18 feb 2020

Israeli forces today demolished a horse barn and a cesspit in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukaber under the pretext of unlicensed building.
Eyewitness confirmed that Israeli forces escorted a bulldozer to Jabal al-Mukaber , where the heavy machinery proceeded to tear down the barn and the cesspit. video
Owner of the demolished structures was identified as Ahmad Warad al-Zatraa.
Using the pretext of illegal building, Israel demolishes houses on a regular basis to restrict Palestinian expansion in occupied Jerusalem.
At the same time, the municipality and government build tens of thousands of housing units in illegal settlements in East Jerusalem for Jews with a goal to offset the demographic balance in favor of the Jewish settlers in the occupied city.
Although Palestinians in East Jerusalem, a part of the internationally recognized Palestinian Territory that has been subject to Israeli military occupation since 1967, they are denied their citizenship rights and are instead classified only as "residents" whose permits can be revoked if they move away from the city for more than a few years.
Eyewitness confirmed that Israeli forces escorted a bulldozer to Jabal al-Mukaber , where the heavy machinery proceeded to tear down the barn and the cesspit. video
Owner of the demolished structures was identified as Ahmad Warad al-Zatraa.
Using the pretext of illegal building, Israel demolishes houses on a regular basis to restrict Palestinian expansion in occupied Jerusalem.
At the same time, the municipality and government build tens of thousands of housing units in illegal settlements in East Jerusalem for Jews with a goal to offset the demographic balance in favor of the Jewish settlers in the occupied city.
Although Palestinians in East Jerusalem, a part of the internationally recognized Palestinian Territory that has been subject to Israeli military occupation since 1967, they are denied their citizenship rights and are instead classified only as "residents" whose permits can be revoked if they move away from the city for more than a few years.

A Palestinian man from Jabal al-Mokabber town, south of occupied East Jerusalem, had to demolish his own home, on Monday evening, to avoid excessive Israeli fines and fees.
Media sources said the Palestinian, Montaser Shqeirat, had to demolish his two-story home after the City Council claimed that he did not obtain a construction permit. video
They added that the city threatened to impose dozens of thousands of shekels in fines and fees if he does not destroy his home, in addition to billing him for the demolition costs if it was carried out by the city’s workers and equipment.
It is worth mentioning that eleven Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem had to demolish their homes, under the same allegations, since the beginning of this year.
While Israel continues to build and expand its illegal colonies, Palestinian communities and towns, in occupied Jerusalem, and various areas in the West Bank, continue to be denied the right to build homes and property.
Israel has been issuing dozens of demolition orders against existing Palestinian homes and property, including under-construction structures, and has already demolished many of them.
Israeli municipality forces Jerusalemite to raze his own house
The Israeli municipality in Occupied Jerusalem on Monday forced a Palestinian citizen to demolish his own house at the pretext of unlicensed construction.
Muntaser Shuqairat, the homeowner, said he had to demolish his two-story house with his hands to avoid incurring dozens of thousands of shekels if the Israeli municipality had demolished it.
He had been given until last night to comply with the demolition order or else Israeli bulldozers would have come and razed it later.
The Israeli municipality had already demolished a house belonging to the family of Shuqairat a few months ago.
As part of its plan to Judaize the holy city, the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) systematically carries out demolitions against Palestinian homes and property in east Jerusalem.
The IOA also imposes building restrictions on the Palestinian natives in Jerusalem and makes it hard for them to obtain construction licenses.
Media sources said the Palestinian, Montaser Shqeirat, had to demolish his two-story home after the City Council claimed that he did not obtain a construction permit. video
They added that the city threatened to impose dozens of thousands of shekels in fines and fees if he does not destroy his home, in addition to billing him for the demolition costs if it was carried out by the city’s workers and equipment.
It is worth mentioning that eleven Palestinians from occupied Jerusalem had to demolish their homes, under the same allegations, since the beginning of this year.
While Israel continues to build and expand its illegal colonies, Palestinian communities and towns, in occupied Jerusalem, and various areas in the West Bank, continue to be denied the right to build homes and property.
Israel has been issuing dozens of demolition orders against existing Palestinian homes and property, including under-construction structures, and has already demolished many of them.
Israeli municipality forces Jerusalemite to raze his own house
The Israeli municipality in Occupied Jerusalem on Monday forced a Palestinian citizen to demolish his own house at the pretext of unlicensed construction.
Muntaser Shuqairat, the homeowner, said he had to demolish his two-story house with his hands to avoid incurring dozens of thousands of shekels if the Israeli municipality had demolished it.
He had been given until last night to comply with the demolition order or else Israeli bulldozers would have come and razed it later.
The Israeli municipality had already demolished a house belonging to the family of Shuqairat a few months ago.
As part of its plan to Judaize the holy city, the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) systematically carries out demolitions against Palestinian homes and property in east Jerusalem.
The IOA also imposes building restrictions on the Palestinian natives in Jerusalem and makes it hard for them to obtain construction licenses.
17 feb 2020

The Israeli occupation army on Monday demolished a crude home, confiscated its content and handed local residents notices ordering them to evacuate over 15 homes and structures in Tel as-Samaddi area of al-Jiftlik village in the Jordan Valley.
Human rights sources said that the military orders claimed the homes and structures are located in an archeological area in the Jordan Valley.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army sealed water openings in Allan hamlet near al-Jiftlik village at the pretext that they were illegal.
Such Israeli measures are part of an Israeli plan to force the local residents to leave their native areas in the Jordan Valley.
Human rights sources said that the military orders claimed the homes and structures are located in an archeological area in the Jordan Valley.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army sealed water openings in Allan hamlet near al-Jiftlik village at the pretext that they were illegal.
Such Israeli measures are part of an Israeli plan to force the local residents to leave their native areas in the Jordan Valley.

Members of the Israeli security service today raided Volunteer for Hope, an organization in the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, under the pretext of holding “prohibited activities”, and gave its director, Silvia Abu Laban, a summons to appear before the Israeli intelligence for interrogation.
Local sources told WAFA that the Israeli forces seized four computers and other office belongings as they searched the building.
Israel has recently intensified its ban on most of the Palestinian civil society activities in the occupied city, regardless of whether they were political, social or even sports, in what Palestinians described as an attempt to muzzle their voice and freedom of activity in the holy city.
Local sources told WAFA that the Israeli forces seized four computers and other office belongings as they searched the building.
Israel has recently intensified its ban on most of the Palestinian civil society activities in the occupied city, regardless of whether they were political, social or even sports, in what Palestinians described as an attempt to muzzle their voice and freedom of activity in the holy city.

Israeli bulldozers today demolished an agricultural shack and razed land in Tarqumiya, to the west of the occupied southern West Bank city of Hebron.
WAFA correspondent said that the Israeli forces demolished the shack and razed about five dunums of land owned by Ibrahim Dababseh, a local resident.
WAFA correspondent said that the Israeli forces demolished the shack and razed about five dunums of land owned by Ibrahim Dababseh, a local resident.

Israeli forces today razed 50 dunums of Palestinian land in the villages of Iskaka and Yasouf, to the east of the occupied northern West Bank city of Salfit, according to a local source.
Khalid Abya, head of the Yasouf village council, told WAFA that the land was razed in order to expand the illegal Israeli settlement of Nofei Nehemia, built in the eastern part of Iskaka and southern part of Yasouf.
Khalid Abya, head of the Yasouf village council, told WAFA that the land was razed in order to expand the illegal Israeli settlement of Nofei Nehemia, built in the eastern part of Iskaka and southern part of Yasouf.

Israeli forces today destroyed couplings in pipes providing water to al-Shunah area of al-Jiftlik village, located in the Jordan Valley to the north of Jericho, according to Qais al-Sinawi, a local activist.
He told WAFA that Israeli forces raided the village and proceeded to destroy the connectors supplying running water to Palestinian crops.
Palestinians tend to install water connector to the main Israeli water carrier lines which supply between 400 and 700 cubic meters of underground Palestinian water per hour to the colonial settlements, which is for them the only way they can get water to their homes, crops and livestock as Israel bans them from building water pipes of their own.
Israel does not allow Palestinian development in the Jordan Valley, which its politicians have made it clear on several occasions that the fertile Jordan Valley would be annexed to Israel.
He told WAFA that Israeli forces raided the village and proceeded to destroy the connectors supplying running water to Palestinian crops.
Palestinians tend to install water connector to the main Israeli water carrier lines which supply between 400 and 700 cubic meters of underground Palestinian water per hour to the colonial settlements, which is for them the only way they can get water to their homes, crops and livestock as Israel bans them from building water pipes of their own.
Israel does not allow Palestinian development in the Jordan Valley, which its politicians have made it clear on several occasions that the fertile Jordan Valley would be annexed to Israel.
16 feb 2020

The US government has appointed members of a committee tasked with mapping out areas of the occupied West Bank that Israel plans to annex as part of President Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed “Deal of the Century.”
A senior Trump administration official told Israel Hayom daily that US ambassador to Israel David Friedman will lead the joint committee.
“Honored to serve on the Joint Committee,” tweeted Friedman Saturday. “Looking forward to getting started right away,” he said.
Other committee members will include Friedman’s senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone, and Scott Leith, a US National Security Council expert on Israel.
Israeli members will include tourism minister Yariv Levin and Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer, PNN reports.
The committee was announced by Trump last month during the unveiling of his scheme, which would see Israel control swathes of the West Bank in violation of the fundamental rights of the Palestinians.
Trump said the joint committee would be formed to “convert the conceptual map into a more detailed and calibrated rendering so that recognition can be immediately achieved.”
There is still no set timeline for when the committee will finish its work, but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressured by right-wing lawmakers in recent weeks to announce the immediate annexation of all settlements before Israelis head to the polls.
Three weeks ago, both Netanyahu and Friedman said that Israel would be able to do so before the election, and Netanyahu planned to turn the issue into the cornerstone of his re-election campaign.
Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, who is believed to be the architect of the so-called “Vision for Peace,” has said the US administration and Israel had decided to wait until a team was formed to examine the maps, and that he hoped Israel would wait until after the election.
On January 28, Trump unveiled his plan negotiated with Israel but without Palestinians, as one side of any agreement, being involved in the process.
Palestinian leaders immediately rejected the plan, with President Mahmoud Abbas saying it “belongs in the dustbin of history.”
They view the deal as a colonial plan meant to unilaterally control Palestine in its entirety and remove Palestinians from their homeland.
A senior Trump administration official told Israel Hayom daily that US ambassador to Israel David Friedman will lead the joint committee.
“Honored to serve on the Joint Committee,” tweeted Friedman Saturday. “Looking forward to getting started right away,” he said.
Other committee members will include Friedman’s senior adviser Aryeh Lightstone, and Scott Leith, a US National Security Council expert on Israel.
Israeli members will include tourism minister Yariv Levin and Israeli ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer, PNN reports.
The committee was announced by Trump last month during the unveiling of his scheme, which would see Israel control swathes of the West Bank in violation of the fundamental rights of the Palestinians.
Trump said the joint committee would be formed to “convert the conceptual map into a more detailed and calibrated rendering so that recognition can be immediately achieved.”
There is still no set timeline for when the committee will finish its work, but Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pressured by right-wing lawmakers in recent weeks to announce the immediate annexation of all settlements before Israelis head to the polls.
Three weeks ago, both Netanyahu and Friedman said that Israel would be able to do so before the election, and Netanyahu planned to turn the issue into the cornerstone of his re-election campaign.
Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, who is believed to be the architect of the so-called “Vision for Peace,” has said the US administration and Israel had decided to wait until a team was formed to examine the maps, and that he hoped Israel would wait until after the election.
On January 28, Trump unveiled his plan negotiated with Israel but without Palestinians, as one side of any agreement, being involved in the process.
Palestinian leaders immediately rejected the plan, with President Mahmoud Abbas saying it “belongs in the dustbin of history.”
They view the deal as a colonial plan meant to unilaterally control Palestine in its entirety and remove Palestinians from their homeland.

Israeli soldiers bulldozed, Sunday, privately-owned Palestinian lands in Burin village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the soldiers bulldozed and uprooted the lands in Ein al-Jiniyya area, in Jabal Salam al-Farsi Mountain.
Daghlas added that the bulldozing took place on private property near the illegal Yitzhar colony, which was built on illegally confiscated Palestinian lands.
The incident is one of numerous Israeli violations that escalated recently in that area as part of Israel’s attempts to expand its illegal colonies.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the soldiers bulldozed and uprooted the lands in Ein al-Jiniyya area, in Jabal Salam al-Farsi Mountain.
Daghlas added that the bulldozing took place on private property near the illegal Yitzhar colony, which was built on illegally confiscated Palestinian lands.
The incident is one of numerous Israeli violations that escalated recently in that area as part of Israel’s attempts to expand its illegal colonies.
14 feb 2020

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Thursday chased a number of Palestinian shepherds in al-Burj area of the northern Jordan Valley and detained some of them.
Local official Aref Daraghmeh reported that Israeli soldiers detained at least three shepherds in al-Burj area, without stating if they were released later.
In another context, Daraghmeh said that the Israeli army imposed financial penalties on him and another citizen to allow them to get back their vehicles that had been confiscated about two months ago.
He explained that he was handed a notice ordering him to pay a 3,000 shekel fine for his car, which had been seized about 50 days ago by soldiers when he was documenting Israeli demolitions in Ras al-Ahmar area.
Another citizen called Mufdi Sawafta was also ordered to pay over 2,000 shekels in order to reclaim his agricultural tractor, Daraghmeh added.
The IOF appropriated the tractor about two months ago when Sawafta was working his land in al-Maleh area of the northern Jordan Valley.
Local official Aref Daraghmeh reported that Israeli soldiers detained at least three shepherds in al-Burj area, without stating if they were released later.
In another context, Daraghmeh said that the Israeli army imposed financial penalties on him and another citizen to allow them to get back their vehicles that had been confiscated about two months ago.
He explained that he was handed a notice ordering him to pay a 3,000 shekel fine for his car, which had been seized about 50 days ago by soldiers when he was documenting Israeli demolitions in Ras al-Ahmar area.
Another citizen called Mufdi Sawafta was also ordered to pay over 2,000 shekels in order to reclaim his agricultural tractor, Daraghmeh added.
The IOF appropriated the tractor about two months ago when Sawafta was working his land in al-Maleh area of the northern Jordan Valley.