Israeli settlements, Pisgat Zi’ev and Nabi Yackov, with Ramat Shlomo settlement reaching the settlements of Atarot and Modi’in in the north.
The repercussions of the rain and cold spells did not only reveal the suffering of the Jerusalemites in occupied Jerusalem, but also revealed the size of the Israeli occupation authority’s Judaization schemes regarding the holy city and the displacement of its citizens.
Huge cracks in houses and land subsidence in several areas were not because of the weather depressions, but because of the tunnels that the IOA digs in absolute disregard to the fate of its inhabitants.
Increasing suffering
The IOA excavations carried out by bulldozers and other tools in the Old City and the town of Silwan, south of al-Aqsa Mosque in particular, increase the suffering of the Jerusalemite families living there, especially with the entry of the polar depressions.
Khaled Siam told the Palestinian Information Center the story of his dead brother's home saying: "Forty-five days ago the floor of the house had caved-in, the ceiling had cracked and the walls had eroded with the beginning of the first polar depression in the occupied city of Jerusalem making the house no longer fit for habitation and pose a threat to the lives of its inhabitants, as it is exposed to collapse any time because of the wide excavations under it. Therefore my brother's wife and her three sons moved out of the house".
He added: "My brother's widow and her children moved to live in a rented house, paying rent worth 2500 shekels a month, which increases the financial burden on her."
Siam appealed to the officials in the city of Jerusalem, to examine the place and help these steadfast Jerusalem families, whose houses are only 200 meters away from al-Aqsa Mosque and are exposed to being displaced as a result of the IOA excavations.
Displacement of the population
Ahmed Qaraeen, member of the Committee of Wadi Hilweh, said: "In every winter and also in summer, the town of Silwan, especially Wadi Hilweh Street, under which the IOA dug a tunnel towards al-Aqsa Mosque; is exposed to landsides, which cause huge cracks in houses and threaten the lives of Jerusalemites that dwell therein ".
He added: "The infrastructure is not existent in the town of Silwan, so the excavations lead to the demolition of houses and wash away agricultural land. Despite the payment of taxes, such as "Arnona; yet the Israeli municipality neglects Silwan and seeks to sabotage and displace its inhabitants."
He continued: "The tunnel starting from the town of Silwan through the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood toward al-Aqsa Mosque passes under about sixty houses exposing them to cracks in their ceilings, walls and floors; threatening their inhabitants especially in winter".
He pointed out: "Repairing Palestinians’ houses is forbidden in the town of Silwan, where the Israeli municipality aims to displace the Palestinians of the neighborhood to take it over and then transform it to the City of David, which they claim is their first city."
Qaraeen said: "The five settlement outposts in the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood constantly undergo repair of the damage caused by excavation, while Palestinian Jerusalemites are banned from any sort of repair of their homes."
He added: "Silwan is excluded from any development plan of the Israeli municipality, but is not excluded from the destruction and displacement; where a Palestinian house was being taken over last week for the benefit of settlers and at the same time, the Israeli bulldozers there destructed a house belonging to a Jerusalemite."
He pointed out that the town of Silwan lack infrastructure and suffer from bad streets that are unsuitable for walking. Furthermore, there are no playing grounds, no schools, and no designated parking lots although its residents pay "Arnona" tax imposed on them, from which only the settlers benefit in the development and repairing of their homes.
Mustafa Abu Sneineh, a resident of the Old City, said: "The crack in our house’s ceiling expands year after another, causing water to leak heavily into our rooms”.
Huge cracks in houses and land subsidence in several areas were not because of the weather depressions, but because of the tunnels that the IOA digs in absolute disregard to the fate of its inhabitants.
Increasing suffering
The IOA excavations carried out by bulldozers and other tools in the Old City and the town of Silwan, south of al-Aqsa Mosque in particular, increase the suffering of the Jerusalemite families living there, especially with the entry of the polar depressions.
Khaled Siam told the Palestinian Information Center the story of his dead brother's home saying: "Forty-five days ago the floor of the house had caved-in, the ceiling had cracked and the walls had eroded with the beginning of the first polar depression in the occupied city of Jerusalem making the house no longer fit for habitation and pose a threat to the lives of its inhabitants, as it is exposed to collapse any time because of the wide excavations under it. Therefore my brother's wife and her three sons moved out of the house".
He added: "My brother's widow and her children moved to live in a rented house, paying rent worth 2500 shekels a month, which increases the financial burden on her."
Siam appealed to the officials in the city of Jerusalem, to examine the place and help these steadfast Jerusalem families, whose houses are only 200 meters away from al-Aqsa Mosque and are exposed to being displaced as a result of the IOA excavations.
Displacement of the population
Ahmed Qaraeen, member of the Committee of Wadi Hilweh, said: "In every winter and also in summer, the town of Silwan, especially Wadi Hilweh Street, under which the IOA dug a tunnel towards al-Aqsa Mosque; is exposed to landsides, which cause huge cracks in houses and threaten the lives of Jerusalemites that dwell therein ".
He added: "The infrastructure is not existent in the town of Silwan, so the excavations lead to the demolition of houses and wash away agricultural land. Despite the payment of taxes, such as "Arnona; yet the Israeli municipality neglects Silwan and seeks to sabotage and displace its inhabitants."
He continued: "The tunnel starting from the town of Silwan through the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood toward al-Aqsa Mosque passes under about sixty houses exposing them to cracks in their ceilings, walls and floors; threatening their inhabitants especially in winter".
He pointed out: "Repairing Palestinians’ houses is forbidden in the town of Silwan, where the Israeli municipality aims to displace the Palestinians of the neighborhood to take it over and then transform it to the City of David, which they claim is their first city."
Qaraeen said: "The five settlement outposts in the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood constantly undergo repair of the damage caused by excavation, while Palestinian Jerusalemites are banned from any sort of repair of their homes."
He added: "Silwan is excluded from any development plan of the Israeli municipality, but is not excluded from the destruction and displacement; where a Palestinian house was being taken over last week for the benefit of settlers and at the same time, the Israeli bulldozers there destructed a house belonging to a Jerusalemite."
He pointed out that the town of Silwan lack infrastructure and suffer from bad streets that are unsuitable for walking. Furthermore, there are no playing grounds, no schools, and no designated parking lots although its residents pay "Arnona" tax imposed on them, from which only the settlers benefit in the development and repairing of their homes.
Mustafa Abu Sneineh, a resident of the Old City, said: "The crack in our house’s ceiling expands year after another, causing water to leak heavily into our rooms”.
Israeli soldiers invaded, earlier Wednesday, a Palestinian home in Shu’fat neighborhood, north of occupied Jerusalem, and demolished the property that was built 15 years ago.
The soldiers, accompanied by bulldozers, invaded the neighborhood, surrounded a home belonging to Kefaya ar-Rishiq, and demolished it after forcing the family out in the cold.
The demolition rendered 19 persons, including many children, homeless.
Al-Rishiq said the soldiers violently invaded her property, forcibly pushed the family out and demolished it.
The home is close to road #21 that links between many illegal Israeli colonies around occupied Jerusalem. The road poses threats to many Palestinian families in the area, who could have their homes demolished.
The soldiers, accompanied by bulldozers, invaded the neighborhood, surrounded a home belonging to Kefaya ar-Rishiq, and demolished it after forcing the family out in the cold.
The demolition rendered 19 persons, including many children, homeless.
Al-Rishiq said the soldiers violently invaded her property, forcibly pushed the family out and demolished it.
The home is close to road #21 that links between many illegal Israeli colonies around occupied Jerusalem. The road poses threats to many Palestinian families in the area, who could have their homes demolished.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic) has reported that Israeli soldiers have demolished, on Tuesday morning, an under construction Palestinian home, in Jabal al-Mokabber town, in occupied Jerusalem.
Silwanic said the demolished property belongs to a Palestinian, identified as Ibrahim Ali Mousa Sorri, in the Sal’a neighborhood.
Sorri said he was conducting the final works on the new property, and was getting ready to move in, with his wife and their six children, in the coming few weeks.
He added that, nearly six months ago, the army and employees of the City Council handed him an order to stop the construction, and since then, he has been trying to get all needed documents, and file appeals, but the city went ahead and demolished the property.
The new building was 60 square/meter, with an estimate construction cost of 130.000 Shekels, in addition to 80.000 for its wall and garden.
Silwanic said the demolished property belongs to a Palestinian, identified as Ibrahim Ali Mousa Sorri, in the Sal’a neighborhood.
Sorri said he was conducting the final works on the new property, and was getting ready to move in, with his wife and their six children, in the coming few weeks.
He added that, nearly six months ago, the army and employees of the City Council handed him an order to stop the construction, and since then, he has been trying to get all needed documents, and file appeals, but the city went ahead and demolished the property.
The new building was 60 square/meter, with an estimate construction cost of 130.000 Shekels, in addition to 80.000 for its wall and garden.
26 jan 2016
Palestinian groups have launched a fundraising campaign to rebuild a Palestinian home recently demolished by the Israeli authorities in Tayiba city in 1948 occupied Palestine.
The Popular Committee, the Youth Nahda Movement in Tayiba in cooperation with the municipal council of the town inaugurated the campaign on Monday to collect 50,000 shekels to rebuild the house of Ibrahim Zabarka.
The house of Zabarka was knocked down on Sunday after local citizens tried to prevent its demolition.
Sheikh Ra'ed Salah, head of the Islamic movement in the 1948 occupied lands, participated in the inaugural ceremony of the campaign and delivered a speech urging the Palestinians to close ranks in the face of the Israeli restrictions on their lives.
The Popular Committee, the Youth Nahda Movement in Tayiba in cooperation with the municipal council of the town inaugurated the campaign on Monday to collect 50,000 shekels to rebuild the house of Ibrahim Zabarka.
The house of Zabarka was knocked down on Sunday after local citizens tried to prevent its demolition.
Sheikh Ra'ed Salah, head of the Islamic movement in the 1948 occupied lands, participated in the inaugural ceremony of the campaign and delivered a speech urging the Palestinians to close ranks in the face of the Israeli restrictions on their lives.
Haaretz newspaper reported that 50,000 Palestinian homes are threatened with demolition in 1948 Occupied Palestine. The houses will be razed in case of the implementation of the recommendations made by a special committee founded in February 10, 2015, to penalize Palestinians for unlicensed construction.
The PIC’s monitoring section revealed that the newspaper published on Monday the committee's recommendation of razing 50,000 of Arab houses for the claim of lacking construction permits or being constructed over agricultural lands.
The committee also recommended imposing expensive penalties against offenders and urged for referring the implementation of those recommendations to the highest political level.
Israel has been refusing the development of Arab housing communities since 1948. Meanwhile, thousands of settlements and Jewish villages have been constructed at the expense of Palestinian forcibly displaced villages.
The PIC’s monitoring section revealed that the newspaper published on Monday the committee's recommendation of razing 50,000 of Arab houses for the claim of lacking construction permits or being constructed over agricultural lands.
The committee also recommended imposing expensive penalties against offenders and urged for referring the implementation of those recommendations to the highest political level.
Israel has been refusing the development of Arab housing communities since 1948. Meanwhile, thousands of settlements and Jewish villages have been constructed at the expense of Palestinian forcibly displaced villages.
