3 july 2020

Israeli authorities on Thursday demolished a Palestinian home in Lod City in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1948.
Quds Press reported, quoting eyewitnesses, that large police forces threw a cordon around the area as several bulldozers started to demolish the house over “unlicensed construction”.
Na’im Abed al-Hadi, the owner of the demolished house, said that Israeli police forces broke into his home without prior notice, smashed the doors, terrorized his wife and children, and forced them all out of the house before the demolition started.
Abed al-Hadi said that the Israeli authorities refused all possible solutions and negotiations and insisted on destroying his house.
Israeli authorities for years have been using “unlicensed construction” as an excuse to demolish Palestinian homes in the territories occupied since 1948, in an attempt to squeeze the Palestinians into small cantons while building new neighborhoods for Jewish settlers.
Quds Press reported, quoting eyewitnesses, that large police forces threw a cordon around the area as several bulldozers started to demolish the house over “unlicensed construction”.
Na’im Abed al-Hadi, the owner of the demolished house, said that Israeli police forces broke into his home without prior notice, smashed the doors, terrorized his wife and children, and forced them all out of the house before the demolition started.
Abed al-Hadi said that the Israeli authorities refused all possible solutions and negotiations and insisted on destroying his house.
Israeli authorities for years have been using “unlicensed construction” as an excuse to demolish Palestinian homes in the territories occupied since 1948, in an attempt to squeeze the Palestinians into small cantons while building new neighborhoods for Jewish settlers.

Israeli navy Thursday night detained four Palestinian fishermen off the coast of Rafah city in the southern besieged Gaza Strip, said WAFA correspondent.
He confirmed that Israeli naval boats surrounded a fishing boat with four fishermen aboard offshore the city, detained them and seized the boat.
Fourteen years following the Israeli “disengagement” from Gaza, Israel has not actually disengaged from Gaza; it still maintains control of its land borders, access to the sea and airspace.
Two million Palestinians live the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to a punishing and crippling Israeli blockade for 12 years and repeated onslaughts that have heavily damaged much of the enclave’s infrastructure.
Gaza’s 2-million population remains under “remote control” occupation and a strict siege, which has destroyed the local economy, strangled Palestinian livelihoods, plunged them into unprecedented rates of unemployment and poverty, and cut off from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories and the wider world.
Gaza remains occupied territory, having no control over its borders, territorial waters or airspace. Meanwhile, Israel upholds very few of its responsibilities as the occupying power, failing to provide for the basic needs of Palestinian civilians living in the territory.
Every two in three Palestinians in Gaza is a refugee from lands inside what is now Israel. That government forbids them from exercising their right to return as enshrined in international law because they are not Jews.
He confirmed that Israeli naval boats surrounded a fishing boat with four fishermen aboard offshore the city, detained them and seized the boat.
Fourteen years following the Israeli “disengagement” from Gaza, Israel has not actually disengaged from Gaza; it still maintains control of its land borders, access to the sea and airspace.
Two million Palestinians live the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to a punishing and crippling Israeli blockade for 12 years and repeated onslaughts that have heavily damaged much of the enclave’s infrastructure.
Gaza’s 2-million population remains under “remote control” occupation and a strict siege, which has destroyed the local economy, strangled Palestinian livelihoods, plunged them into unprecedented rates of unemployment and poverty, and cut off from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories and the wider world.
Gaza remains occupied territory, having no control over its borders, territorial waters or airspace. Meanwhile, Israel upholds very few of its responsibilities as the occupying power, failing to provide for the basic needs of Palestinian civilians living in the territory.
Every two in three Palestinians in Gaza is a refugee from lands inside what is now Israel. That government forbids them from exercising their right to return as enshrined in international law because they are not Jews.
2 july 2020

Dr. Mike Evans meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
Dr. Mike Evans, a prominent Evangelical figure, praises U.S. administration for its support of Israel asserting sovereignty in the West Bank, but warns community will turn its back on the president come November if he forfeits commitment to plans
Following the delayed start to Israel's plans to annex territory in the West Bank, prominent evangelical leaders in the U.S. implored President Donald Trump to go through with the intuitive – with some warning that withholding will jeopardize his chances of reelection in November.
Dr. Mike Evans, a leading figure within the Evangelical community, told Ynet that Trump's reelection is dependent on "our vote, the Evangelical vote."
"Our support is crucial, and he cannot win it without us," said Evans. "We are 100% supportive of applying Israeli sovereignty to the region. Our support of this did not begin with Trump, but with our Bible, because we believe that God decided to apply sovereignty thousands of years ago and told it to the Jewish people's prophets."
Evans hinted that several of Trump's advisors are advising him to withhold on annexation.
"I believe that any aide advising the president to withdraw his support on application of sovereignty could jeopardize the president's chances of winning the elections," he said.
"The worst thing the president can do during an election is announce his rejection of recognizing the land of the Bible, since all Evangelicals are united behind the Bible where it is stated that who blesses Israel – God blesses him. We will push any advisor urging him to refrain from supporting the application of sovereignty out of the White House."
Evans is currently in U.S. and this week met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to award him a medal for his support of Israel, and the two discussed a way to advance the annexation plans.
Pompeo, who himself is also a prominent figure within the Evangelical community, is a supporter of annexation.
"I believe that Trump will give Netanyahu the green light to go through with annexation, since he has an election in four months," Evans said, adding that the Evangelical camp supports the plan for Israel to annex some 30% of the West Bank.
"If you forfeit the lands of the Bible, that will be an issue for the president. President Trump is a very brave man who cannot be bought, he never kneels.
The president understands the Bible is not illegal, and we want him to say that. He would not have won the last election without us. He has done more than we wanted in the last three and a half years. We believe he will not change. When he is under pressure, it only gives him more energy."
Asked about the possibility that Israel will refuse a request by the president to implement annexation in steps, Evans said he did not believe for a second that "Trump will resist application of sovereignty."
"If I were Netanyahu, I would have pushed for a declaration of full sovereignty before the elections. I would not want to wake up with a Democrat president who will bring hell to Israel."
Dr. Mike Evans, a prominent Evangelical figure, praises U.S. administration for its support of Israel asserting sovereignty in the West Bank, but warns community will turn its back on the president come November if he forfeits commitment to plans
Following the delayed start to Israel's plans to annex territory in the West Bank, prominent evangelical leaders in the U.S. implored President Donald Trump to go through with the intuitive – with some warning that withholding will jeopardize his chances of reelection in November.
Dr. Mike Evans, a leading figure within the Evangelical community, told Ynet that Trump's reelection is dependent on "our vote, the Evangelical vote."
"Our support is crucial, and he cannot win it without us," said Evans. "We are 100% supportive of applying Israeli sovereignty to the region. Our support of this did not begin with Trump, but with our Bible, because we believe that God decided to apply sovereignty thousands of years ago and told it to the Jewish people's prophets."
Evans hinted that several of Trump's advisors are advising him to withhold on annexation.
"I believe that any aide advising the president to withdraw his support on application of sovereignty could jeopardize the president's chances of winning the elections," he said.
"The worst thing the president can do during an election is announce his rejection of recognizing the land of the Bible, since all Evangelicals are united behind the Bible where it is stated that who blesses Israel – God blesses him. We will push any advisor urging him to refrain from supporting the application of sovereignty out of the White House."
Evans is currently in U.S. and this week met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to award him a medal for his support of Israel, and the two discussed a way to advance the annexation plans.
Pompeo, who himself is also a prominent figure within the Evangelical community, is a supporter of annexation.
"I believe that Trump will give Netanyahu the green light to go through with annexation, since he has an election in four months," Evans said, adding that the Evangelical camp supports the plan for Israel to annex some 30% of the West Bank.
"If you forfeit the lands of the Bible, that will be an issue for the president. President Trump is a very brave man who cannot be bought, he never kneels.
The president understands the Bible is not illegal, and we want him to say that. He would not have won the last election without us. He has done more than we wanted in the last three and a half years. We believe he will not change. When he is under pressure, it only gives him more energy."
Asked about the possibility that Israel will refuse a request by the president to implement annexation in steps, Evans said he did not believe for a second that "Trump will resist application of sovereignty."
"If I were Netanyahu, I would have pushed for a declaration of full sovereignty before the elections. I would not want to wake up with a Democrat president who will bring hell to Israel."

Statement By Amnesty International: The Israeli authorities must immediately abandon plans to further “annex” territory in the occupied West Bank which breach international laws and exacerbate decades of systematic human rights violations against Palestinians there, Amnesty International said on the day the Israeli cabinet is due to begin its deliberations on the plans.
Amnesty International is also calling on the international community to take firm action against the “annexation” proposals and illegal Israeli settlements in occupied territory.
International law is crystal clear on this matter – annexation is unlawful. Israel’s continued pursuit of this policy further illustrates its cynical disregard for international law.
Saleh Higazi“International law is crystal clear on this matter – annexation is unlawful. Israel’s continued pursuit of this policy further illustrates its cynical disregard for international law. Such policies do not change the legal status of the territory under international law and its inhabitants as occupied nor remove Israel’s responsibilities as the occupying power – rather it points to the ‘law of the jungle’ which should not have a place in our world today,” said Saleh Higazi, deputy regional director for Amnesty Middle East and North Africa
“Members of the international community must enforce international law and restate that “annexation” of any part of the occupied West Bank is null and void. They must also work to immediately stop the construction or expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and related infrastructure in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as a first step towards removing Israeli civilians living in such settlements.”
Null “annexation”
Under a deal to form a coalition government in April, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and political rival Benny Gantz agreed that a cabinet and parliament deliberations on the domestic process of “annexing” parts of the occupied West Bank, that include Israeli settlements and the area of the Jordan Valley, could begin as of 1 July.
Members of the international community must enforce international law and restate that “annexation” of any part of the occupied West Bank is null and void
Saleh HigaziAnnexation is the claim to acquire territory by force and is a flagrant violation of international law. Such a step by Israel would violate the UN Charter, jus cogens norms of international law, and obligations under international humanitarian law. The prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force is enshrined as a fundamental principle in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.
Under domestic Israeli law, moves towards further “annexation” of Palestinian territory would mean a continuation of Israeli settlement expansion. It would also further entrench policies of institutionalized discrimination and mass human rights violations that Palestinians face in the OPT resulting from the occupation.
According to reports, the Israeli proposal could include as much as 33% of the total area of West Bank.
Recently, dozens of UN experts have voiced concerns that the proposed annexation plan would create a “21st century apartheid”.
Illegal settlements
Israel’s policy of settling its civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local Palestinian population continues to contravene fundamental rules of international humanitarian law. Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” It also prohibits the “individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory”.
Transferring the occupying power’s civilians into the occupied territory is a war crime. Furthermore, the settlements and associated infrastructure are not temporary, do not benefit Palestinians and do not serve the legitimate security needs of the occupying power. Settlements entirely depend on the large-scale appropriation and/or destruction of Palestinian private and public property which are not militarily necessary.
“Settlements are created with the sole purpose of permanently establishing Jewish Israelis on occupied land; this is a war crime under international law and “annexation” has no bearing on this legal determination.” Said Saleh Higazi
Background:
On 20 April, following Israel’s third elections in 10 months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival Benny Gantz formed a coalition government under a unity deal. The deal included an agreement which would allow Israel’s government to start the domestic process of “annexing” parts of the occupied West Bank that include Israeli settlements and the area of the Jordan Valley.
Israel’s “annexation” plans follow the announcement by US President Donald Trump’s so-called “deal of the century” in January 2020 which proposed areas of the occupied West Bank be annexed by Israel.
Amnesty International has made it clear that the Trump Administration’s plan would serve only to worsen human rights violations and enshrine the entrenched impunity that has fueled decades of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other grave violations.
The international community should also reject the so-called “deal of the century”, and any other proposal seeking to undermine the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
Amnesty also calls on governments to offer their full political and practical support to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it decides on its jurisdiction over the “situation in Palestine”.
Amnesty International is also calling on the international community to take firm action against the “annexation” proposals and illegal Israeli settlements in occupied territory.
International law is crystal clear on this matter – annexation is unlawful. Israel’s continued pursuit of this policy further illustrates its cynical disregard for international law.
Saleh Higazi“International law is crystal clear on this matter – annexation is unlawful. Israel’s continued pursuit of this policy further illustrates its cynical disregard for international law. Such policies do not change the legal status of the territory under international law and its inhabitants as occupied nor remove Israel’s responsibilities as the occupying power – rather it points to the ‘law of the jungle’ which should not have a place in our world today,” said Saleh Higazi, deputy regional director for Amnesty Middle East and North Africa
“Members of the international community must enforce international law and restate that “annexation” of any part of the occupied West Bank is null and void. They must also work to immediately stop the construction or expansion of illegal Israeli settlements and related infrastructure in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as a first step towards removing Israeli civilians living in such settlements.”
Null “annexation”
Under a deal to form a coalition government in April, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and political rival Benny Gantz agreed that a cabinet and parliament deliberations on the domestic process of “annexing” parts of the occupied West Bank, that include Israeli settlements and the area of the Jordan Valley, could begin as of 1 July.
Members of the international community must enforce international law and restate that “annexation” of any part of the occupied West Bank is null and void
Saleh HigaziAnnexation is the claim to acquire territory by force and is a flagrant violation of international law. Such a step by Israel would violate the UN Charter, jus cogens norms of international law, and obligations under international humanitarian law. The prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force is enshrined as a fundamental principle in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter.
Under domestic Israeli law, moves towards further “annexation” of Palestinian territory would mean a continuation of Israeli settlement expansion. It would also further entrench policies of institutionalized discrimination and mass human rights violations that Palestinians face in the OPT resulting from the occupation.
According to reports, the Israeli proposal could include as much as 33% of the total area of West Bank.
Recently, dozens of UN experts have voiced concerns that the proposed annexation plan would create a “21st century apartheid”.
Illegal settlements
Israel’s policy of settling its civilians in occupied Palestinian territory and displacing the local Palestinian population continues to contravene fundamental rules of international humanitarian law. Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” It also prohibits the “individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory”.
Transferring the occupying power’s civilians into the occupied territory is a war crime. Furthermore, the settlements and associated infrastructure are not temporary, do not benefit Palestinians and do not serve the legitimate security needs of the occupying power. Settlements entirely depend on the large-scale appropriation and/or destruction of Palestinian private and public property which are not militarily necessary.
“Settlements are created with the sole purpose of permanently establishing Jewish Israelis on occupied land; this is a war crime under international law and “annexation” has no bearing on this legal determination.” Said Saleh Higazi
Background:
On 20 April, following Israel’s third elections in 10 months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival Benny Gantz formed a coalition government under a unity deal. The deal included an agreement which would allow Israel’s government to start the domestic process of “annexing” parts of the occupied West Bank that include Israeli settlements and the area of the Jordan Valley.
Israel’s “annexation” plans follow the announcement by US President Donald Trump’s so-called “deal of the century” in January 2020 which proposed areas of the occupied West Bank be annexed by Israel.
Amnesty International has made it clear that the Trump Administration’s plan would serve only to worsen human rights violations and enshrine the entrenched impunity that has fueled decades of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other grave violations.
The international community should also reject the so-called “deal of the century”, and any other proposal seeking to undermine the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
Amnesty also calls on governments to offer their full political and practical support to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it decides on its jurisdiction over the “situation in Palestine”.

Israeli occupation authorities delivered, Tuesday night, a confiscation warrant to a Palestinian family in the Wadi Al-Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan town, in occupied East Jerusalem.
According to the Wadi Al-Hilweh Information Center (Silwanic), the warrant is pertaining to an Israeli authorities’ plan to confiscate the home of Palestinian Samareen family, who have lived in their own home for many decades. video
The center noted that the warrant is based on a verdict issued by the Israeli central court, demanding the Samareen family to evacuate its home, before the court delivers the home to the so-called Israeli Hemonta company, which is said to be an organ of the Jewish National Fund.
Israeli authorities claim that they had informed the Samareen family long ago, that the home, consisting of four apartments with 18 family members living in it, was subject to the so-called Absentee’s Properly Law.
In response to the confiscation warrant, the Samareen family was quoted as saying that they have lived in the home for many decades, with the family’s grandfather Mousa Samareen, being the first owner and dweller of the home.
Al’a Samareen, a spokesperson for the family, told media outlets that the grandfather Mousa, had lived at the home, before he died in the early 1980s.
Samareen added that in 1983, Israeli authorities subjected the home to the Absentee’s Property Law, through which Israel seizes Palestinian properties.
He made clear that back in 1991, Israeli authorities alleged that the late owner of the home, Mousa Samareen, had no inheritors in the Palestinian territories.
“Such an allegation can not be accepted, as myself and about 17 other Samareen family members have lived at this now-threatened home for several decades now”, Al’a Samareen, stated on behalf of the family.
Noteworthy, the Jewish National Fund is a part of the Jewish Agency, established more than one hundred years ago, for the purpose of purchasing Palestinian-owned properties in the lands of Palestine, for the sake of reinforcing Jewish existence there.
According to the Wadi Al-Hilweh Information Center (Silwanic), the warrant is pertaining to an Israeli authorities’ plan to confiscate the home of Palestinian Samareen family, who have lived in their own home for many decades. video
The center noted that the warrant is based on a verdict issued by the Israeli central court, demanding the Samareen family to evacuate its home, before the court delivers the home to the so-called Israeli Hemonta company, which is said to be an organ of the Jewish National Fund.
Israeli authorities claim that they had informed the Samareen family long ago, that the home, consisting of four apartments with 18 family members living in it, was subject to the so-called Absentee’s Properly Law.
In response to the confiscation warrant, the Samareen family was quoted as saying that they have lived in the home for many decades, with the family’s grandfather Mousa Samareen, being the first owner and dweller of the home.
Al’a Samareen, a spokesperson for the family, told media outlets that the grandfather Mousa, had lived at the home, before he died in the early 1980s.
Samareen added that in 1983, Israeli authorities subjected the home to the Absentee’s Property Law, through which Israel seizes Palestinian properties.
He made clear that back in 1991, Israeli authorities alleged that the late owner of the home, Mousa Samareen, had no inheritors in the Palestinian territories.
“Such an allegation can not be accepted, as myself and about 17 other Samareen family members have lived at this now-threatened home for several decades now”, Al’a Samareen, stated on behalf of the family.
Noteworthy, the Jewish National Fund is a part of the Jewish Agency, established more than one hundred years ago, for the purpose of purchasing Palestinian-owned properties in the lands of Palestine, for the sake of reinforcing Jewish existence there.
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