10 sept 2013
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) rounded up 70 Palestinians from Arub refugee camp, north of Al-Khalil, since the start of 2013. The Palestinian prisoner’s society in Al-Khalil said in a report on Tuesday that most of the detainees were either minors or ex-prisoners.
It said that the detainees were in the age category 18 – 26, adding that the soldiers sabotage searched homes during the raids.
The society charged that the soldiers confiscate mobile phones, computers, cameras, books, and sometime money and golden jewelry are stolen.
It said that the detainees were in the age category 18 – 26, adding that the soldiers sabotage searched homes during the raids.
The society charged that the soldiers confiscate mobile phones, computers, cameras, books, and sometime money and golden jewelry are stolen.
9 sept 2013
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Israeli forces have ordered the demolition of two homes in al-Khader, south of Bethlehem.
Israeli forces delivered warrants to two Palestinians from the Salah family notifying them that their homes are slated for demolition. The homes are in the Um Rukba neighborhood, on a hill in southern al-Khader. Israel plans to control Um Rukba, which is "the only space for the town's demographic expansion," said al-Khader's mayor, Tawfiq Salah. Israel's separation wall has isolated al-Khader from all its agricultural land, and residents |
have been forced to remain on a small part of their land despite the population's natural growth, Salah told Ma'an TV.
Residents of Um Rukba told Ma'an that all homes in the neighborhood faced the threat of demolition.
"My family has built seven houses here in an attempt to protect our lands from Israeli occupation," said Nadir Salah. He highlighted that Israeli forces demolished two houses belonging to his brothers, but they were rebuilt despite Israeli threats.
Residents of Um Rukba told Ma'an that all homes in the neighborhood faced the threat of demolition.
"My family has built seven houses here in an attempt to protect our lands from Israeli occupation," said Nadir Salah. He highlighted that Israeli forces demolished two houses belonging to his brothers, but they were rebuilt despite Israeli threats.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan said that the Israeli occupation bulldozers on Monday morning began digging what looks like a trench to separate the Issawiyya village and the French Hill settlement . Member of the follow-up Committee in Issawiyya, Mohammed Abu Hummus, explained that the Jerusalem Municipality bulldozers started since the morning digging a ditch to separate the village and the settlement, under the pretext of "security reasons."
He pointed out that the length of the ditch reaches more than ten meters, and pointed out that the land is owned by Palestinians, and has been confiscated since years.
Abu Hummus said the settlers have recently called on the Israeli municipality to dig the trench in order to prevent the residents of Issawiyya from entering the settlement, under the pretext that they have been throwing Molotov cocktails at settlers.
He denied the settlers' allegations and stressed that the residents of Issawiyya are the ones suffering from the settlers' attacks.
"The municipality has recently closed a road between the village and the settlement used by Palestinian cars, and today they are digging a trench to restrict the movement of pedestrians."
He pointed out that the length of the ditch reaches more than ten meters, and pointed out that the land is owned by Palestinians, and has been confiscated since years.
Abu Hummus said the settlers have recently called on the Israeli municipality to dig the trench in order to prevent the residents of Issawiyya from entering the settlement, under the pretext that they have been throwing Molotov cocktails at settlers.
He denied the settlers' allegations and stressed that the residents of Issawiyya are the ones suffering from the settlers' attacks.
"The municipality has recently closed a road between the village and the settlement used by Palestinian cars, and today they are digging a trench to restrict the movement of pedestrians."
On 10 September 2013, the Israeli high court will discuss if and how Israel's discriminatory Absentees' Property Law (1950) should be applied to Palestinians residing in the occupied West Bank and their property in occupied East Jerusalem.
For Palestinians, this hearing will be crucial for determining the usefulness of legal challenges of this law in Israeli courts. The Civic Coalition-Jerusalem has issued a special brief about the Israeli Absentees' Property Law on this occasion. The Coalition also calls upon members of the international community in the OPT to bear witness and attend the court hearing which is likely to end without a decision.
The Absentees' Property Law (1950) is one of Israel's major legal instruments for seizing Palestinian property. By classifying every citizen or persons present in an "enemy" territory or country as an "absentee" vis-à-vis property in Israel, the law has served to confiscate the land and real estate left behind by the Palestinians who were forcibly displaced 1948. It is still in effect and used to confiscate Palestinian properties more than six decades later.
In 1967, all Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) theoretically became "absentees" vis-à-vis their property in East Jerusalem which had become "Israel" as a result of the illegal annexation. Israel's annexation and extension of the Absentees' Property Law to occupied East Jerusalem violates international law and has been strongly condemned by the United Nations.
In the lead-up to the 10 September high court hearing, Israeli State Attorney and Government Legal Advisor Yehuda Weinstein declared that the Absentees' Property Law applies and can be enforced on West Bank Palestinians with properties in occupied East Jerusalem.(2) Later, Weinstein announced that he shares the position of his predecessors, stating that the law should only be applied in special circumstances, subject to approval by the attorney general, because its application to West Bank residents raises "considerable legal difficulties with regard to both international law and administrative law". This, combined with the announcement that the state recommends the release of the part of the Hotel Cliff confiscated from West Bank Palestinians (but not the part belonging to Palestinians living abroad), has been heralded by Israeli media as a sign that Israel would "stop using the 1950 law to confiscate East Jerusalem Arab properties for Jews." Media reports of this kind are, however, misleading. The fact that the recommendation to release the confiscated property is based on Article 29 of the Absentees' Property Law indicates that the state is seeking to avoid a principled decision suspending the law for West Bank Palestinians by treating the petitioners as "absentees" whose properties in Jerusalem may be released on special grounds.
Since 1967, Israel has applied the law in a selective and gradual manner. East Jerusalem properties of persons in "enemy" countries have been confiscated. Palestinians who were present in occupied East Jerusalem on 28 June 1967 were excluded from the scope of the law. Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank, outside the annexed area, did not face extensive or systematic expropriation due to the legal opinions of Israel's state attorneys (Shamgar, 1968; Mazuz, 2005) that the law was not to be applied to this group, if their "absence" is the result of the expansion of Jerusalem's boundaries, because such absence was merely "technical" or "artificial".
These restrictive instructions, however, did not stop attempts to expropriate East Jerusalem property of Palestinian West Bank residents by declaring it "absentee properties". Such cases continued to be brought in the Jerusalem district court, with judges adopting divergent and even contradictory arguments and decisions. Appeals against the above decisions were filed in the Israeli high court by the Palestinian owners and the state. The court consolidated these cases for examination by an expanded seven-judge panel in the hearing on 10 September.
Source: Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem
For Palestinians, this hearing will be crucial for determining the usefulness of legal challenges of this law in Israeli courts. The Civic Coalition-Jerusalem has issued a special brief about the Israeli Absentees' Property Law on this occasion. The Coalition also calls upon members of the international community in the OPT to bear witness and attend the court hearing which is likely to end without a decision.
The Absentees' Property Law (1950) is one of Israel's major legal instruments for seizing Palestinian property. By classifying every citizen or persons present in an "enemy" territory or country as an "absentee" vis-à-vis property in Israel, the law has served to confiscate the land and real estate left behind by the Palestinians who were forcibly displaced 1948. It is still in effect and used to confiscate Palestinian properties more than six decades later.
In 1967, all Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) theoretically became "absentees" vis-à-vis their property in East Jerusalem which had become "Israel" as a result of the illegal annexation. Israel's annexation and extension of the Absentees' Property Law to occupied East Jerusalem violates international law and has been strongly condemned by the United Nations.
In the lead-up to the 10 September high court hearing, Israeli State Attorney and Government Legal Advisor Yehuda Weinstein declared that the Absentees' Property Law applies and can be enforced on West Bank Palestinians with properties in occupied East Jerusalem.(2) Later, Weinstein announced that he shares the position of his predecessors, stating that the law should only be applied in special circumstances, subject to approval by the attorney general, because its application to West Bank residents raises "considerable legal difficulties with regard to both international law and administrative law". This, combined with the announcement that the state recommends the release of the part of the Hotel Cliff confiscated from West Bank Palestinians (but not the part belonging to Palestinians living abroad), has been heralded by Israeli media as a sign that Israel would "stop using the 1950 law to confiscate East Jerusalem Arab properties for Jews." Media reports of this kind are, however, misleading. The fact that the recommendation to release the confiscated property is based on Article 29 of the Absentees' Property Law indicates that the state is seeking to avoid a principled decision suspending the law for West Bank Palestinians by treating the petitioners as "absentees" whose properties in Jerusalem may be released on special grounds.
Since 1967, Israel has applied the law in a selective and gradual manner. East Jerusalem properties of persons in "enemy" countries have been confiscated. Palestinians who were present in occupied East Jerusalem on 28 June 1967 were excluded from the scope of the law. Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank, outside the annexed area, did not face extensive or systematic expropriation due to the legal opinions of Israel's state attorneys (Shamgar, 1968; Mazuz, 2005) that the law was not to be applied to this group, if their "absence" is the result of the expansion of Jerusalem's boundaries, because such absence was merely "technical" or "artificial".
These restrictive instructions, however, did not stop attempts to expropriate East Jerusalem property of Palestinian West Bank residents by declaring it "absentee properties". Such cases continued to be brought in the Jerusalem district court, with judges adopting divergent and even contradictory arguments and decisions. Appeals against the above decisions were filed in the Israeli high court by the Palestinian owners and the state. The court consolidated these cases for examination by an expanded seven-judge panel in the hearing on 10 September.
Source: Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem
The Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) notified on Sunday the demolition of two buildings in Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank. The so-called Israeli Civil Administration stormed Khader town in Bethlehem and handed a notification for the demolition of a house and agricultural barn under the pretext of being built without a permit, local sources confirmed.
The sources said that elements of the Civil Administration handed over the Palestinian citizen Nader Salah notifications to demolish his house and an agricultural barn under the pretext of being built without a permit and next to the Apartheid Wall.
The sources said that elements of the Civil Administration handed over the Palestinian citizen Nader Salah notifications to demolish his house and an agricultural barn under the pretext of being built without a permit and next to the Apartheid Wall.
Confiscated Palestinian Land
The World Zionist Organization(WZO)has allocated to settlers in the Jordan Valley more than 5,000 dunams (1,235 acres) of private Palestinian land located east of the border fence, namely, between that fence and the actual border with the Kingdom of Jordan, Haaretz reported. This area between the border fence and the actual border — the Jordan River — is a closed military zone that in some places is two kilometers wide. A military order prevents the Palestinian owners from accessing their lands in this area. On the other hand, Jewish settlers are allowed to farm the lands.
In January, Haaretz reported that under the aegis of this order, the WZO had allocated to settlers in the Jordan Valley over 5,000 dunams of private Palestinian lands. Following this report, the Israeli Civil Administration began to investigate how this situation had come about and how much land had been allocated in this manner.
Discussions have recently been held in the Civil Administration and in the office of the coordinator of Israeli government activities in the territories on this matter. It is a complex legal issue, because the settlers farming these lands were legally allocated the lands by the WZO. On the other hand, the lands also legally belong to their Palestinian owners. The coordinator of Israeli government activities in the territories, Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot, has instructed that all Palestinians who request compensation for the lands they cannot farm should be compensated by the Civil Administration.
A Civil Administration official has told Haaretz that the Civil Administration has no intention of initiating any action with regard to this matter. “If someone submits a petition to the Supreme Court in its capacity as the High Court of Justice, requesting that his lands be returned to him, we will have to decide what to do,” the official said.
The World Zionist Organization(WZO)has allocated to settlers in the Jordan Valley more than 5,000 dunams (1,235 acres) of private Palestinian land located east of the border fence, namely, between that fence and the actual border with the Kingdom of Jordan, Haaretz reported. This area between the border fence and the actual border — the Jordan River — is a closed military zone that in some places is two kilometers wide. A military order prevents the Palestinian owners from accessing their lands in this area. On the other hand, Jewish settlers are allowed to farm the lands.
In January, Haaretz reported that under the aegis of this order, the WZO had allocated to settlers in the Jordan Valley over 5,000 dunams of private Palestinian lands. Following this report, the Israeli Civil Administration began to investigate how this situation had come about and how much land had been allocated in this manner.
Discussions have recently been held in the Civil Administration and in the office of the coordinator of Israeli government activities in the territories on this matter. It is a complex legal issue, because the settlers farming these lands were legally allocated the lands by the WZO. On the other hand, the lands also legally belong to their Palestinian owners. The coordinator of Israeli government activities in the territories, Maj. Gen. Eitan Dangot, has instructed that all Palestinians who request compensation for the lands they cannot farm should be compensated by the Civil Administration.
A Civil Administration official has told Haaretz that the Civil Administration has no intention of initiating any action with regard to this matter. “If someone submits a petition to the Supreme Court in its capacity as the High Court of Justice, requesting that his lands be returned to him, we will have to decide what to do,” the official said.
8 sept 2013
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Jerusalem Municipality handed out on Sunday afternoon administrative demolition orders against a number of commercial structures, and a sports stadium in the town of Silwan in Jerusalem, under the pretext of unlicensed construction. The Information Center in Wadi Hilwa reported that the Israeli municipal teams and forces raided the town and notified the demolition of the Stadium of Wadi Hilweh.
It added the stadium is set up on an area of 850 square meters and includes 4 huts, 3 of which for horses and one for sports equipment. Residents of Wadi Hilweh neighborhood transferred the land into a playground in late 2010, however after |
several months the occupation authorities demolished a hut set up in the stadium, in addition to bulldozing the land.
The Municipal teams also handed out demolition orders to the owners of 3 shops built 20 years ago in the neighborhood of Wadi Hilweh, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center said that the occupation Municipal teams also notified the demolition of 3 shops for selling birds, built since 2001.
The Municipal teams also handed out demolition orders to the owners of 3 shops built 20 years ago in the neighborhood of Wadi Hilweh, under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center said that the occupation Municipal teams also notified the demolition of 3 shops for selling birds, built since 2001.
Israeli settlements
The Israeli authorities Thursday issued a notice to stop construction work on a Palestinian-owned under construction house as a prelude to demolish it in an area in the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, according to a local activist. Coordinator of the Popular Committee against Settlements and the Apartheid Wall in al-Khader, Ahmad Salah, told WAFA that a large military force along with a staff from the civil administration handed Nader Salah a notice to stop the construction work on his house in addition to a notice to demolish a 30-square-meter shed used for agricultural purposes.
Ahmad Salah said, that area is constantly targeted by Israeli forces in an aim to force the residents to leave for the benefit of settlement expansion.
The Israeli authorities Thursday issued a notice to stop construction work on a Palestinian-owned under construction house as a prelude to demolish it in an area in the town of al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, according to a local activist. Coordinator of the Popular Committee against Settlements and the Apartheid Wall in al-Khader, Ahmad Salah, told WAFA that a large military force along with a staff from the civil administration handed Nader Salah a notice to stop the construction work on his house in addition to a notice to demolish a 30-square-meter shed used for agricultural purposes.
Ahmad Salah said, that area is constantly targeted by Israeli forces in an aim to force the residents to leave for the benefit of settlement expansion.
The West Jerusalem Municipality Sunday issued an order of demolishing to the Wadi Hilweh playground in the town of Silwan, south of Jerusalem, in order to turn it into a parking lot for settlers’ use. Mahmoud Qara’in of the Wadi Hilweh Information Center told WAFA that the Municipality has notified the residents with the demolishing of the 850-square-meter playground as well as a 20-square-meter room used for storage.
He pointed out that in 2011, the Israeli authorities demolished the same room and razed sections of the playground.
Qarain said that Wadi Hilweh residents filed a lawsuit over the playground case, to which Israeli authorities responded with a decision to take over the playground.
He pointed out that in 2011, the Israeli authorities demolished the same room and razed sections of the playground.
Qarain said that Wadi Hilweh residents filed a lawsuit over the playground case, to which Israeli authorities responded with a decision to take over the playground.
6 sept 2013
The ethnic cleansing continues in Israel. For those who say that apartheid does not exist in Israel – the simple question is: Would this have happened to this woman if she were Jewish?
The obvious answer is no. In Israel – people of Palestinian descent (even Israeli citizens) are systematically discriminated against because of their ethnicity. It is completely legal and happens frequently for a person to be turned away from housing and employment because they’re not Jewish. In fact – 79% of Israeli business owners “said they would rather not promote Arabs” compared to the 70% of Israeli business owners who feel the same about Ethiopian workers (source). Israeli courts found it completely legal to have “Jews only” housing in 2010 (source) and that is exactly what’s happening.
House by house, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood – Israeli citizens who are Palestinian in descent are being kicked out of their homes or having their homes demolished. The government simply will not approve building of improvements to housing if a person is not-Jewish and that’s intentional. It’s called ethnic cleansing.
The Angry Arabs Comments Section explains this photo HERE:
A photo of an 88 year-old Palestinian woman who was evicted from her home in East Jerusalem. She now resides with another family across the street from her home — a house that Israeli settlers (some of them are seen in the background) now have taken over the front section of as well. They take turns living there, spitting on this old lady and spewing obscenities at her. We met this woman in January 2012 during a delegation I led in Palestine. The settlers actually pointed their barking, frightening dogs at us while we spoke with her.
The obvious answer is no. In Israel – people of Palestinian descent (even Israeli citizens) are systematically discriminated against because of their ethnicity. It is completely legal and happens frequently for a person to be turned away from housing and employment because they’re not Jewish. In fact – 79% of Israeli business owners “said they would rather not promote Arabs” compared to the 70% of Israeli business owners who feel the same about Ethiopian workers (source). Israeli courts found it completely legal to have “Jews only” housing in 2010 (source) and that is exactly what’s happening.
House by house, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood – Israeli citizens who are Palestinian in descent are being kicked out of their homes or having their homes demolished. The government simply will not approve building of improvements to housing if a person is not-Jewish and that’s intentional. It’s called ethnic cleansing.
The Angry Arabs Comments Section explains this photo HERE:
A photo of an 88 year-old Palestinian woman who was evicted from her home in East Jerusalem. She now resides with another family across the street from her home — a house that Israeli settlers (some of them are seen in the background) now have taken over the front section of as well. They take turns living there, spitting on this old lady and spewing obscenities at her. We met this woman in January 2012 during a delegation I led in Palestine. The settlers actually pointed their barking, frightening dogs at us while we spoke with her.
The Israeli Authorities forced a Palestinian, Shaker Ja'beis, residing in occupied al-Quds to demolish his own house, or pay for the municipality to do the demolition.
The Jerusalem Municipality forced the resident Ja'abeis, who resides in Jabl al-Mukaber neighborhood, to choose either to demolish his house with his own hands, or the municipality would do it for a fine of 70,000 NIS.
Ja'abeis said that he resides in almost a 100 square-meters house with his wife and five children.
"I bought the land and house from one of the residents five years ago," he continued, "Several months later, staff of the Jerusalem municipality came to the house and imposed a 50,000 NIS fine under the pretext of building without an Israeli authorization."
"Another fine of 100,000 NIS and a demolition order were issued in a court session appointed after I paid the first fine." He added.
He explained that the demolition order of the house was issued two weeks ago, and the court gave him a two-week period until 8th September 2013, to finish the demolition of his house.
The Jerusalem Municipality forced the resident Ja'abeis, who resides in Jabl al-Mukaber neighborhood, to choose either to demolish his house with his own hands, or the municipality would do it for a fine of 70,000 NIS.
Ja'abeis said that he resides in almost a 100 square-meters house with his wife and five children.
"I bought the land and house from one of the residents five years ago," he continued, "Several months later, staff of the Jerusalem municipality came to the house and imposed a 50,000 NIS fine under the pretext of building without an Israeli authorization."
"Another fine of 100,000 NIS and a demolition order were issued in a court session appointed after I paid the first fine." He added.
He explained that the demolition order of the house was issued two weeks ago, and the court gave him a two-week period until 8th September 2013, to finish the demolition of his house.
5 sept 2013
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Jerusalemite citizen, Shaker Ja’abees self-demolished his house in Jabal Al-Mukabber because of building without a permit.
Ja’abees told Wadi Hilweh Information Center that 7 individuals live in the house, Shaker, his wife and his five children where the oldest is 10 years and the youngest is 10 months old. He pointed out that they will be forced to live at his father’s house now. Ja’abees explained that he bought the house 5 years ago, and after a short period of time, the municipality imposed a building violation fee of 50 thousand NIS under the pretext of building without a permit and that he had just finished paying the fine recently. |
The municipality then imposed another fine on him during a court session which was 100 thousand NIS this time and he told the judge that he cannot pay any new fines.
He added that he was surprised two weeks ago when he received the demolition order, and that he has until the 8th of September, 2013 to execute it, otherwise the municipality’s bulldozers will demolish the house and he has to pay 70 thousand NIS.
The house is 100 square meters and consists of three rooms and their facilities.
He added that he was surprised two weeks ago when he received the demolition order, and that he has until the 8th of September, 2013 to execute it, otherwise the municipality’s bulldozers will demolish the house and he has to pay 70 thousand NIS.
The house is 100 square meters and consists of three rooms and their facilities.
Israeli private security guards try to stop Palestinians from working their land in the West Bank village of Sinjil, near the Israeli outpost of Givat Haro’e , August 18, 2013. Three years after settlers invaded their land, following the HCJ injunction order issued in the petition filed by the landowners through Yesh Din, landowners from the village of Sinjil arrive to their land for the first time.
Last month we reported that after a three-year sisyphic legal struggle, the IDF finally implemented a High Court of Justice order that Ali Shabana be allowed to access his land; and that the son of the owner, accompanied by a Yesh Din team, ploughed the land.
All’s well that ends well? A proof that a dim legal dawn finally breaks through the mist? Not quite.
The settlers, as we reported, were not happy that we saved the poor man’s sheep, and a person called Nachman, who represented himself as the security officer of the outpost Givat Ha’Ro’eh, summoned the IDF forces. Two hours later, Colonel Yossi Pinto, Commander of the Binyamin Brigade, signed a Closed Military Zone order, which forbade the owners of the land from reaching it and effectively ordered the end of plowing by the owners. It’s important to note that Shabana had informed the military in advance – through the Palestinian District Coordination Office – about his arrival; we, for our part, informed the state attorneys.
So, basically Col. Pinto decided that a High Court of Justice ruling is something that can be toyed with; that the colonel’s opinion, after consulting with the outpost’s security officer, is easily more important than that of three High Court justices, since, well, they are civilians and he is in uniform. Col. Pinto admittedly removed the trees the settlers planted in the plot in order to steal Shabana’s land, as the court ordered, but no sooner had he carried the order out than he returned to his usual position, that of a settler collaborator, and undermined the spirit of the ruling, which was that the land should be returned to its owners so they could do with it as they please. It’s important to note that Pinto’s behavior isn’t exceptional; you could replace “Pinto” with basically the name of any brigade, division or regional commander in the West Bank.
If so, the question is: what do we need a legal process for? Why burn hundreds of hours of lawyers’ work, both ours and the state’s? In their case, Col. Pinto drilled a small new hole in the government’s budget – nothing to write home about given the Titanic-sized hole the army regularly forces in it, but even so. Why waste the justices’ costly time? Why lay waste to forest, why siphon away the ink of already-pale squids in order to print thousands upon thousands of pages, and then wrap them all in another quickly-extinct resource, the remains of dinosaurs lovingly crushed by the Earth for millions of years? Have you no pity for this planet? Why go to all these lengths?
Notice the effective and economical way Col. Pinto treated the issue: one dense and short page, prepared in advance so all you have to do is change the date from time to time. Admittedly, the Colonel, in his munificence, allows “dispensing copies of this declaration to whomever asks for it”, and yes, it is accompanied by a map; yet even so, who needs all the mess of a free and public legal debate, with all its costs when one can simply leave the issue to the tender mercies of efficient functionaries such as Col. Pinto?
The question whether the military commander Pinto overstepped his authority is of particular interest. On one scale, we have a decision of the HCJ. On the other, the military commander, wrapped in his aura of awe, with all the authorities it accumulated in the Emergency Acts and other orders effective in the occupied territories: the combined powers of a Turkish Pasha, a British district commander, and the Israeli military commander whose order is sufficient to carry out collective punishment, such as the demolition of a house.
Experience shows that the High Court shies away from confrontation with this figure, which seems drawn from the nightmares of the Christian Day of Wrath: the dreadful judge sitting on his high throne, judging the quick and the dead, from whose judgment there is no appeal, before him there is no room for argument, only – since you can’t have recourse to the plea, as in the Jewish hymn, of “remember how you loved us, Oh Lord” – a protestation and supplication (“salve me!”) for mercy. And so, when the military commander, in his incarnation as Col. Pinto assisted by a jurist, says that this is his will, the HCJ will, as a rule, retreat. Even when the military commander openly disregards its rulings, the ancient maxim that two kings cannot use the same crown is always before the court, and it is leery of using the words “contempt of court.”
And so, in a short document mostly written in advance, Col. Pinto turned three years of legal arguments into dust, emptied them of their core – and thereby exposed the shaky foundations of the fiction of “the rule of law” in the Occupied Territories, and the inherent weakness of the High Court’s legal oversight. We ought to remember this.
Written by Yossi Gurvitz in his capacity as a blogger for Yesh Din, Volunteers for Human Rights. A version of this post was first published on Yesh Din’s blog.
Last month we reported that after a three-year sisyphic legal struggle, the IDF finally implemented a High Court of Justice order that Ali Shabana be allowed to access his land; and that the son of the owner, accompanied by a Yesh Din team, ploughed the land.
All’s well that ends well? A proof that a dim legal dawn finally breaks through the mist? Not quite.
The settlers, as we reported, were not happy that we saved the poor man’s sheep, and a person called Nachman, who represented himself as the security officer of the outpost Givat Ha’Ro’eh, summoned the IDF forces. Two hours later, Colonel Yossi Pinto, Commander of the Binyamin Brigade, signed a Closed Military Zone order, which forbade the owners of the land from reaching it and effectively ordered the end of plowing by the owners. It’s important to note that Shabana had informed the military in advance – through the Palestinian District Coordination Office – about his arrival; we, for our part, informed the state attorneys.
So, basically Col. Pinto decided that a High Court of Justice ruling is something that can be toyed with; that the colonel’s opinion, after consulting with the outpost’s security officer, is easily more important than that of three High Court justices, since, well, they are civilians and he is in uniform. Col. Pinto admittedly removed the trees the settlers planted in the plot in order to steal Shabana’s land, as the court ordered, but no sooner had he carried the order out than he returned to his usual position, that of a settler collaborator, and undermined the spirit of the ruling, which was that the land should be returned to its owners so they could do with it as they please. It’s important to note that Pinto’s behavior isn’t exceptional; you could replace “Pinto” with basically the name of any brigade, division or regional commander in the West Bank.
If so, the question is: what do we need a legal process for? Why burn hundreds of hours of lawyers’ work, both ours and the state’s? In their case, Col. Pinto drilled a small new hole in the government’s budget – nothing to write home about given the Titanic-sized hole the army regularly forces in it, but even so. Why waste the justices’ costly time? Why lay waste to forest, why siphon away the ink of already-pale squids in order to print thousands upon thousands of pages, and then wrap them all in another quickly-extinct resource, the remains of dinosaurs lovingly crushed by the Earth for millions of years? Have you no pity for this planet? Why go to all these lengths?
Notice the effective and economical way Col. Pinto treated the issue: one dense and short page, prepared in advance so all you have to do is change the date from time to time. Admittedly, the Colonel, in his munificence, allows “dispensing copies of this declaration to whomever asks for it”, and yes, it is accompanied by a map; yet even so, who needs all the mess of a free and public legal debate, with all its costs when one can simply leave the issue to the tender mercies of efficient functionaries such as Col. Pinto?
The question whether the military commander Pinto overstepped his authority is of particular interest. On one scale, we have a decision of the HCJ. On the other, the military commander, wrapped in his aura of awe, with all the authorities it accumulated in the Emergency Acts and other orders effective in the occupied territories: the combined powers of a Turkish Pasha, a British district commander, and the Israeli military commander whose order is sufficient to carry out collective punishment, such as the demolition of a house.
Experience shows that the High Court shies away from confrontation with this figure, which seems drawn from the nightmares of the Christian Day of Wrath: the dreadful judge sitting on his high throne, judging the quick and the dead, from whose judgment there is no appeal, before him there is no room for argument, only – since you can’t have recourse to the plea, as in the Jewish hymn, of “remember how you loved us, Oh Lord” – a protestation and supplication (“salve me!”) for mercy. And so, when the military commander, in his incarnation as Col. Pinto assisted by a jurist, says that this is his will, the HCJ will, as a rule, retreat. Even when the military commander openly disregards its rulings, the ancient maxim that two kings cannot use the same crown is always before the court, and it is leery of using the words “contempt of court.”
And so, in a short document mostly written in advance, Col. Pinto turned three years of legal arguments into dust, emptied them of their core – and thereby exposed the shaky foundations of the fiction of “the rule of law” in the Occupied Territories, and the inherent weakness of the High Court’s legal oversight. We ought to remember this.
Written by Yossi Gurvitz in his capacity as a blogger for Yesh Din, Volunteers for Human Rights. A version of this post was first published on Yesh Din’s blog.
In East al-Quds (Jersualem) Israeli bulldozers are leveling more Palestinian land to expand the illegal settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev by an additional 620 housing units.
Pisgat Ze’ev is one of five major Israeli settlements, housing over 50,000 Israelis and was established in East al-Quds after the Six-Day war of 1967.
Since the recent resumption of the “peace negotiations,” Israel has announced plans to construct more than 3,000 new housing units in the occupied West Bank and East al-Quds, each of which is a violation of international law. Additionally, PressTV reported that these units are built at the expense of Palestinian lives and rights, quoting a Stop the Wall Campaign coordinator.
The Campaign coordinator continued, saying the re-starting of negotiations has only seen an increase in illegal settlement building activity, which suggests Israel’s lack of sincerity around the talks.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met on Tuesday for the latest round of talks.
The settlements are considered illegal by the United Nations and most countries because they are being built on land that has been occupied by Israel since the war of 1967, and are therefore subject to the Geneva Convention, which prohibits construction on occupied territories.
Pisgat Ze’ev is one of five major Israeli settlements, housing over 50,000 Israelis and was established in East al-Quds after the Six-Day war of 1967.
Since the recent resumption of the “peace negotiations,” Israel has announced plans to construct more than 3,000 new housing units in the occupied West Bank and East al-Quds, each of which is a violation of international law. Additionally, PressTV reported that these units are built at the expense of Palestinian lives and rights, quoting a Stop the Wall Campaign coordinator.
The Campaign coordinator continued, saying the re-starting of negotiations has only seen an increase in illegal settlement building activity, which suggests Israel’s lack of sincerity around the talks.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met on Tuesday for the latest round of talks.
The settlements are considered illegal by the United Nations and most countries because they are being built on land that has been occupied by Israel since the war of 1967, and are therefore subject to the Geneva Convention, which prohibits construction on occupied territories.
3 sept 2013
An Israeli court in Jerusalem rejected a petition submitted by residents of Msafer Yatta, south of al-Khalil in occupied West Bank, in which they appealed for cancelling the Israeli occupation army's decision to confiscate, demolish and evacuate 8 villages for military purposes. Haj Ziad Mkhamra, aged 59, told PIC's correspondent that the court rejected the petition demanding cancelling the decision of the Defense Minister Ehud Barak to confiscate and evacuate 8 villages in Msafer Yatta.
Mkhamra said the President of the Israeli Supreme Court suggested that the residents choose a retired judge to mediate between them and the prosecutor in an attempt to reach a solution regarding the petition.
He added that the military prosecutor strongly rejected the suggestion of the chief judge and insisted on the implementation of the resolution, claiming that the cancellation of the eviction order means that the forces in the region will have to restart training in another far place which will cost money and time.
The residents stressed on their adherence to their land and their determination to defend it until the decision of the prosecution and the army is cancelled.
The area of Msafer Yatta is inhabited by more than 500 people living on agriculture and grazing sheep. The occupation former Defense Minister Ehud Barak had decided in 2012 to evacuate eight villages to be used for military purposes and training.
Mkhamra said the President of the Israeli Supreme Court suggested that the residents choose a retired judge to mediate between them and the prosecutor in an attempt to reach a solution regarding the petition.
He added that the military prosecutor strongly rejected the suggestion of the chief judge and insisted on the implementation of the resolution, claiming that the cancellation of the eviction order means that the forces in the region will have to restart training in another far place which will cost money and time.
The residents stressed on their adherence to their land and their determination to defend it until the decision of the prosecution and the army is cancelled.
The area of Msafer Yatta is inhabited by more than 500 people living on agriculture and grazing sheep. The occupation former Defense Minister Ehud Barak had decided in 2012 to evacuate eight villages to be used for military purposes and training.
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) razed a shed and a house in Fasayel Al-Fuqa village in the Jordan Valley on Monday. Local sources said that IOF soldiers stormed the village and razed the shed then tried to destroy a house but were confronted by citizens.
The sources pointed out that the soldiers used teargas and stun grenades to disperse the protestors then demolished the house, adding that two women were injured in the scuffle.
The sources pointed out that the soldiers used teargas and stun grenades to disperse the protestors then demolished the house, adding that two women were injured in the scuffle.
The Israeli government approved a plan at a cost of 10 million shekels to bring about 300,000 Jewish settlers from other occupied areas to live in settlement outposts in Negev and Galilee. According to the Hebrew radio, the government intends to help Jewish young couples with this project to pay the rents of the apartments they would buy, and to build affordable public housing units.
The Israeli mini-cabinet led by minister of finance Yair Lapid also decided to repair abandoned public buildings in these areas and turn them into cheap houses.
The Israeli Knesset had approved last June the plan submitted in 2011 by Benjamin Netanyahu's director of planning Ehud Prawer to forcibly evacuate the Palestinian Bedouin villages in the Negev region and gather its population in other areas.
The Palestinians consider this plan as a new chapter of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) because Israel intends to seize more than 800,000 dunums of their land in the Negev.
The Prawer plan would lead to the displacement of 40,000 Negev Bedouins and the destruction of 38 villages and hamlets.
The Israeli mini-cabinet led by minister of finance Yair Lapid also decided to repair abandoned public buildings in these areas and turn them into cheap houses.
The Israeli Knesset had approved last June the plan submitted in 2011 by Benjamin Netanyahu's director of planning Ehud Prawer to forcibly evacuate the Palestinian Bedouin villages in the Negev region and gather its population in other areas.
The Palestinians consider this plan as a new chapter of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) because Israel intends to seize more than 800,000 dunums of their land in the Negev.
The Prawer plan would lead to the displacement of 40,000 Negev Bedouins and the destruction of 38 villages and hamlets.
Israeli military vehicles penetrated into land, east of the city of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian media outlets reported that Israeli vehicles stormed the area and soldiers randomly started shooting.
No injuries were reported.
IOF troops enter southern Gaza amidst indiscriminate firing
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on Tuesday morning amidst heavy shooting. A field observer said that the soldiers were mounting nine armored vehicles and bulldozers. He said that the armored vehicles roamed the outskirts of the city.
The source pointed out that the bulldozers were at the same time leveling land and setting up sand barriers to the east of Khan Younis. He added that warplanes and reconnaissance planes were also hovering over the area.
The incursion is the latest in a series of violations of the calm agreement signed in November last year in Cairo. Six Palestinians were killed and dozens were wounded or arrested in the Israeli breaches of the agreement.
Palestinian media outlets reported that Israeli vehicles stormed the area and soldiers randomly started shooting.
No injuries were reported.
IOF troops enter southern Gaza amidst indiscriminate firing
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) raided southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on Tuesday morning amidst heavy shooting. A field observer said that the soldiers were mounting nine armored vehicles and bulldozers. He said that the armored vehicles roamed the outskirts of the city.
The source pointed out that the bulldozers were at the same time leveling land and setting up sand barriers to the east of Khan Younis. He added that warplanes and reconnaissance planes were also hovering over the area.
The incursion is the latest in a series of violations of the calm agreement signed in November last year in Cairo. Six Palestinians were killed and dozens were wounded or arrested in the Israeli breaches of the agreement.
Israel's High Court of Justice declines to make a ruling on the evictions of over 1,000 Palestinian villagers from what Israel calls ‘Firing Zone 918.’ Villagers’ attorneys say referral to mediation process is a sign the court wasn’t satisfied with the state’s arguments. International writers sign petition against evictions.
The court referred to mediation a petition against the eviction of dozens of West Bank Palestinian families to make room for a military training area in the West Bank on Monday, pending the State’s acquiescence to the suggestion.
The courtroom was packed with representatives of the Palestinian villagers, foreign diplomats, Israeli and international activists and journalists.
Some 1,000 Palestinians in eight villages live in what the Israeli army has declared Firing Zone 918 in the South Hebron Hills. For 14 years, the state has years sought to evict the traditionally cave-dwelling Palestinians from their homes and grazing lands inside the designated area. A number of Jewish settlements within Firing Zone 918, however, have not been served with eviction orders.
In the High Court hearing on Monday, the state argued that Firing Zone 918 is of military necessity because it reduces logistical costs of training exercises due to its proximity to a nearby army base.
Lawyers representing the villagers, however, argued that international law clearly prohibits the expulsion of residents from an occupied territory, as well as the permanent seizure of land for military use.
Following the hearing, Attorney Sholomo Lecker said he believes the court referred the case to mediation because it did not want to make a decision, but rather to signal to the state that it should change its position.
The court referred to mediation a petition against the eviction of dozens of West Bank Palestinian families to make room for a military training area in the West Bank on Monday, pending the State’s acquiescence to the suggestion.
The courtroom was packed with representatives of the Palestinian villagers, foreign diplomats, Israeli and international activists and journalists.
Some 1,000 Palestinians in eight villages live in what the Israeli army has declared Firing Zone 918 in the South Hebron Hills. For 14 years, the state has years sought to evict the traditionally cave-dwelling Palestinians from their homes and grazing lands inside the designated area. A number of Jewish settlements within Firing Zone 918, however, have not been served with eviction orders.
In the High Court hearing on Monday, the state argued that Firing Zone 918 is of military necessity because it reduces logistical costs of training exercises due to its proximity to a nearby army base.
Lawyers representing the villagers, however, argued that international law clearly prohibits the expulsion of residents from an occupied territory, as well as the permanent seizure of land for military use.
Following the hearing, Attorney Sholomo Lecker said he believes the court referred the case to mediation because it did not want to make a decision, but rather to signal to the state that it should change its position.
The mediation decision indicates that the court was not satisfied with the state’s arguments or the factual background it put forth, Attorney Tamar Feldman added, saying that the decision “is a good indication that the court is at least leaning [toward disagreeing] with the state.”
The referral to mediation would not be the first attempt to resolve the issue of Firing Zone 918 out of court. In 2002, villagers and the State entered a previous round of mediation, in which it sought to relocate the Palestinian residents to a smaller, nearby area. Residents refused, however, and in 2005 the process ended without any result.
Ahead of the most recent court cases, filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Atty Sholomo Lecker on behalf of the villagers, a group of well known Israel authors signed a petition opposing the eviction of Palestinians from the South Hebron Hills.
“In a reality of ongoing occupation, of solid cynicism and meanness, each and every one of us bears the moral obligation to try and relieve the suffering, do something to bend back the occupation’s giant, cruel hand,” they wrote.
Ahead of the Monday’s hearing, 50 international authors joined their petition, calling on Israel “to halt its displacement of the Palestinian villages located in Firing Zone 918.”
The international authors included: John le Carre, Michael Chabon, Dave Eggers, Ian McEwan, Nobel laureate Herta Müller and Philip Roth.
This article was originally posted by 972 Magazine. View original article here.
The referral to mediation would not be the first attempt to resolve the issue of Firing Zone 918 out of court. In 2002, villagers and the State entered a previous round of mediation, in which it sought to relocate the Palestinian residents to a smaller, nearby area. Residents refused, however, and in 2005 the process ended without any result.
Ahead of the most recent court cases, filed by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Atty Sholomo Lecker on behalf of the villagers, a group of well known Israel authors signed a petition opposing the eviction of Palestinians from the South Hebron Hills.
“In a reality of ongoing occupation, of solid cynicism and meanness, each and every one of us bears the moral obligation to try and relieve the suffering, do something to bend back the occupation’s giant, cruel hand,” they wrote.
Ahead of the Monday’s hearing, 50 international authors joined their petition, calling on Israel “to halt its displacement of the Palestinian villages located in Firing Zone 918.”
The international authors included: John le Carre, Michael Chabon, Dave Eggers, Ian McEwan, Nobel laureate Herta Müller and Philip Roth.
This article was originally posted by 972 Magazine. View original article here.
2 sept 2013
Israeli forces on Sunday handed a home demolition order to a Palestinian family in Idhna southern West Bank, the mayor said.
Israel authorities said Hani Khalil Awawda's home was built without Israeli permission and ordered its demolition, Mayor Hashim Tmeizi told Ma'an.
Awawda and his family of six live in the 170-square-meter home in the Jurat Salim neighborhood.
"The occupation forces are displacing Palestinian residents especially in this area which has been populated for decades, and receives all municipal services including water and electricity networks as well as asphalted roads," the mayor said.
He added that several Palestinian families in the same neighborhood received similar warrants.
Israel authorities said Hani Khalil Awawda's home was built without Israeli permission and ordered its demolition, Mayor Hashim Tmeizi told Ma'an.
Awawda and his family of six live in the 170-square-meter home in the Jurat Salim neighborhood.
"The occupation forces are displacing Palestinian residents especially in this area which has been populated for decades, and receives all municipal services including water and electricity networks as well as asphalted roads," the mayor said.
He added that several Palestinian families in the same neighborhood received similar warrants.
Israeli forces Monday demolished a home and a shack and beat up five women, two of them pregnant in their last trimester, in Fasayel in the Jordan Valley, according to a local source. Hamza Zbeidat, who runs a non-governmental organization in the Jordan Valley, told WAFA that forces stormed the area, surrounded the house and demanded its residents to evacuate it.
When the women refused to leave it, the force attacked them with rifle butts, fired tear gas and acoustic canisters toward the residents who formed a human shield to prevent the force from demolishing the home, causing three women to suffer from gas suffocation.
The women were transferred to hospital for treatment and were reported in stable condition.
The homeowner, Daifallah Rashaydeh, said that he has several orders by Israeli courts preventing the demolition of the house, which was built almost 10 years ago.
Israeli forces demolish Jericho home, assault residents
Israeli forces raided the Jericho village of Fasayil on Monday and demolished residential and agricultural structures, witnesses said.
Israeli soldiers destroyed a house and cattle farm belonging to Deifallah Rashayda and Jihad Rashayda, leaving 12 family members homeless.
During the demolition, soldiers assaulted five women with the butts of their rifles, locals said. All five women were taken to hospital for treatment after being assessed by Red Crescent medics at the scene.
Deifallah Rashayda told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided his home early Monday accompanied by bulldozers. Soldiers ordered him to remove all of this belongings from the property before the demolition.
Israeli troops assaulted several family members after they refused to obey the soldiers' orders.
The house was built ten years ago and Rashayda said he had precautionary orders from several Israeli courts to suspend the demolition.
The cattle farm steel structure was built four years ago and he was not given notice prior to the demolition.
Jericho governor Majid al-Fityani described the demolition in Fasayil as a "slap in the face for those who advocate the resumption of peace negotiations," while visiting the injured women in hospital.
The senior official slammed Israeli polices in the Jordan Valley which "obviously aim to forcibly evacuate Palestinian citizens from their lands in order to build settlements."
He appealed to President Mahmoud Abbas to allocate more support to the residents of the Jordan Valley so they can remain "steadfast" in the face of Israeli policies.
When the women refused to leave it, the force attacked them with rifle butts, fired tear gas and acoustic canisters toward the residents who formed a human shield to prevent the force from demolishing the home, causing three women to suffer from gas suffocation.
The women were transferred to hospital for treatment and were reported in stable condition.
The homeowner, Daifallah Rashaydeh, said that he has several orders by Israeli courts preventing the demolition of the house, which was built almost 10 years ago.
Israeli forces demolish Jericho home, assault residents
Israeli forces raided the Jericho village of Fasayil on Monday and demolished residential and agricultural structures, witnesses said.
Israeli soldiers destroyed a house and cattle farm belonging to Deifallah Rashayda and Jihad Rashayda, leaving 12 family members homeless.
During the demolition, soldiers assaulted five women with the butts of their rifles, locals said. All five women were taken to hospital for treatment after being assessed by Red Crescent medics at the scene.
Deifallah Rashayda told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided his home early Monday accompanied by bulldozers. Soldiers ordered him to remove all of this belongings from the property before the demolition.
Israeli troops assaulted several family members after they refused to obey the soldiers' orders.
The house was built ten years ago and Rashayda said he had precautionary orders from several Israeli courts to suspend the demolition.
The cattle farm steel structure was built four years ago and he was not given notice prior to the demolition.
Jericho governor Majid al-Fityani described the demolition in Fasayil as a "slap in the face for those who advocate the resumption of peace negotiations," while visiting the injured women in hospital.
The senior official slammed Israeli polices in the Jordan Valley which "obviously aim to forcibly evacuate Palestinian citizens from their lands in order to build settlements."
He appealed to President Mahmoud Abbas to allocate more support to the residents of the Jordan Valley so they can remain "steadfast" in the face of Israeli policies.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) suppressed a Palestinian peaceful march in al-Khalil against the Israeli settlers' attempt to confiscate a Palestinian building in the area. The participants tried to enter into Rajbi family's building in order to protect it from the settlers' scheme however the Israeli soldiers, deployed in the area, prevented them from having access to the house.
The participants held the Palestinian flag and banners demanding an end to the Israeli settlers' presence in al-Khalil, chanting slogans against the Israeli confiscation and Judaization policy against Palestinian properties.
National forces’ representatives and foreign activists participated in the march.
The Israeli settlers had occupied the Palestinian house which consists of 4 floors comprising 16 flats and a total area of three thousand square meters, about six years ago. However its Palestinian owners have managed to restore it in 2008 after obtaining a judicial order in their favor.
Following the court's order to evacuate the building, the settlers organized revenge attacks against Palestinian properties. Dozens of Palestinian houses were burned and violent clashes erupted causing several injuries among the residents.
Since that time, the Israeli authorities have refused to hand over the building to its owners in violation of the court's order.
In September 2012, the Israeli Central Court issued a decision to hand over the Palestinian house to the Israeli settlers, where the Palestinian owners submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court demanding to cancel the Central Court's order.
The participants held the Palestinian flag and banners demanding an end to the Israeli settlers' presence in al-Khalil, chanting slogans against the Israeli confiscation and Judaization policy against Palestinian properties.
National forces’ representatives and foreign activists participated in the march.
The Israeli settlers had occupied the Palestinian house which consists of 4 floors comprising 16 flats and a total area of three thousand square meters, about six years ago. However its Palestinian owners have managed to restore it in 2008 after obtaining a judicial order in their favor.
Following the court's order to evacuate the building, the settlers organized revenge attacks against Palestinian properties. Dozens of Palestinian houses were burned and violent clashes erupted causing several injuries among the residents.
Since that time, the Israeli authorities have refused to hand over the building to its owners in violation of the court's order.
In September 2012, the Israeli Central Court issued a decision to hand over the Palestinian house to the Israeli settlers, where the Palestinian owners submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court demanding to cancel the Central Court's order.
The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) ordered four Palestinians in Daheriya town in Al-Khalil on Monday to stop building their homes. The land research institute said in a statement that the IOA served notices to four Palestinians to the east of Daheriya in addition to the owner of a tin house used for agricultural purposes.
The notifications said that an IOA inspection committee would hold a session on 30/9/2013 to discuss means of razing what was newly added to those houses.
The IOA had served similar notices in the same neighborhood of Muala last week.
The notifications said that an IOA inspection committee would hold a session on 30/9/2013 to discuss means of razing what was newly added to those houses.
The IOA had served similar notices in the same neighborhood of Muala last week.
The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage on Monday said Israel is expanding the tunnel network under the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound through digging two extra tunnels. In a statement, the foundation said Israel Antiquities Authority started new excavations in the village of Silwan via digging in the west southern and north southern sides of the mosque. The foundation warned of the dangerous outcomes of such excavations on the bases of the mosque.
Israel was targeting the mosque as part of its project to build the so-called Solomon temple at the site.
New tunnels under Al-Aqsa Mosque exposed
Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage revealed that the Israeli authorities led by the Antiquities Authority have dug two new tunnels under al-Aqsa mosque. In its statement issued on Sunday, the Foundation said that one of the two tunnels extends from Ein Silwan to settlements in the city of Dawoud passing through Al-Aqsa Mosque, while the second tunnel starts from al-Aqsa mosque heading north.
The foundation has exposed photos documenting the digging of tunnels under the holy mosque. The statement warned of the continued excavations that disclosed the mosque's substructures.
Al-Aqsa Foundation said that the Israeli authorities aim at linking the new main tunnel with the tunnels network in Silwan neighborhood and the Buraq square area and the old city.
These new excavations constitute a real threat to al-Aqsa mosque, the Foundation pointed out.
Israel is currently digging under the mosque in order to topple it aiming at replacing it with the alleged Temple.
Israel was targeting the mosque as part of its project to build the so-called Solomon temple at the site.
New tunnels under Al-Aqsa Mosque exposed
Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage revealed that the Israeli authorities led by the Antiquities Authority have dug two new tunnels under al-Aqsa mosque. In its statement issued on Sunday, the Foundation said that one of the two tunnels extends from Ein Silwan to settlements in the city of Dawoud passing through Al-Aqsa Mosque, while the second tunnel starts from al-Aqsa mosque heading north.
The foundation has exposed photos documenting the digging of tunnels under the holy mosque. The statement warned of the continued excavations that disclosed the mosque's substructures.
Al-Aqsa Foundation said that the Israeli authorities aim at linking the new main tunnel with the tunnels network in Silwan neighborhood and the Buraq square area and the old city.
These new excavations constitute a real threat to al-Aqsa mosque, the Foundation pointed out.
Israel is currently digging under the mosque in order to topple it aiming at replacing it with the alleged Temple.
1 sept 2013
Leshim Settlement
Local sources in Salfit district, in the central part of the West Bank, have reported that Israeli bulldozers uprooted Palestinians lands, west of Salfit, in preparation for building new units in Leshim illegal settlement.
The lands are located between Deir Ballout and Kufr Ad-Deek towns. Leshim was built last year on privately owned Palestinian lands.
Israeli Housing Minister, Uri Ariel, placed the corner stone of the illegal settlement.
The Salfit district is one of the most impacted districts due to Israel’s illegal settlement activities as it contains 23 Israeli settlements swallowing more than half of Salfit’s farmlands.
It is worth mentioning that there are 18 Palestinian towns and villages in the Salfit District.
Israel also prepared a plan for constructing 3800 units for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, and in occupied East Jerusalem,
Besides being illegal under International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, settlements are consuming large areas of Palestinians orchards and fertile lands, and are devastating the Palestinian economy.
Local sources in Salfit district, in the central part of the West Bank, have reported that Israeli bulldozers uprooted Palestinians lands, west of Salfit, in preparation for building new units in Leshim illegal settlement.
The lands are located between Deir Ballout and Kufr Ad-Deek towns. Leshim was built last year on privately owned Palestinian lands.
Israeli Housing Minister, Uri Ariel, placed the corner stone of the illegal settlement.
The Salfit district is one of the most impacted districts due to Israel’s illegal settlement activities as it contains 23 Israeli settlements swallowing more than half of Salfit’s farmlands.
It is worth mentioning that there are 18 Palestinian towns and villages in the Salfit District.
Israel also prepared a plan for constructing 3800 units for Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank, and in occupied East Jerusalem,
Besides being illegal under International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, settlements are consuming large areas of Palestinians orchards and fertile lands, and are devastating the Palestinian economy.
30 aug 2013
The Israeli Supreme court issued on Thursday a decision to evacuate the Shamasneh family from their home which is located in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah in the city of Jerusalem on the 1st of March, 2014.
Ayoub Shamasneh, his wife, his son Mohammad and his wife and six children where the oldest is 21 and the youngest is 12 years old live in the house which is 65 square meters and consists of two rooms and their facilities.
The Israeli Supreme court held a session on the 20th of May, 2013 to discuss the issue of evacuating the family from their home. The lawyers requested to study the file of the case to respond to both sides’ claims (settlers’ lawyer and Shamasneh family lawyer); the family was informed with the court’s decision on Thursday.
The custodian of absentee property claims ownership of the house in which a Jewish family used to live in before 1948 and they were forced to evacuate the house then and are now requesting to take it back.
Shamasneh family has been living in the house since 1964.
Ayoub Shamasneh, his wife, his son Mohammad and his wife and six children where the oldest is 21 and the youngest is 12 years old live in the house which is 65 square meters and consists of two rooms and their facilities.
The Israeli Supreme court held a session on the 20th of May, 2013 to discuss the issue of evacuating the family from their home. The lawyers requested to study the file of the case to respond to both sides’ claims (settlers’ lawyer and Shamasneh family lawyer); the family was informed with the court’s decision on Thursday.
The custodian of absentee property claims ownership of the house in which a Jewish family used to live in before 1948 and they were forced to evacuate the house then and are now requesting to take it back.
Shamasneh family has been living in the house since 1964.
The Israeli Occupation Authority has escalated its demolition policy against Palestinian houses in Negev as part of its systematic scheme to deport Arabs from Negev, the Palestinian Youth Movement said. The demolition policy came in coincidence with the Israeli continued arrests targeting activists and residents in the Arab villages in Negev aiming at implementing Prawer Plan.
Israel's Prawer Plan aims to displace between 30,000 and 50,000 Palestinian Bedouins, destroy approximately 40 villages and confiscate over 850,000 dunums of land.
Israel's Prawer Plan aims to displace between 30,000 and 50,000 Palestinian Bedouins, destroy approximately 40 villages and confiscate over 850,000 dunums of land.
The occupation authorities have backtracked on its decision to confiscate the Palestinian Cliff Hotel east of Jerusalem from its Palestinian owners under the Absentee Property Law, Hebrew media sources said. The State Prosecutor's Office informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it has reversed its previous decision to seize the Cliff Hotel from its owners, Haaretz newspaper said Thursday.
The Israeli Supreme Court has discussed recently to stop using a 1950 law to confiscate east Jerusalem properties from Arabs, who were forced to live out of Palestine, for the benefit of the Jewish state.
Cliff Hotel, owned by Ayad family, was expropriated under Absentee Property Law since 2003 under the pretext that its owners live outside city limits, only 200 meters away from the hotel.
Ayad family and many other Palestinian families have complained against the application of the Absentee Property Law.
Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein announced his decision as a response to the High Court of Justice decision demanding it to explain its position on using the 1950 Absentee Property Law to confiscate land in east Jerusalem, the newspaper said.
The Attorney-General did only stop using the 1950 law, but declared that it could never apply in east Jerusalem, Haaretz pointed out.
The Israeli Supreme Court has discussed recently to stop using a 1950 law to confiscate east Jerusalem properties from Arabs, who were forced to live out of Palestine, for the benefit of the Jewish state.
Cliff Hotel, owned by Ayad family, was expropriated under Absentee Property Law since 2003 under the pretext that its owners live outside city limits, only 200 meters away from the hotel.
Ayad family and many other Palestinian families have complained against the application of the Absentee Property Law.
Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein announced his decision as a response to the High Court of Justice decision demanding it to explain its position on using the 1950 Absentee Property Law to confiscate land in east Jerusalem, the newspaper said.
The Attorney-General did only stop using the 1950 law, but declared that it could never apply in east Jerusalem, Haaretz pointed out.
29 aug 2013
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed the town of Assira, north of Nablus, in the late hours of Wednesday night and raided several neighborhoods. Other IOF units tightened the military restrictions at the Israeli checkpoints deployed west and south of Nablus city where they searched the passing Palestinian vehicles. No arrests were reported in either raid.
Meanwhile, IOF soldiers stormed Wednesday different areas in al-Khalil southern West Bank and arrested a Palestinian citizen.
The occupation forces raided Taffuh area west of al-Khalil and broke into a number of houses where they summoned three Palestinian liberated prisoners.
In Aroub refugee camp, Israeli forces violently stormed the citizen Rabhi Jawabreh's house and destroyed furniture and other possessions.
Israeli patrols also stormed Halhul and Beit Ummar, northern al-Khalil, where temporary military checkpoints were set-up.
Furthermore, Israeli forces had been extensively deployed in the area near Gush Etzion settlement, built on Palestinian lands, following firing at an Israeli bus in the same area.
Meanwhile, IOF soldiers stormed Wednesday different areas in al-Khalil southern West Bank and arrested a Palestinian citizen.
The occupation forces raided Taffuh area west of al-Khalil and broke into a number of houses where they summoned three Palestinian liberated prisoners.
In Aroub refugee camp, Israeli forces violently stormed the citizen Rabhi Jawabreh's house and destroyed furniture and other possessions.
Israeli patrols also stormed Halhul and Beit Ummar, northern al-Khalil, where temporary military checkpoints were set-up.
Furthermore, Israeli forces had been extensively deployed in the area near Gush Etzion settlement, built on Palestinian lands, following firing at an Israeli bus in the same area.