26 nov 2015
The overwhelming majority of General Assembly of the United Nations, Wednesday, voted on five draft resolutions in favor of Palestine. The decision comes after the Assembly discussed the two articles, "the Palestinian Cause" and "the Conditions in the Middle East."
According to Al Ray, the first resolution was entitled, "Using Amicable Methods to Resolve the Palestinian Cause". The voting results were 148 in favor to 6 against, with 8 abstentions.
The second resolution regarding "Jerusalem" passed with 144 votes in favor to 6 against, and 10 abstentions. The third resolution was entitled, "The Informational Program about the Palestinian Cause", which is being handled by the administration of media affairs in the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and passed with 147 votes in favor to 7 against, and 9 abstentions.
The fourth resolution was entitled "Committee for Palestinians Right to Exercise Ownership of Their Inalienable Rights." The voting results were 94 in favor to 7 against, with 56 abstentions. The last resolution, entitled, "The Section of Palestinians Rights in the Secretary-General of UN", passed with 91 votes in favor to 7 against, with 59 abstentions.
After the voting process, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, gave a speech to show his gratitude and thanks to the member countries of the UN for their initial stand, and their votes in favor of the resolutions that show their support to the Palestinian cause.
Mansour added that the international community represented by the United Nations' protection of international law is a source of comfort and support to the Palestinian people. It will help them in their continuing journey of resisting and striving to maintain their inalienable rights, and bringing an end to the Israeli occupation, which will liberate the state of Palestine and its capitol of East Jerusalem, and fulfill the two-state solution.
The ambassador also affirmed the importance of the resolutions approved by the UN concerning Palestine, saying that what affects the credibility of the United Nations is not as some claim, the adoption of these resolutions but the nonexistence of a necessary political will to force Israel to show respect to these resolutions and apply it.
According to Al Ray, the first resolution was entitled, "Using Amicable Methods to Resolve the Palestinian Cause". The voting results were 148 in favor to 6 against, with 8 abstentions.
The second resolution regarding "Jerusalem" passed with 144 votes in favor to 6 against, and 10 abstentions. The third resolution was entitled, "The Informational Program about the Palestinian Cause", which is being handled by the administration of media affairs in the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and passed with 147 votes in favor to 7 against, and 9 abstentions.
The fourth resolution was entitled "Committee for Palestinians Right to Exercise Ownership of Their Inalienable Rights." The voting results were 94 in favor to 7 against, with 56 abstentions. The last resolution, entitled, "The Section of Palestinians Rights in the Secretary-General of UN", passed with 91 votes in favor to 7 against, with 59 abstentions.
After the voting process, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, gave a speech to show his gratitude and thanks to the member countries of the UN for their initial stand, and their votes in favor of the resolutions that show their support to the Palestinian cause.
Mansour added that the international community represented by the United Nations' protection of international law is a source of comfort and support to the Palestinian people. It will help them in their continuing journey of resisting and striving to maintain their inalienable rights, and bringing an end to the Israeli occupation, which will liberate the state of Palestine and its capitol of East Jerusalem, and fulfill the two-state solution.
The ambassador also affirmed the importance of the resolutions approved by the UN concerning Palestine, saying that what affects the credibility of the United Nations is not as some claim, the adoption of these resolutions but the nonexistence of a necessary political will to force Israel to show respect to these resolutions and apply it.
25 nov 2015
The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said dozens of ancient coins were discovered in al-Shuja’iya neighborhood, in eastern Gaza City, by local municipality crews.
The ministry’s undersecretary Dr. Muhammad Khileh said dozens of ancient silver and bronze coins were found inside three ceramic stonewares.
He said the Antiquities personnel held urgent contacts with Gaza’s municipal staff and police to stop construction works in the area pending further probe into the nature of the archaeological discovery.
He said the coins will be renovated for public exhibition in Gaza’s Pasha Palace Museum.
Khileh added that a preliminary preview of the coins found out that they date back to the times of the Ottoman Empire, sometime in the early 18th century.
He said a detailed report on the different newly-discovered coins and artifacts will be released as soon as excavation works in the area are over.
The official called on the Palestinian citizens to cooperate with the concerned authorities so as to preserve the discovered artifacts which are an incontestable trace of Palestinians’ deep-rootedness in their native soil.
The ministry’s undersecretary Dr. Muhammad Khileh said dozens of ancient silver and bronze coins were found inside three ceramic stonewares.
He said the Antiquities personnel held urgent contacts with Gaza’s municipal staff and police to stop construction works in the area pending further probe into the nature of the archaeological discovery.
He said the coins will be renovated for public exhibition in Gaza’s Pasha Palace Museum.
Khileh added that a preliminary preview of the coins found out that they date back to the times of the Ottoman Empire, sometime in the early 18th century.
He said a detailed report on the different newly-discovered coins and artifacts will be released as soon as excavation works in the area are over.
The official called on the Palestinian citizens to cooperate with the concerned authorities so as to preserve the discovered artifacts which are an incontestable trace of Palestinians’ deep-rootedness in their native soil.
15 nov 2015
A Palestinian youth was killed and three others were injured in an explosion in Sudaniya area to the north west of Gaza City on Sunday morning.
Local sources said that 25-year-old Amir Zaharne was killed in the explosion, the cause of which was not yet known.
Medical crews rushed to the scene immediately after the explosion and evacuated the casualties.
Local sources said that 25-year-old Amir Zaharne was killed in the explosion, the cause of which was not yet known.
Medical crews rushed to the scene immediately after the explosion and evacuated the casualties.
12 nov 2015
Israeli Interiora Minstry has submitted a draft proposal to bring thousands of Ethiopian Jews to occupied Palestine within six months, Yediot Aharanot Hebrew newspaper revealed Thursday.
According to a draft proposal circulated by the Israeli Interior Ministry, the process of bringing the final 9,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel will begin within six months of the proposal's approval, the newspaper reads.
“The proposal is the result of an extensive public campaign that has been waged by Israeli Ethiopians, Knesset members and volunteer organizations since late 2010, when the last government decision on the issue was taken.”
The proposal notes that the "issue of the families awaiting aliyah in Addis Ababa and Gondar is unique: These are people who left their home villages many years ago, and while some of their family members were allowed into Israel, they remained in Addis Ababa and Gondar, and have been maintaining a Jewish lifestyle, with active synagogues, ritual baths, observance of Shabbat and holidays, Hebrew lessons, Jewish studies, and more."
Meanwhile, Israel still prevents millions of Palestinians from returning to their own houses Israeli militias destroyed or confiscated.
According to a draft proposal circulated by the Israeli Interior Ministry, the process of bringing the final 9,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel will begin within six months of the proposal's approval, the newspaper reads.
“The proposal is the result of an extensive public campaign that has been waged by Israeli Ethiopians, Knesset members and volunteer organizations since late 2010, when the last government decision on the issue was taken.”
The proposal notes that the "issue of the families awaiting aliyah in Addis Ababa and Gondar is unique: These are people who left their home villages many years ago, and while some of their family members were allowed into Israel, they remained in Addis Ababa and Gondar, and have been maintaining a Jewish lifestyle, with active synagogues, ritual baths, observance of Shabbat and holidays, Hebrew lessons, Jewish studies, and more."
Meanwhile, Israel still prevents millions of Palestinians from returning to their own houses Israeli militias destroyed or confiscated.
10 nov 2015
A Palestinian young man suffered moderate wounds in an accidental explosion at a local home in Rafah south of the Gaza Strip.
Local sources reported that a big explosion was heard Tuesday evening in a local home in Shabura neighborhood in the city.
Civil Defense crews immediately rushed to the area and managed to put out the fire after evicting the residents. At least one injury was reported during the accident.
An investigation has been opened into the home explosion, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said.
Spokesman for the Health Ministry said that the injured person suffered minor to moderate burns.
Local sources reported that a big explosion was heard Tuesday evening in a local home in Shabura neighborhood in the city.
Civil Defense crews immediately rushed to the area and managed to put out the fire after evicting the residents. At least one injury was reported during the accident.
An investigation has been opened into the home explosion, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said.
Spokesman for the Health Ministry said that the injured person suffered minor to moderate burns.
The former Palestinian ambassador Adli Sadeq denied Monday PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s statements in which he said that Egypt’s ousted president Mohammed Morsi had offered some 1,000 square kilometers of Sinai to expand the Gaza Strip.
In a Facebook statement, the former Palestinian ambassador to India said that Abbas had made a political mistake when he said that Morsi offered him a land from Sinai.
Cairo knows very well each word said by Morsi, and it is not in need for Abbas’s statements, Adli wrote in his Facebook page.
“Why didn’t he [Abbas] reveal such a story during Morsi’s mandate and why didn’t he play the role of the Egyptian soil’s protector at that time?”
Abbas has made such statements in this particular time because he knows that Morsi is imprisoned and cannot deny or confirm his allegations, Adli added.
On Sunday evening, Abbas claimed in a press conference in Cairo that Israel and Hamas had been conducting direct negotiations to expand the Gaza Strip so that it would include some 1,000 square kilometers of Sinai.
The idea of slicing off land from Sinai to expand the Gaza Strip was first proposed by ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, according to Abbas’s allegations.
Commenting on the issue, former Egyptian Minister of Investment Mohamed Hamed accused Abbas of lying over the Sinai story.
Abbas cannot and will never provide any evidence to his fabricated stories, the minister underlined.
In a Facebook statement, the former Palestinian ambassador to India said that Abbas had made a political mistake when he said that Morsi offered him a land from Sinai.
Cairo knows very well each word said by Morsi, and it is not in need for Abbas’s statements, Adli wrote in his Facebook page.
“Why didn’t he [Abbas] reveal such a story during Morsi’s mandate and why didn’t he play the role of the Egyptian soil’s protector at that time?”
Abbas has made such statements in this particular time because he knows that Morsi is imprisoned and cannot deny or confirm his allegations, Adli added.
On Sunday evening, Abbas claimed in a press conference in Cairo that Israel and Hamas had been conducting direct negotiations to expand the Gaza Strip so that it would include some 1,000 square kilometers of Sinai.
The idea of slicing off land from Sinai to expand the Gaza Strip was first proposed by ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, according to Abbas’s allegations.
Commenting on the issue, former Egyptian Minister of Investment Mohamed Hamed accused Abbas of lying over the Sinai story.
Abbas cannot and will never provide any evidence to his fabricated stories, the minister underlined.
Member of Hamas's political bureau Mousa Abu Marzouk strongly denounced president Mahmoud Abbas for accusing his Movement of holding negotiations with the Israeli occupation and attempting to annex an area of the Sinai to the Gaza Strip.
Abbas had told journalists in Cairo, following his meeting on Sunday with Egyptian president Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi, that ousted president Mohamed Morsi, when he was still in office in 2012, had offered him 1,000 square kilometers of the Sinai in order to expand the territory of Gaza and finish the Palestinian cause.
Abbas also accused Hamas of engaging in direct negotiation with the Israeli occupation.
"We have never had the idea of replacing one inch of Palestine with meters from other land, despite all calumnies and allegation made against us," Abu Marzouk stated on his Facebook page on Monday.
"We neither negotiate with the [Zionist] entity, nor will we recognize it. We will remain resisting it until its demise," the Hamas official underlined.
"There is no emirate in Gaza, nor will be there any state without Gaza. Our desired country extends from the sea to the river, and if some people saw it wishes, we will make a reality," he added.
Abbas had told journalists in Cairo, following his meeting on Sunday with Egyptian president Abdul-Fattah al-Sisi, that ousted president Mohamed Morsi, when he was still in office in 2012, had offered him 1,000 square kilometers of the Sinai in order to expand the territory of Gaza and finish the Palestinian cause.
Abbas also accused Hamas of engaging in direct negotiation with the Israeli occupation.
"We have never had the idea of replacing one inch of Palestine with meters from other land, despite all calumnies and allegation made against us," Abu Marzouk stated on his Facebook page on Monday.
"We neither negotiate with the [Zionist] entity, nor will we recognize it. We will remain resisting it until its demise," the Hamas official underlined.
"There is no emirate in Gaza, nor will be there any state without Gaza. Our desired country extends from the sea to the river, and if some people saw it wishes, we will make a reality," he added.
Palestinian civilian homes and residential neighborhoods in Khan Younis, to the south of the blockaded Gaza Strip, were flooded at noontime Monday by heavy torrents of rainwater.
Eye-witnesses said the water level has gone up as high as a meter and a half.
Several family homes and shops downtown were submerged under the rain downpours.
Civil defense and municipality crews rushed to the drowned areas and pumped out water from at least seven civilian homes. They further evacuated some 90 Palestinian citizens.
Heavy rainstorms rocked Khan Younis at noontime and resulted in flooding of Palestinian homes, commercial shops, and civilian structures.
Eye-witnesses said the water level has gone up as high as a meter and a half.
Several family homes and shops downtown were submerged under the rain downpours.
Civil defense and municipality crews rushed to the drowned areas and pumped out water from at least seven civilian homes. They further evacuated some 90 Palestinian citizens.
Heavy rainstorms rocked Khan Younis at noontime and resulted in flooding of Palestinian homes, commercial shops, and civilian structures.
The presidency of the Palestinians in Europe Conference, the Palestinian Return Centre, London, and the Adalah Centre in Sweden officially declared the convention of its 14th conference in the Swedish city of Malmo on May, 07, 2016.
The 14th Palestinians in Europe Conference comes in light of regional and international changes that affected the Palestinian arena.
Many key issues will be on the agenda for the conference. The refugees in Syria will be the key topic as well as other Palestinian issues, most significant, the Aqsa Mosque and the Israeli threats of temporal and spatial division and even the destruction of the Muslims' holy site.
The conference was held for the first time in London (2003) then followed by conferences in Berlin, Vienna, Malmo, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Paris and others.
This conference is now a major event in Europe and has been running successively for thirteen years. It has successfully bonded thousands of Palestinians to the just cause of Palestine and their right of return.
The conference is usually attended by participants from all over the European continent, representatives of Palestinian associations, institutions and organizations both from within Europe and beyond. Additionally, the attendance included a number of official and public figures; notwithstanding academicians, artists, journalists and leaders of Palestinian civic society bodies in Sweden and across the continent.
The 14th Palestinians in Europe Conference comes in light of regional and international changes that affected the Palestinian arena.
Many key issues will be on the agenda for the conference. The refugees in Syria will be the key topic as well as other Palestinian issues, most significant, the Aqsa Mosque and the Israeli threats of temporal and spatial division and even the destruction of the Muslims' holy site.
The conference was held for the first time in London (2003) then followed by conferences in Berlin, Vienna, Malmo, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Paris and others.
This conference is now a major event in Europe and has been running successively for thirteen years. It has successfully bonded thousands of Palestinians to the just cause of Palestine and their right of return.
The conference is usually attended by participants from all over the European continent, representatives of Palestinian associations, institutions and organizations both from within Europe and beyond. Additionally, the attendance included a number of official and public figures; notwithstanding academicians, artists, journalists and leaders of Palestinian civic society bodies in Sweden and across the continent.
6 nov 2015
Israel has withheld NIS 1.5 billion in Palestinian workers' pension funds.
Kav LaOved, an organisation protecting disempowered workers’ rights in Israel, filed an appeal against the Israeli government, the Population, Borders and Immigration Authority, and the Ministry of Finance for mismanaging Palestinian workers’ pension funds.
The organisation determined that Israel has withheld NIS 1.5 billion ($386,274,940 US) in Palestinian workers’ pension funds.
The Israeli government deducts a set amount from workers’ paychecks for pension plans. Then, when a worker encounters an insurance-qualifying life event, such as disability, old age, or the death of a partner, they can claim pension insurance.
However, Palestinians working in Israel seldom have access to their pension insurance, even though the state deducts money from their paychecks in an identical fashion.
Kav LaOved found this is largely because Israel neglects to inform Palestinians that they even have pension plans. The little information that is provided to Palestinians is not in Arabic, and erroneously reclassifies pension plans as “insurance savings.”
By masking Palestinians’ pension plans as “savings,” Kav LaOved claims the state covertly encourages Palestinians to prematurely withdraw money from their pension plans. Not only does this result in Palestinians paying extremely high taxes on such withdrawals, but they also unknowingly disqualify themselves from claiming pension insurance later on.
The state’s negligence and manipulations have resulted in only one Palestinian receiving pension funds for old age in 2013, three in 2014, and 113 in 2015.
There are approximately 50,000 Palestinians working in Israel.
Kav LaOved also found that the Israeli government has inexplicably canceled basic coverage from Palestinians’ pension plans, such as coverage for disability.
Attorney Michal Tadjer told the AIC that on this matter, no one can explain “when or [why].”
The appeal argues that this haphazard system constitutes “the violation of property and theviolation of equality” and “thus [amounts] to the exploitation of a marginalised,poor workers sector that lacks a voice.”
Kav LaOved insists that the state must provide adequate information about the pension system to Palestinian workers, treat Palestinian workers’ pension funds as pensions, and restore insurance benefits that have been inexplicably canceled.
Kav LaOved, an organisation protecting disempowered workers’ rights in Israel, filed an appeal against the Israeli government, the Population, Borders and Immigration Authority, and the Ministry of Finance for mismanaging Palestinian workers’ pension funds.
The organisation determined that Israel has withheld NIS 1.5 billion ($386,274,940 US) in Palestinian workers’ pension funds.
The Israeli government deducts a set amount from workers’ paychecks for pension plans. Then, when a worker encounters an insurance-qualifying life event, such as disability, old age, or the death of a partner, they can claim pension insurance.
However, Palestinians working in Israel seldom have access to their pension insurance, even though the state deducts money from their paychecks in an identical fashion.
Kav LaOved found this is largely because Israel neglects to inform Palestinians that they even have pension plans. The little information that is provided to Palestinians is not in Arabic, and erroneously reclassifies pension plans as “insurance savings.”
By masking Palestinians’ pension plans as “savings,” Kav LaOved claims the state covertly encourages Palestinians to prematurely withdraw money from their pension plans. Not only does this result in Palestinians paying extremely high taxes on such withdrawals, but they also unknowingly disqualify themselves from claiming pension insurance later on.
The state’s negligence and manipulations have resulted in only one Palestinian receiving pension funds for old age in 2013, three in 2014, and 113 in 2015.
There are approximately 50,000 Palestinians working in Israel.
Kav LaOved also found that the Israeli government has inexplicably canceled basic coverage from Palestinians’ pension plans, such as coverage for disability.
Attorney Michal Tadjer told the AIC that on this matter, no one can explain “when or [why].”
The appeal argues that this haphazard system constitutes “the violation of property and theviolation of equality” and “thus [amounts] to the exploitation of a marginalised,poor workers sector that lacks a voice.”
Kav LaOved insists that the state must provide adequate information about the pension system to Palestinian workers, treat Palestinian workers’ pension funds as pensions, and restore insurance benefits that have been inexplicably canceled.
1 nov 2015
The Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, said that he neither intends to abandon the Oslo Accord nor insist on the absorption of millions of Palestinians into the occupied territories.
“We never said we were going to cancel the Oslo Accord,” Abbas said during a meeting near The Hague with members of Dutch pro-Israel advocacy organs.
“We are not going to cancel, we will not cancel anything,” he added, as long as “Israel respects its obligations.”
On Sept. 30, at UN headquarters in New York, Abbas said: “We cannot continue to be bound by these signed agreements with Israel because “the status quo cannot continue.”
At the meeting, Abbas also claimed that he and the Palestinian Authority “never asked anyone to boycott Israel,” only products produced in the settlements.
Asked about the right of return of several million Palestinians to the occupied territories, he said: “I am not asking for a right of return for six million Palestinians; I want a solution for them.”
CIDI Director Hanna Luden told Abbas of “serious concern about incitement, including by yourself, in saying that Israel wants to build a third temple” on the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
Abbas answered that he was willing to address incitement “both by Israel and by Palestinians” under U.S. brokerage, but that Israel was unwilling to.
Abbas also said that Israel and Hamas were conducting direct negotiations in Europe, in a country which he refused to name.
“We never said we were going to cancel the Oslo Accord,” Abbas said during a meeting near The Hague with members of Dutch pro-Israel advocacy organs.
“We are not going to cancel, we will not cancel anything,” he added, as long as “Israel respects its obligations.”
On Sept. 30, at UN headquarters in New York, Abbas said: “We cannot continue to be bound by these signed agreements with Israel because “the status quo cannot continue.”
At the meeting, Abbas also claimed that he and the Palestinian Authority “never asked anyone to boycott Israel,” only products produced in the settlements.
Asked about the right of return of several million Palestinians to the occupied territories, he said: “I am not asking for a right of return for six million Palestinians; I want a solution for them.”
CIDI Director Hanna Luden told Abbas of “serious concern about incitement, including by yourself, in saying that Israel wants to build a third temple” on the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
Abbas answered that he was willing to address incitement “both by Israel and by Palestinians” under U.S. brokerage, but that Israel was unwilling to.
Abbas also said that Israel and Hamas were conducting direct negotiations in Europe, in a country which he refused to name.
27 oct 2015
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his plan to control “all of the territory” and “live forever by the sword.”
The remarks were reported in Haa’retz newspaper, according to PNN, in an article by journalist Barak Ravid.
Mr Ravid wrote: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that although he doesn’t want a binational state, “at this time we need to control all of the territory for the foreseeable future.”
MKs who took part in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting – today (Monday) – reportedly told Mr Ravid that Netanyahu had turned to the politicians present and said: “You think there is a magic wand here, but I disagree. I’m asked if we will forever live by the sword – yes.”
The prime minister also spoke about possible plans to revoke Israeli citizenship or residency from the Arab residents of east Jerusalem.
He complained that there had not been any “progress” on the matter because of delays at the Justice Ministry, headed by Minister Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi).
Dr Hanan Ashwari, a committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), said of the idea:
“This alarming escalation, an inhuman and illegal measure, must be immediately stopped.
” Should this be adopted, such a measure will transform the actual status of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to “non-existence,” and it will deprive them of the most basic rights and services, including shelter, healthcare and education.
“This would also provoke confrontations with serious ramifications throughout the region and beyond.”
The remarks were reported in Haa’retz newspaper, according to PNN, in an article by journalist Barak Ravid.
Mr Ravid wrote: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that although he doesn’t want a binational state, “at this time we need to control all of the territory for the foreseeable future.”
MKs who took part in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting – today (Monday) – reportedly told Mr Ravid that Netanyahu had turned to the politicians present and said: “You think there is a magic wand here, but I disagree. I’m asked if we will forever live by the sword – yes.”
The prime minister also spoke about possible plans to revoke Israeli citizenship or residency from the Arab residents of east Jerusalem.
He complained that there had not been any “progress” on the matter because of delays at the Justice Ministry, headed by Minister Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi).
Dr Hanan Ashwari, a committee member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), said of the idea:
“This alarming escalation, an inhuman and illegal measure, must be immediately stopped.
” Should this be adopted, such a measure will transform the actual status of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to “non-existence,” and it will deprive them of the most basic rights and services, including shelter, healthcare and education.
“This would also provoke confrontations with serious ramifications throughout the region and beyond.”
26 oct 2015
Israeli settlement in foreground, with Sho'afat camp behind the Wall
The Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in a recent Cabinet meeting, proposed revoking the residency rights of 80,000 Jerusalemites, which would mean that the people of Sho'afat refugee camp and Kafr Aqab, as well as other neighborhoods, would be cut off from the rest of Jerusalem.
The proposal was considered by the Israeli Cabinet in their recent meeting, but no decision was made.
Already, the 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank have been severed from Jerusalem due to the Israeli construction of a massive Wall over the past 13 years. The Wall has annexed large sections of Palestinian land and made them a de facto part of the state of Israel, in direct violation of the responsibilities of an occupier under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Israel's government signed the Convention in 1957, requiring it to provide for the needs of civilian populations under occupation. The Convention also requires that an Occupying Power must not transfer any civilians into the land it has militarily occupied. But Israel has transferred over half a million people into settlements constructed on Palestinian land that was militarily occupied, then illegally seized, since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights began in 1967.
In Jerusalem, the Israeli Annexation Wall has been constructed in such a way as to annex as much of Jerusalem as possible for the Israeli state, while forcing the Palestinian population into smaller and smaller enclaves. Now, under the Israeli Prime Minister's proposal, residents of those enclaves would lose their residency rights altogether.
Israel has an identity card system for the residents of Jerusalem that is completely unique in the world. Jewish Israelis who live in Jerusalem or in paramilitary colonies in the West Bank are afforded full Israeli citizenship. But Palestinians who live on their ancestral land in Jerusalem are given a different kind of identity card, which ensures that they have far fewer rights than Jewish residents of the city.
If a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem, for example, were to travel abroad for more than a year, Israel would consider that person to be an 'absentee property owner', and would seize their land and home and annex it to Israel, denying the Palestinian owner the right to return to their home. The rule only applies to Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, and not to Jewish residents of the city.
According to the Israeli paper Yedioth Ahranoth, following the construction of new walls and barricades in recent weeks to further separate and segregate Palestinian residents of Jerusalem from Jewish residents, the Israeli Prime Minister told his Cabinet ministers, "We need to examine the possibility of canceling their [Palestinian Jerusalemites] residency. There needs to be a discussion about it."
Some Israeli ministers voiced opposition to the plan, not because they were concerned about the Palestinian Jerusalemites losing their residency rights, but because they believe such a division would "give up territory" that some Israelis believe should belong to Israel.
That claim is based on a military takeover of the land by Israeli forces. Neither international law nor signed agreements recognize military takeover of land as a legitimate way of expanding state territory.
The Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in a recent Cabinet meeting, proposed revoking the residency rights of 80,000 Jerusalemites, which would mean that the people of Sho'afat refugee camp and Kafr Aqab, as well as other neighborhoods, would be cut off from the rest of Jerusalem.
The proposal was considered by the Israeli Cabinet in their recent meeting, but no decision was made.
Already, the 3 million Palestinians living in the West Bank have been severed from Jerusalem due to the Israeli construction of a massive Wall over the past 13 years. The Wall has annexed large sections of Palestinian land and made them a de facto part of the state of Israel, in direct violation of the responsibilities of an occupier under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Israel's government signed the Convention in 1957, requiring it to provide for the needs of civilian populations under occupation. The Convention also requires that an Occupying Power must not transfer any civilians into the land it has militarily occupied. But Israel has transferred over half a million people into settlements constructed on Palestinian land that was militarily occupied, then illegally seized, since the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights began in 1967.
In Jerusalem, the Israeli Annexation Wall has been constructed in such a way as to annex as much of Jerusalem as possible for the Israeli state, while forcing the Palestinian population into smaller and smaller enclaves. Now, under the Israeli Prime Minister's proposal, residents of those enclaves would lose their residency rights altogether.
Israel has an identity card system for the residents of Jerusalem that is completely unique in the world. Jewish Israelis who live in Jerusalem or in paramilitary colonies in the West Bank are afforded full Israeli citizenship. But Palestinians who live on their ancestral land in Jerusalem are given a different kind of identity card, which ensures that they have far fewer rights than Jewish residents of the city.
If a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem, for example, were to travel abroad for more than a year, Israel would consider that person to be an 'absentee property owner', and would seize their land and home and annex it to Israel, denying the Palestinian owner the right to return to their home. The rule only applies to Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, and not to Jewish residents of the city.
According to the Israeli paper Yedioth Ahranoth, following the construction of new walls and barricades in recent weeks to further separate and segregate Palestinian residents of Jerusalem from Jewish residents, the Israeli Prime Minister told his Cabinet ministers, "We need to examine the possibility of canceling their [Palestinian Jerusalemites] residency. There needs to be a discussion about it."
Some Israeli ministers voiced opposition to the plan, not because they were concerned about the Palestinian Jerusalemites losing their residency rights, but because they believe such a division would "give up territory" that some Israelis believe should belong to Israel.
That claim is based on a military takeover of the land by Israeli forces. Neither international law nor signed agreements recognize military takeover of land as a legitimate way of expanding state territory.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to withdraw Israeli blue identity cards of Jerusalemites especially those residing in Shufat refugee camp, Kafr Aqeb, and Sawahreh districts, Hebrew sources revealed.
The sources disclosed that Israeli government decided, in its meeting two weeks ago, to withdraw thousands of IDs which equals quarter the number of the Jerusalemites.
Israeli Channel Two quoted an Israeli official as saying “withdrawing the blue cards of residents of Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem is a political order and does not come within mere security measures”.
The sources disclosed that Israeli government decided, in its meeting two weeks ago, to withdraw thousands of IDs which equals quarter the number of the Jerusalemites.
Israeli Channel Two quoted an Israeli official as saying “withdrawing the blue cards of residents of Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem is a political order and does not come within mere security measures”.
Unknown assailants attacked lawmaker Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, the secretary-general and co-founder of the Palestinian National Initiative party, also known as Mubadara, on Saturday, Barghouthi told Ma'an News Agency.
Barghouthi said that two men assaulted him with a sharp tool, injuring him in his face in the al-Tira neighborhood of Ramallah, near his home.
He added that one of the attackers said “let the Intifada protect you” before both men fled, insinuating that the attack could have been nationalistic in nature.
Barghouthi said he had alerted Palestinian security forces about the incident, and requested that an investigation be opened into the attack.
A Palestinian security spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment.
Barghouthi said that two men assaulted him with a sharp tool, injuring him in his face in the al-Tira neighborhood of Ramallah, near his home.
He added that one of the attackers said “let the Intifada protect you” before both men fled, insinuating that the attack could have been nationalistic in nature.
Barghouthi said he had alerted Palestinian security forces about the incident, and requested that an investigation be opened into the attack.
A Palestinian security spokesperson did not immediately respond for comment.
