25 july 2019
Israeli forces invaded Khirbet Umm al-Khair in Masafer Yatta, near Hebron in the southern West Bank Thursday, and destroyed dozens of olive trees, water irrigation systems and four water wells used by Palestinian Bedouin farmers. tweet
This comes two weeks after Israeli forces invaded the same village and destroyed a children’s park, nine water wells and uprooted a forest of trees in Umm al-Khair’s nature reserve area under the pretext that the area is now an Israeli military training zone.
Rateb Jabour, coordinator of the national and popular committees in the south of the West Bank, told the Palestinian Wafa News Agency that the residents of Umm al-Khair and area villages, who are mainly herders, depend on the water for irrigating their land and for their cattle.
Jabour stressed that Israel is trying to displace these residents as a precursor to taking over their land.
The village of Umm al-Khair is located on land that Israeli authorities are attempting to annex into the settlement of Carmel, which was constructed on stolen village land.
Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times wrote in 2010 that Carmel is “a lovely green oasis that looks like an American suburb. It has lush gardens, kids riding bikes and air-conditioned homes. It also has a gleaming, electrified poultry barn that it runs as a business.
Beyond its barbed wire fencing, the Bedouins of Umm al-Kheir in shanties are denied connection to the electricity grid, barns for their livestock and toilets, and all attempts to build permanent dwellings are demolished.
Elad Orian, an Israeli human rights activist, noted that the chickens of Carmel’s poultry farm get more electricity and water than the Palestinian Bedouin nearby.”
Awda Mohammad, a resident of the village, wrote in a 2017 article for the Israeli leftist +972Mag entitled, My village is under threat. I’m not giving up hope, “I believe, like my father did, that we have the right to live without the constant threat of demolition, to have enough clean water, to have good houses that we can live in during all seasons, to have a community center for our children, and for all of us to continue learning and growing, to live without fear, and to do what we want as autonomous humans.”
Umm al-Khair is home to around 70 Palestinian Bedouins who have faced multiple demolitions of their homes by Israeli forces.
This comes two weeks after Israeli forces invaded the same village and destroyed a children’s park, nine water wells and uprooted a forest of trees in Umm al-Khair’s nature reserve area under the pretext that the area is now an Israeli military training zone.
Rateb Jabour, coordinator of the national and popular committees in the south of the West Bank, told the Palestinian Wafa News Agency that the residents of Umm al-Khair and area villages, who are mainly herders, depend on the water for irrigating their land and for their cattle.
Jabour stressed that Israel is trying to displace these residents as a precursor to taking over their land.
The village of Umm al-Khair is located on land that Israeli authorities are attempting to annex into the settlement of Carmel, which was constructed on stolen village land.
Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times wrote in 2010 that Carmel is “a lovely green oasis that looks like an American suburb. It has lush gardens, kids riding bikes and air-conditioned homes. It also has a gleaming, electrified poultry barn that it runs as a business.
Beyond its barbed wire fencing, the Bedouins of Umm al-Kheir in shanties are denied connection to the electricity grid, barns for their livestock and toilets, and all attempts to build permanent dwellings are demolished.
Elad Orian, an Israeli human rights activist, noted that the chickens of Carmel’s poultry farm get more electricity and water than the Palestinian Bedouin nearby.”
Awda Mohammad, a resident of the village, wrote in a 2017 article for the Israeli leftist +972Mag entitled, My village is under threat. I’m not giving up hope, “I believe, like my father did, that we have the right to live without the constant threat of demolition, to have enough clean water, to have good houses that we can live in during all seasons, to have a community center for our children, and for all of us to continue learning and growing, to live without fear, and to do what we want as autonomous humans.”
Umm al-Khair is home to around 70 Palestinian Bedouins who have faced multiple demolitions of their homes by Israeli forces.
Israeli soldiers demolished, on Thursday morning, several commercial structures in Hares village, west of Salfit, in central West Bank.
The soldiers, accompanied by military bulldozers, invaded the village and demolished a car wash facility and a carpentry workshop, in addition to destroying a 200 square/meter recently constructed concrete foundation, owned by Nadi Hasan Suleiman.
The army said that it demolished the structures because there “were not licensed” by the Civil Administration office, the administrative branch of Israel’s illegal military occupation in the West Bank, especially since they are in Area C of the West Bank, under full Israeli control.
Last year, Israel demolished several commercial structures, owned by Suleiman’s brothers, under the same allegations.
The soldiers, accompanied by military bulldozers, invaded the village and demolished a car wash facility and a carpentry workshop, in addition to destroying a 200 square/meter recently constructed concrete foundation, owned by Nadi Hasan Suleiman.
The army said that it demolished the structures because there “were not licensed” by the Civil Administration office, the administrative branch of Israel’s illegal military occupation in the West Bank, especially since they are in Area C of the West Bank, under full Israeli control.
Last year, Israel demolished several commercial structures, owned by Suleiman’s brothers, under the same allegations.
The United States on Wednesday blocked an attempt by Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa to have the UN Security Council adopt a resolution condemning Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in Sur Baher town, on the outskirts of Occupied Jerusalem.
Ignoring widespread international criticism, the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) embarked last Monday on demolishing dozens of homes in the Palestinian town of Sur Baher near the separation wall in Jerusalem.
The IOA claims the homes, which are close to the separation barrier that criss-crosses the West Bank and is locally referred to by Palestinians as the "apartheid wall,” a security risk.
According to Reuters, Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa circulated a five-paragraph draft statement at the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday that expressed grave concern and warned that the demolitions “undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for just and lasting peace.”
Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and on Wednesday the US told its council counterparts it could not support the text before another revised three-paragraph draft statement was circulated, but the US again rejected the text.
In this regard, the UN demanded Israel to halt its demolition policy and confiscation of homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Addressing the UN Security Council last Tuesday, Rosemary DiCarlo, head of the UN's Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said Israel’s recent demolitions breached international rules and had hurt the livelihoods of some 300 Palestinian locals.
"Israel's policy of destroying Palestinian property is not compatible with its obligations under international humanitarian law and contributes to the risk of forcible transfer facing many Palestinians in the West Bank," DiCarlo added.
Ignoring widespread international criticism, the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) embarked last Monday on demolishing dozens of homes in the Palestinian town of Sur Baher near the separation wall in Jerusalem.
The IOA claims the homes, which are close to the separation barrier that criss-crosses the West Bank and is locally referred to by Palestinians as the "apartheid wall,” a security risk.
According to Reuters, Kuwait, Indonesia and South Africa circulated a five-paragraph draft statement at the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday that expressed grave concern and warned that the demolitions “undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for just and lasting peace.”
Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and on Wednesday the US told its council counterparts it could not support the text before another revised three-paragraph draft statement was circulated, but the US again rejected the text.
In this regard, the UN demanded Israel to halt its demolition policy and confiscation of homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Addressing the UN Security Council last Tuesday, Rosemary DiCarlo, head of the UN's Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said Israel’s recent demolitions breached international rules and had hurt the livelihoods of some 300 Palestinian locals.
"Israel's policy of destroying Palestinian property is not compatible with its obligations under international humanitarian law and contributes to the risk of forcible transfer facing many Palestinians in the West Bank," DiCarlo added.
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At the Security Council on Wednesday, Kuwait said that the absence of accountability for Israel’s violations led to the demolition of dozens of apartments in Occupied Jerusalem, leaving Palestinian residents there homeless.
The remarks were made by Kuwait's permanent UN representative, Mansour al-Otaibi, after a UN statement underlined the seriousness of Israel’s actions in the occupied territories, which were described as being contrary to international law and humanitarian law. “The absence of accountability has contributed to Israel's expansion of settlements, its forcible land seizures, and the confiscation of homes and forced displacement of Palestinians,” the Kuwaiti envoy said. Describing Israel as "the occupying force," Kuwait said the lack of accountability has also led to increased violence, threatened civilian lives, and encouraged Israel to carry out unlawful raids and arrests, and detain people arbitrarily with no trial or indictment. “Israel continues to implement its illegal practices in the occupied city of Jerusalem, aiming to erase the holy city's historical and religious identity and to eliminate the Palestinian presence there,” al-Otaibi added. The ambassador also lamented the lack of funds being provided to UNRWA, calling on the international community to continue backing the urgent needs of Palestinian refugees. |
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine has condemned the Palestinian Authority’s reaction to Israel’s mass demolitions in Sur Baher town as “weak and not rising to the size of the terrorist crime against Jerusalemite citizens.”
In a press release on Wednesday, Islamic Jihad spokesman Musaab al-Bareem said that the PA must upgrade its theoretical response to Israel’s crime in Sur Baher to a practice, especially since the affected area is under Palestinian jurisdiction.
“The terrorist crime against the Jerusalemites in Wad al-Hummus neighborhood is aimed at obliterating the Palestinian identity and targeting the Palestinian right and presence in the holy city,” spokesman Bareem warned.
The spokesman affirmed that Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people “can only be confronted with more Palestinian struggle.”
He said that the normalization wave in the Arab region and the amount of concessions the Palestinian Authority had made at the expense of the Palestinian rights encouraged the Israeli occupation state to go far in its crimes against the Palestinian people.
In a press release on Wednesday, Islamic Jihad spokesman Musaab al-Bareem said that the PA must upgrade its theoretical response to Israel’s crime in Sur Baher to a practice, especially since the affected area is under Palestinian jurisdiction.
“The terrorist crime against the Jerusalemites in Wad al-Hummus neighborhood is aimed at obliterating the Palestinian identity and targeting the Palestinian right and presence in the holy city,” spokesman Bareem warned.
The spokesman affirmed that Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people “can only be confronted with more Palestinian struggle.”
He said that the normalization wave in the Arab region and the amount of concessions the Palestinian Authority had made at the expense of the Palestinian rights encouraged the Israeli occupation state to go far in its crimes against the Palestinian people.
24 july 2019
Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Saeb Erekat, has strongly condemned the recent demolition of a cluster of Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds as war crime, calling on the international community to push the International Criminal Court (ICC) into opening an immediate investigation into the incident.
On Tuesday, Erekat called on the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to implement her mandate under the Human Rights Council resolution 31/36, which demands a database of all business enterprises engaged in Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to strive for international protection of Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation.
He also slammed the measures taken by Israeli authorities to expel Palestinians from Jerusalem al-Quds, including land grab, confiscations of identity paper, revocations of residency status and rejections of family reunification.
“The Israeli occupation forces, with the support of the Israeli Supreme Court, have ordered the demolition of these buildings using a security pretext, but the demolitions in Sur Baher are another example of Israel’s illegal policies and practices aimed at eliminating the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem (al-Quds) and defending the existence of the Israeli occupation,” Erekat highlighted.
The high-ranking Palestinian official further noted that the Israeli regime continues to “escape punishment time and time again” despite repeated calls for the international community to intervene and stop demolition of Palestinian homes, which result in forced displacement.
“The international community has not only failed to stop demolitions and forced displacement in Sur Baher, but also failed to hold Israel accountable for its continued violations of international law. Israel’s actions are not only serious violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention, but are war crimes pursuant to the Rome Statute of the ICC. Therefore, we call for the urgent cessation of crimes being committed in the occupied State of Palestine,” Erekat said.
The remarks came a day after hundreds of Israeli troops with bulldozers tore down homes in Sur Baher despite local protests and international criticism.
Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Sufian Qudah has reiterated his country’s rejection of the Israeli regime’s settlement expansion policies, its land confiscation policy and forced displacement of Palestinians.
He urged Israel to immediately halt such practices, emphasizing that such moves would increase tensions, deepen despair, and have a fundamental impact on the so-called two-state solution.
Separately, the French Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli demolition of Palestinian buildings in Sur Baher.
The ministry said in a statement that demolitions in occupied territories run contrary to international law, particularly the international humanitarian law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The statement highlighted that the demolitions will set a dangerous precedent, and will harm the so-called two-state solution.
On Tuesday, Erekat called on the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to implement her mandate under the Human Rights Council resolution 31/36, which demands a database of all business enterprises engaged in Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, and to strive for international protection of Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation.
He also slammed the measures taken by Israeli authorities to expel Palestinians from Jerusalem al-Quds, including land grab, confiscations of identity paper, revocations of residency status and rejections of family reunification.
“The Israeli occupation forces, with the support of the Israeli Supreme Court, have ordered the demolition of these buildings using a security pretext, but the demolitions in Sur Baher are another example of Israel’s illegal policies and practices aimed at eliminating the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem (al-Quds) and defending the existence of the Israeli occupation,” Erekat highlighted.
The high-ranking Palestinian official further noted that the Israeli regime continues to “escape punishment time and time again” despite repeated calls for the international community to intervene and stop demolition of Palestinian homes, which result in forced displacement.
“The international community has not only failed to stop demolitions and forced displacement in Sur Baher, but also failed to hold Israel accountable for its continued violations of international law. Israel’s actions are not only serious violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention, but are war crimes pursuant to the Rome Statute of the ICC. Therefore, we call for the urgent cessation of crimes being committed in the occupied State of Palestine,” Erekat said.
The remarks came a day after hundreds of Israeli troops with bulldozers tore down homes in Sur Baher despite local protests and international criticism.
Meanwhile, Spokesman of the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Sufian Qudah has reiterated his country’s rejection of the Israeli regime’s settlement expansion policies, its land confiscation policy and forced displacement of Palestinians.
He urged Israel to immediately halt such practices, emphasizing that such moves would increase tensions, deepen despair, and have a fundamental impact on the so-called two-state solution.
Separately, the French Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli demolition of Palestinian buildings in Sur Baher.
The ministry said in a statement that demolitions in occupied territories run contrary to international law, particularly the international humanitarian law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The statement highlighted that the demolitions will set a dangerous precedent, and will harm the so-called two-state solution.
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The Palestinian township of Ar’ara, located on the Israeli side of the Green Line (1967 Armistice Line), and an area targeted for Israeli colonial expansion, on Wednesday became the latest site of Israeli destruction of Palestinian homes.
Early Wednesday morning, Israeli forces invaded the village of Khor Saqr, located in the Ar’ara township in the northern part of Israel, in the ‘Triangle’ region near Umm al-Fahm. The soldiers brought with them armored vehicles and Caterpillar-brand armored D9 bulldozers, which they used to destroy the family home of Ibrahim Marzouk. Marzouk had been issued a demolition order by Israeli forces just days earlier. |
According to local sources, the Israeli military forces invaded the area with Israeli police and special units, as well as numerous armored vehicles.
During the invasion of the village, they were confronted by local village youth, who threw stones at the soldiers and shouted at them to leave their town.
The Israeli soldiers abducted three youth and wounded several others during the confrontation.
Numerous Palestinian homeowners in the neighborhood of Khor Saqr have recently received demolition notices over the past year – totaling more than 50 homes and shops.
The demolition notices are part of an overall Israeli plan to displace Palestinians from their ancestral homes in Ar’ara and Ara townships, located in what is now Israel, and force the residents into the already-crowded West Bank – thus creating more internally displaced refugees in an area that already houses one of the largest refugee populations on earth.
In 2017, columnist Ali Abunimah wrote about Netanyahu’s ‘Prawer Plan’, which would force the transfer of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship into the West Bank. The Palestinian residents of the Ar’ara township are among those targeted by the Israeli government for forced relocation.
“Netanyahu’s plan would take Palestinians in Israel, who currently possess rights as citizens – albeit limited by law and inferior to Jews – and move them to a situation where like the rest of the Palestinians under perpetual Israeli military occupation they would have no rights at all”, wrote Abunimah.
During the invasion of the village, they were confronted by local village youth, who threw stones at the soldiers and shouted at them to leave their town.
The Israeli soldiers abducted three youth and wounded several others during the confrontation.
Numerous Palestinian homeowners in the neighborhood of Khor Saqr have recently received demolition notices over the past year – totaling more than 50 homes and shops.
The demolition notices are part of an overall Israeli plan to displace Palestinians from their ancestral homes in Ar’ara and Ara townships, located in what is now Israel, and force the residents into the already-crowded West Bank – thus creating more internally displaced refugees in an area that already houses one of the largest refugee populations on earth.
In 2017, columnist Ali Abunimah wrote about Netanyahu’s ‘Prawer Plan’, which would force the transfer of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship into the West Bank. The Palestinian residents of the Ar’ara township are among those targeted by the Israeli government for forced relocation.
“Netanyahu’s plan would take Palestinians in Israel, who currently possess rights as citizens – albeit limited by law and inferior to Jews – and move them to a situation where like the rest of the Palestinians under perpetual Israeli military occupation they would have no rights at all”, wrote Abunimah.
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