21 dec 2016

The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) on Tuesday threatened to seize Palestinian lands in Salfit’s village of Deir Balout, in the central West Bank.
Local sources said the IOA pasted the notifications on a fence surrounding the targeted land lots.
200 olive trees are planted on the land, which covers some 82 dunums.
Three years ago, an Israeli military court acknowledged Palestinians’ ownership of the land.
Recently, the Israeli occupation forces and authorities have been leveling the land lot, in what observers dubbed a sign of preplanned settlement expansion.
Local sources said the IOA pasted the notifications on a fence surrounding the targeted land lots.
200 olive trees are planted on the land, which covers some 82 dunums.
Three years ago, an Israeli military court acknowledged Palestinians’ ownership of the land.
Recently, the Israeli occupation forces and authorities have been leveling the land lot, in what observers dubbed a sign of preplanned settlement expansion.

Israeli military bulldozers demolished at dawn Wednesday a Palestinian house in Silwan town, southeast of occupied Jerusalem, for being allegedly built without permit.
The house’s owner Abu Hussein Ghazal affirmed that dozens of Israeli police forces surrounded his house before starting the demolition process.
Abu Hussein was earlier notified by the Israeli occupation authorities that his house will be demolished under the pretext that he had not obtained a proper Israeli-issued construction license.
The demolition notification was issued after Abu Hussein added a room and a kitchen to his house about six months ago.
Demolition of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem have seen an unprecedented surge this year, where 866 Palestinian facilities were demolished since the beginning of 2016.
More than 1,221 Palestinians have been displaced as a result of the demolitions, half of them are children.
The house’s owner Abu Hussein Ghazal affirmed that dozens of Israeli police forces surrounded his house before starting the demolition process.
Abu Hussein was earlier notified by the Israeli occupation authorities that his house will be demolished under the pretext that he had not obtained a proper Israeli-issued construction license.
The demolition notification was issued after Abu Hussein added a room and a kitchen to his house about six months ago.
Demolition of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem have seen an unprecedented surge this year, where 866 Palestinian facilities were demolished since the beginning of 2016.
More than 1,221 Palestinians have been displaced as a result of the demolitions, half of them are children.

The Israeli Ministry of Public Security intends to install a checkpoint in southern occupied Jerusalem to enable Israeli settlers to reach Ein Haniya spring which, in turn, will prevent Palestinians from reaching it.
Hebrew newspaper Haaretz said on Tuesday that Ein Haniya spring is located on the Wallaja/Har Gilo road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
In the past few months, Jerusalem Development Authority, Antiquities Authority, Nature and Parks Authority, and National parks were carrying out archaeological excavations in the place. As part of the excavations, ponds were drained and streets were built and an old building was renovated into a restaurant.
Hebrew newspaper Haaretz said on Tuesday that Ein Haniya spring is located on the Wallaja/Har Gilo road between Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
In the past few months, Jerusalem Development Authority, Antiquities Authority, Nature and Parks Authority, and National parks were carrying out archaeological excavations in the place. As part of the excavations, ponds were drained and streets were built and an old building was renovated into a restaurant.

Britain, Netherlands and Ireland condemn Israeli violations of international law in the Occupied Syrian Golan.
MP Tobias Ellwood, the British Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and Africa, reiterated on November 29, 2016 that the British government regards the Golan Heights as “Occupied Territory” and “[continues] to call on Israel as the Occupying Power” to “comply with its obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
He issued the statement in response to a question asked by MP Richard Burden as to what discussions the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had with Israeli officials about “demolitions, settlement expansion and land appropriation in the Occupied Syrian Golan.”
The foreign ministers of Ireland and the Netherlands also recently condemned Israeli settlement expansion, land confiscation, and oil drilling in the occupied Syrian Golan, al-Marsad: Arab Human Rights Center reports.
Commenting on these developments, al-Marsad encouraged concerned parties to take action:
Al-Marsad welcomes these recent statements from Britain, the Netherlands and Ireland and looks forward to the international community taking concrete action to ensure that Israel complies with its obligations under international law and stops its illegal and discriminatory policies in the Occupied Syrian Golan.
Seperately, al-Marsad has also appealed to the European Union (EU), European governments and the Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council to stop Israeli plans to expand Katzrin settlement and establish ‘Hermon National Park’ in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. “This will be the largest expansion of an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Syrian Golan since the 1980s,” a letter sent to the officials by the organization reads.
International concern about the Israeli occupation over the Syrian Golan Heights has mounted since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed, in April, that “the Golan Heights will always remain in Israel’s hands” and “Israel will never withdraw from the Golan Heights.” The provocative statements inspired U.S. and EU representatives to assure the world that their respective bodies still do not consider the Golan Heights a part of Israel.
Israel forcibly transferred [PDF] 130,000 Syrians from the Golan and destroyed 300 of its towns and villages in 1967 to clear the way for its illegal occupation. Estimates suggest that Israeli authorities deny the right to return to as many as half a million displaced Syrian Golan exiles today.
MP Tobias Ellwood, the British Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and Africa, reiterated on November 29, 2016 that the British government regards the Golan Heights as “Occupied Territory” and “[continues] to call on Israel as the Occupying Power” to “comply with its obligations under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
He issued the statement in response to a question asked by MP Richard Burden as to what discussions the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had with Israeli officials about “demolitions, settlement expansion and land appropriation in the Occupied Syrian Golan.”
The foreign ministers of Ireland and the Netherlands also recently condemned Israeli settlement expansion, land confiscation, and oil drilling in the occupied Syrian Golan, al-Marsad: Arab Human Rights Center reports.
Commenting on these developments, al-Marsad encouraged concerned parties to take action:
Al-Marsad welcomes these recent statements from Britain, the Netherlands and Ireland and looks forward to the international community taking concrete action to ensure that Israel complies with its obligations under international law and stops its illegal and discriminatory policies in the Occupied Syrian Golan.
Seperately, al-Marsad has also appealed to the European Union (EU), European governments and the Permanent Members of the United Nations Security Council to stop Israeli plans to expand Katzrin settlement and establish ‘Hermon National Park’ in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. “This will be the largest expansion of an illegal Israeli settlement in the Occupied Syrian Golan since the 1980s,” a letter sent to the officials by the organization reads.
International concern about the Israeli occupation over the Syrian Golan Heights has mounted since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed, in April, that “the Golan Heights will always remain in Israel’s hands” and “Israel will never withdraw from the Golan Heights.” The provocative statements inspired U.S. and EU representatives to assure the world that their respective bodies still do not consider the Golan Heights a part of Israel.
Israel forcibly transferred [PDF] 130,000 Syrians from the Golan and destroyed 300 of its towns and villages in 1967 to clear the way for its illegal occupation. Estimates suggest that Israeli authorities deny the right to return to as many as half a million displaced Syrian Golan exiles today.

The Israeli High Court released, late on Tuesday, its decision regarding the Ghaith-Sub Laban eviction, in which the court partially accepted the family’s appeal and stopped their eviction.
The decision keeps the family’s protected tenant status for 10 more years, after which the family would be evicted and the house would be handed to the Israeli settler organization that requested the eviction.
The decision, however, limits the right to live in the house to Mrs. Nora Ghaith and her husband, Mustafa Sub Laban, without their children. The court also excluded, from its decision, a small storage room for the family under the house which Israeli settlers can proceed in taking over.
The decision comes one day after a hearing held in front of the Israeli High Court, yesterday, in which the court heard the family’s appeal against the eviction and the settler’s claims that the family “abandoned” their house years ago. During the hearing, the court proposed a compromise to both parties, under which the protected tenancy status would be limited to Nora and her husband, and the family would only be allowed to stay in the house as long as Nora and her husband are alive.
The settlers rejected the court’s suggestion and, instead, proposed evicting the family and moving them to the small storage unit under the house, which is no more than 20 square meters in size.
The court disregarded the settlers’ suggestion and ended the hearing, only to come back with this decision the following day.
According to the PNN, Nora Ghaith’s family rented the house, which is located in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, in 1953, from the Jordanian Custodian of Public Property. She continued to live in the house after 1967, and currently lives in the house with her husband, her two sons Ahmad and Rafat, her daughter Lama and her daughter-in-law Ruba and two grandchildren, Mustafa and Kenan, aged 9 and 4.
Nora Ghaith-Sub Laban commented by saying that the court simply acknowledged the settler’s claims that the house is abandoned, and ruled to separate her family. As per the High Court’s decision, Nora will have to be separated from her grandchildren as well as her unmarried son and daughter.
In case the family refuses to comply with the court’s decision, the settlers can file a new request to evict the family before the 10 years have passed.
Journalist and human rights activist Ahmad Sub Laban further added that the decision, in fact, evicts part of the family and keeps another temporarily.
Israeli judiciary, once again, sustains the regular discrimination which Palestinians face, where Israeli settlers are allowed to reclaim property they allegedly owned pre-1948, whereas Palestinians are prohibited from the same.
Today, the public also witnessed how the court ruled to separate a family by deciding who can live in the house and who cannot.
The Israeli High Court, as with all similar eviction or house demolition cases, seems to be proving itself a partner to settlement expansion, and to settler ambition to take over as many houses as possible, in occupied East Jerusalem. Such “justice”, it is said, only legitimizes occupation policies that are in violation of international law, and serves to further augment the annexation of East Jerusalem, after 1967.
The decision keeps the family’s protected tenant status for 10 more years, after which the family would be evicted and the house would be handed to the Israeli settler organization that requested the eviction.
The decision, however, limits the right to live in the house to Mrs. Nora Ghaith and her husband, Mustafa Sub Laban, without their children. The court also excluded, from its decision, a small storage room for the family under the house which Israeli settlers can proceed in taking over.
The decision comes one day after a hearing held in front of the Israeli High Court, yesterday, in which the court heard the family’s appeal against the eviction and the settler’s claims that the family “abandoned” their house years ago. During the hearing, the court proposed a compromise to both parties, under which the protected tenancy status would be limited to Nora and her husband, and the family would only be allowed to stay in the house as long as Nora and her husband are alive.
The settlers rejected the court’s suggestion and, instead, proposed evicting the family and moving them to the small storage unit under the house, which is no more than 20 square meters in size.
The court disregarded the settlers’ suggestion and ended the hearing, only to come back with this decision the following day.
According to the PNN, Nora Ghaith’s family rented the house, which is located in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem, in 1953, from the Jordanian Custodian of Public Property. She continued to live in the house after 1967, and currently lives in the house with her husband, her two sons Ahmad and Rafat, her daughter Lama and her daughter-in-law Ruba and two grandchildren, Mustafa and Kenan, aged 9 and 4.
Nora Ghaith-Sub Laban commented by saying that the court simply acknowledged the settler’s claims that the house is abandoned, and ruled to separate her family. As per the High Court’s decision, Nora will have to be separated from her grandchildren as well as her unmarried son and daughter.
In case the family refuses to comply with the court’s decision, the settlers can file a new request to evict the family before the 10 years have passed.
Journalist and human rights activist Ahmad Sub Laban further added that the decision, in fact, evicts part of the family and keeps another temporarily.
Israeli judiciary, once again, sustains the regular discrimination which Palestinians face, where Israeli settlers are allowed to reclaim property they allegedly owned pre-1948, whereas Palestinians are prohibited from the same.
Today, the public also witnessed how the court ruled to separate a family by deciding who can live in the house and who cannot.
The Israeli High Court, as with all similar eviction or house demolition cases, seems to be proving itself a partner to settlement expansion, and to settler ambition to take over as many houses as possible, in occupied East Jerusalem. Such “justice”, it is said, only legitimizes occupation policies that are in violation of international law, and serves to further augment the annexation of East Jerusalem, after 1967.
20 dec 2016

The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) issued a demolition notice on Tuesday against a mosque in eastern Bethlehem.
The representative of the Anti-settlement and Wall Committee, Hasan Brijieh, said that the Israeli civil administration issued the demolition notice against a mosque frequented by Palestinian worshipers over the past three years ago to the east of Bethlehem city claiming that it was built without getting the required permits.
Brijieh told the Quds Press news agency that the mosque was built on a land that is owned by the Islamic endowments over an area of 500 square meters.
The Palestinian activist said that the demolition of this mosque falls in line with a series of measures practiced by an extremist government targeting everything that is Palestinian.
The representative of the Anti-settlement and Wall Committee, Hasan Brijieh, said that the Israeli civil administration issued the demolition notice against a mosque frequented by Palestinian worshipers over the past three years ago to the east of Bethlehem city claiming that it was built without getting the required permits.
Brijieh told the Quds Press news agency that the mosque was built on a land that is owned by the Islamic endowments over an area of 500 square meters.
The Palestinian activist said that the demolition of this mosque falls in line with a series of measures practiced by an extremist government targeting everything that is Palestinian.

The Israeli occupation army on Tuesday ordered 15 Palestinian families to evacuate their homes in the northern Jordan Valley for a couple of days for military drills.
Head of the local village council Aref Daraghma said the occupation army forced Palestinians out of their homes in Wad Ibziq area, in the northern Jordan Valley, in preparation for Israeli military maneuvers in the area.
Daraghma said the Palestinian natives of the area have been subjected to arbitrary demolitions, confiscation of agricultural equipment, forced displacement, and mass evacuation orders slapped by the occupation army on a permanent basis.
According to the activist, at least 200 Palestinian families have been evacuated out of their homes in the northern Jordan Valley since the start of December and under the same pretext.
He further spoke out against the serious damage inflicted by such Israeli military drills in the area as the occupation army often overuses heavy arms, machineguns, and shells during the maneuvers damaging cultivated land lots in the process.
At the same time, the Israeli occupation forces announced their decision to carry out large-scale military drills for three days in Ashkelon city, near to the blockaded Gaza Strip, as of Tuesday evening.
The Israeli Channel 7 quoted the army’s spokesman as stating that the drills make part of a preplanned training scheme.
Air raid sirens were, meanwhile, sounded Tuesday morning as part of an Israeli Home Front Command drill in the HaSharon region, in 1948 Occupied Palestine. The drills make part of emergency-response maneuvers.
Head of the local village council Aref Daraghma said the occupation army forced Palestinians out of their homes in Wad Ibziq area, in the northern Jordan Valley, in preparation for Israeli military maneuvers in the area.
Daraghma said the Palestinian natives of the area have been subjected to arbitrary demolitions, confiscation of agricultural equipment, forced displacement, and mass evacuation orders slapped by the occupation army on a permanent basis.
According to the activist, at least 200 Palestinian families have been evacuated out of their homes in the northern Jordan Valley since the start of December and under the same pretext.
He further spoke out against the serious damage inflicted by such Israeli military drills in the area as the occupation army often overuses heavy arms, machineguns, and shells during the maneuvers damaging cultivated land lots in the process.
At the same time, the Israeli occupation forces announced their decision to carry out large-scale military drills for three days in Ashkelon city, near to the blockaded Gaza Strip, as of Tuesday evening.
The Israeli Channel 7 quoted the army’s spokesman as stating that the drills make part of a preplanned training scheme.
Air raid sirens were, meanwhile, sounded Tuesday morning as part of an Israeli Home Front Command drill in the HaSharon region, in 1948 Occupied Palestine. The drills make part of emergency-response maneuvers.

Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has renewed his threat to demolish dozens of Palestinian homes in Jerusalem, the Negev, Wadi Ara, the Galilee and the center of the country in solidarity with Jewish settlers, who will be forced to evacuate the illegal outpost of Amona soon.
During his meeting with senior officials from the right-wing Likud party on Monday, Netanyahu promised to demolish homes in Arab areas and provide resources to accomplish that, describing the demolition of illegal Arab construction as vital to the citizens of Israel.
He also bragged about the demolition of thousands of Palestinian homes and structures in Arab areas during 2016.
Ahead of the December 25 deadline for the evacuation of Amona, Netanyahu recently held meetings with senior military and security officials, including public security minister Gilad Erdan, about intents to enforce laws against what he labeled as illegal building in the Arab sector as well.
The Israeli high court of justice had ordered the Amona outpost to be evacuated by December 25 since it was found to have been built on private Palestinian land in a case that has taken on international importance.
However, the Jewish settlers of the illegal Amona outpost in the occupied West Bank have rejected a proposal to leave voluntarily, defying a court order and raising fears of violence.
During his meeting with senior officials from the right-wing Likud party on Monday, Netanyahu promised to demolish homes in Arab areas and provide resources to accomplish that, describing the demolition of illegal Arab construction as vital to the citizens of Israel.
He also bragged about the demolition of thousands of Palestinian homes and structures in Arab areas during 2016.
Ahead of the December 25 deadline for the evacuation of Amona, Netanyahu recently held meetings with senior military and security officials, including public security minister Gilad Erdan, about intents to enforce laws against what he labeled as illegal building in the Arab sector as well.
The Israeli high court of justice had ordered the Amona outpost to be evacuated by December 25 since it was found to have been built on private Palestinian land in a case that has taken on international importance.
However, the Jewish settlers of the illegal Amona outpost in the occupied West Bank have rejected a proposal to leave voluntarily, defying a court order and raising fears of violence.

Israeli army patrols stormed on Tuesday morning Nablus’s eastern town of Beit Dajan and scoured Palestinian lands.
According to eyewitnesses, three Israeli army patrols rolled into Beit Dajan’s eastern corners, adjacent to the illegal Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh, which was built on Palestinian lands in the area.
The occupation troops raked through Palestinian cultivated lands and have been stationed on an agricultural road opened by local authorities.
The IOF soldiers have been chasing down vehicles and staff members of Beit Dajan village council in an attempt to thwart a project started by the Land Research Center to reclaim Palestinian land lots.
According to eyewitnesses, three Israeli army patrols rolled into Beit Dajan’s eastern corners, adjacent to the illegal Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh, which was built on Palestinian lands in the area.
The occupation troops raked through Palestinian cultivated lands and have been stationed on an agricultural road opened by local authorities.
The IOF soldiers have been chasing down vehicles and staff members of Beit Dajan village council in an attempt to thwart a project started by the Land Research Center to reclaim Palestinian land lots.

Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) gave the family of Misbah Abu Sbeih, who was killed by Israeli forces in October following an alleged shooting attack in occupied Jerusalem, 48 hours to evacuate their house before being demolished.
The family has earlier appealed against an Israeli court’s order to demolish Abu Sbeih’s house in occupied Jerusalem.
However, the court rejected on Monday the family’s appeal and gave them 48 hours to evacuate the house before its demolition under the pretext of “deterring attacks carried out by Palestinians”
Following the alleged shooting attack, the IOA closed Abu Sbeih’s store in al-Ram town, north of occupied Jerusalem.
Abu Sbeih, 39, was killed by Israeli police following an alleged shooting attack in the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah on Oct. 9, 2016.
Abu Sbeih’s body is still being held by Israeli authorities along with the bodies of 19 others.
Israel has dramatically increased its policy of punitive home demolitions since 2015 despite past recommendations by rights groups which considered the practice as "court-sanctioned revenge" carried out on family members who have not committed crimes, amounting to collective punishment.
The family has earlier appealed against an Israeli court’s order to demolish Abu Sbeih’s house in occupied Jerusalem.
However, the court rejected on Monday the family’s appeal and gave them 48 hours to evacuate the house before its demolition under the pretext of “deterring attacks carried out by Palestinians”
Following the alleged shooting attack, the IOA closed Abu Sbeih’s store in al-Ram town, north of occupied Jerusalem.
Abu Sbeih, 39, was killed by Israeli police following an alleged shooting attack in the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah on Oct. 9, 2016.
Abu Sbeih’s body is still being held by Israeli authorities along with the bodies of 19 others.
Israel has dramatically increased its policy of punitive home demolitions since 2015 despite past recommendations by rights groups which considered the practice as "court-sanctioned revenge" carried out on family members who have not committed crimes, amounting to collective punishment.
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