9 nov 2016
Palestinian activists warned of underway Israeli attempts to raze the Islamic Qaluniya Cemetery to the west of Occupied Jerusalem.
Activist Ali Abu Sheikha, from 1948 Occupied Palestine, said the Israeli occupation authorities embarked on a Judaization scheme, devised since 1973, to level the Qaluniya Cemetery in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
According to Abu Sheikha, several documents and maps dating back to the British Mandate era, testify to the inherently Islamic nature of the cemetery, where dozens of tombs for dead Muslims are still existent.
Head of the Jerusalem Center for Socio-Economic Rights, Ziad Al-Hamouri, also said the Israeli scheme makes part of ongoing attempts to wipe out all Islamic cemeteries and holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He added that the move represents a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the dead Muslims.
On Tuesday evening, the Israeli Supreme Court issued an injunction against sanctioning the destruction of Qaluniya Cemetery and the leveling of tombs for a couple of months in response to the ruin inflicted by the Israeli Antiquities Authority on the graveyard over the past few days. The injunction is to remain in effect until January 7, 2017.
The court embargo came following a petition lodged by the native Palestinian inhabitants of Qaluniya to stop leveling works in the cemetery.
The court demanded the Israeli Antiquities Authority and Works Department to respond to the petition by November 15.
Activist Ali Abu Sheikha, from 1948 Occupied Palestine, said the Israeli occupation authorities embarked on a Judaization scheme, devised since 1973, to level the Qaluniya Cemetery in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
According to Abu Sheikha, several documents and maps dating back to the British Mandate era, testify to the inherently Islamic nature of the cemetery, where dozens of tombs for dead Muslims are still existent.
Head of the Jerusalem Center for Socio-Economic Rights, Ziad Al-Hamouri, also said the Israeli scheme makes part of ongoing attempts to wipe out all Islamic cemeteries and holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.
He added that the move represents a flagrant violation of the sanctity of the dead Muslims.
On Tuesday evening, the Israeli Supreme Court issued an injunction against sanctioning the destruction of Qaluniya Cemetery and the leveling of tombs for a couple of months in response to the ruin inflicted by the Israeli Antiquities Authority on the graveyard over the past few days. The injunction is to remain in effect until January 7, 2017.
The court embargo came following a petition lodged by the native Palestinian inhabitants of Qaluniya to stop leveling works in the cemetery.
The court demanded the Israeli Antiquities Authority and Works Department to respond to the petition by November 15.
8 nov 2016
The Israeli government on Monday officially rejected the French initiative to hold a peace conference in Paris before the end of the current year.
French envoy Pierre Vimont was in Occupied Jerusalem in a bid to convince the Israelis to attend the conference, but his effort received an arrogant rebuff from the office of Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu.
"(They) told the French envoy in a clear and unequivocal manner that Israel's position to promote the peace process and reach an agreement will only come through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
“Any other initiative, including this one, will only distance peace from the region," Netanyahu's office added, condemning France for “its persistence in promoting a conference that is contrary to Israel’s official position.”
Vimont has not responded to Israel's position, but the French foreign ministry says it is determined to go ahead with the conference before year-end.
Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, told the French official that he would attend the Paris conference.
French envoy Pierre Vimont was in Occupied Jerusalem in a bid to convince the Israelis to attend the conference, but his effort received an arrogant rebuff from the office of Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu.
"(They) told the French envoy in a clear and unequivocal manner that Israel's position to promote the peace process and reach an agreement will only come through direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.
“Any other initiative, including this one, will only distance peace from the region," Netanyahu's office added, condemning France for “its persistence in promoting a conference that is contrary to Israel’s official position.”
Vimont has not responded to Israel's position, but the French foreign ministry says it is determined to go ahead with the conference before year-end.
Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, told the French official that he would attend the Paris conference.
7 nov 2016
Israeli Mayor of occupied Jerusalem Nir Barkat threatened Monday to demolish thousands of Jerusalemite homes in case any of the West Bank settlements was evacuated.
Barkat’s statements came after the Israeli High Court issued a decision to evacuate dozens of Israeli settlers living in Amona settlement illegally built on a Palestinian-private land in West Bank.
"Jerusalem faces a situation similar to that of Amona but with the roles of Arabs and Jews reversed. This is especially true in eastern Jerusalem where there are many areas of Jewish-owned land which are currently encroached on by Arab squatters," Israeli radio quoted Barkat as claiming.
“If Arabs living on Jewish-owned property were to be treated the same way the residents of Amona are being treated for living on property allegedly owned by Arabs, the city would be obligated to evict thousands of Arabs from their homes,” according to his statements.
The Israeli High Court had earlier ordered that the entire outpost of Amona be dismantled by Dec. 25 this year.
In this regard, Barkat contacted Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to ask him “to examine the consequences of the High Court decision to demolish the settlement of Amona on property in Jerusalem.”
The Israeli-controlled municipality in occupied Jerusalem had escalated since the beginning of 2016 its demolition policy against Palestinian properties under the pretext of being built without Israeli permit.
Barkat’s statements came after the Israeli High Court issued a decision to evacuate dozens of Israeli settlers living in Amona settlement illegally built on a Palestinian-private land in West Bank.
"Jerusalem faces a situation similar to that of Amona but with the roles of Arabs and Jews reversed. This is especially true in eastern Jerusalem where there are many areas of Jewish-owned land which are currently encroached on by Arab squatters," Israeli radio quoted Barkat as claiming.
“If Arabs living on Jewish-owned property were to be treated the same way the residents of Amona are being treated for living on property allegedly owned by Arabs, the city would be obligated to evict thousands of Arabs from their homes,” according to his statements.
The Israeli High Court had earlier ordered that the entire outpost of Amona be dismantled by Dec. 25 this year.
In this regard, Barkat contacted Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit to ask him “to examine the consequences of the High Court decision to demolish the settlement of Amona on property in Jerusalem.”
The Israeli-controlled municipality in occupied Jerusalem had escalated since the beginning of 2016 its demolition policy against Palestinian properties under the pretext of being built without Israeli permit.
3 nov 2016
The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) finalized a plan to construct 270 top-notch settlement units in East Occupied Jerusalem.
The projected apartments, which will be annexed to the Gilo settlement, to the southwest of Salfit, are to be built on an area of 15 dunums to be seized from the Palestinian Darwish family in Occupied Jerusalem.
The plan was handed over to Gilo’s administrative committee for the final touches and recommendations.
The Jerusalem municipality vowed to approve the bid as soon as it is passed on to its representative committees.
The targeted land tract is reportedly located outside the Green Line.
According to activist Sami Darwish, a set of documents prove that the Darwish family members have been the only owners of the land for over 100 years, since the Ottoman Era. The IOA claimed they have grabbed hold of the land 50 years ago.
Darwish added that the Israeli land department claimed ownership of the land by mistake and that an Israeli court rule delivered a verdict over the affair.
The move falls in line with an Israeli decision to construct 170 illegal settlement units in Gilo hills, in a bid approved by the Israeli planning committee in Occupied Jerusalem.
The projected apartments, which will be annexed to the Gilo settlement, to the southwest of Salfit, are to be built on an area of 15 dunums to be seized from the Palestinian Darwish family in Occupied Jerusalem.
The plan was handed over to Gilo’s administrative committee for the final touches and recommendations.
The Jerusalem municipality vowed to approve the bid as soon as it is passed on to its representative committees.
The targeted land tract is reportedly located outside the Green Line.
According to activist Sami Darwish, a set of documents prove that the Darwish family members have been the only owners of the land for over 100 years, since the Ottoman Era. The IOA claimed they have grabbed hold of the land 50 years ago.
Darwish added that the Israeli land department claimed ownership of the land by mistake and that an Israeli court rule delivered a verdict over the affair.
The move falls in line with an Israeli decision to construct 170 illegal settlement units in Gilo hills, in a bid approved by the Israeli planning committee in Occupied Jerusalem.
Knesset members from Habayit Hayehudi and Likud (government coalition parties) on Wednesday tabled a bill that would legalize Jewish outposts built on privately owned Palestinian land in the West Bank.
According to Haaretz, “It is still not clear whether the bill will receive the support of attorney general Avichai Mandelblit, who ruled that a previous bill on the subject was unconstitutional and would not stand up to the scrutiny of the high court of justice.”
The new draft law distinguishes between ownership of land and the right to utilize land. It aims to enable the Israeli government to give itself the right to use private Palestinian land without taking ownership of it.
Moreover, if the bill was passed, it would only apply to illegal outposts that the government was involved in establishing, such as the highly contentious outpost of Amona, whose residents face a high court eviction order, which must be enforced by December 25.
According to Haaretz, “It is still not clear whether the bill will receive the support of attorney general Avichai Mandelblit, who ruled that a previous bill on the subject was unconstitutional and would not stand up to the scrutiny of the high court of justice.”
The new draft law distinguishes between ownership of land and the right to utilize land. It aims to enable the Israeli government to give itself the right to use private Palestinian land without taking ownership of it.
Moreover, if the bill was passed, it would only apply to illegal outposts that the government was involved in establishing, such as the highly contentious outpost of Amona, whose residents face a high court eviction order, which must be enforced by December 25.
2 nov 2016
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, Thursday, that comprehensive peace with the Palestinians in not a precondition for peace with Arab countries, and that many Arab states consider Israel a partner in “the war on Islamic terrorism.”
Netanyahu’s statements came during his meeting with the visiting Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
The Israeli Prime Minister stated that this resembles a significant change in politics of the Arab world, and that the “war on Islamic terrorism, either ISIS or Iran, are now a top priority for Israel and Arab countries.”
He added that the stances for achieving peace with the Palestinians have significantly changed, as peace with the Palestinians is no longer a precondition, or a passage, to peace with the Arab world.”
Netanyahu also stated that, right now, it became clear the peace with the Arab world is the passage for peace with the Palestinians.
“In the past, we thought that achieving peace with the Palestinians will grant us peace with the Arab world, but the current situation in the region proved the opposite,” he added, “It is now clear that taking the path of peace with the Arab states first, will lead us to peace with the Palestinians.”
In addition, Netanyahu accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “continuing to reject the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state,” and claimed that this issue “is the core of the conflict.”
“The conflict was never about the establishment of a Palestinians State; every Israel government, including mine, are willing to accept a disarmed Palestinian state that recognizes Israel as a Jewish country.”
It is worth mentioning that Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel, including mutual recognition and diplomatic ties, on March 26, 1979, following by Jordan on October 26, 1994.
Although Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) have signed many agreements, starting with the Oslo agreement, signed by Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat, on September 13, 1993, Israel never recognized any of the UN and Security Council resolutions regarding its full withdrawal from all of the territories, occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, and the Right of Return for the Palestinian refugees.
The Palestinian leadership, on the other hand, recognized Israel as a state, and recognized its right to exist on more than %78 of historic Palestine.
Israel is also ongoing with its illegal construction and expansion of Jewish-only colonies in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and continues to control all borders and natural resource, while the Palestinians are increasingly losing their lands for colonies, the Annexation Wall and military areas, including bases and training grounds.
Netanyahu’s statements came during his meeting with the visiting Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
The Israeli Prime Minister stated that this resembles a significant change in politics of the Arab world, and that the “war on Islamic terrorism, either ISIS or Iran, are now a top priority for Israel and Arab countries.”
He added that the stances for achieving peace with the Palestinians have significantly changed, as peace with the Palestinians is no longer a precondition, or a passage, to peace with the Arab world.”
Netanyahu also stated that, right now, it became clear the peace with the Arab world is the passage for peace with the Palestinians.
“In the past, we thought that achieving peace with the Palestinians will grant us peace with the Arab world, but the current situation in the region proved the opposite,” he added, “It is now clear that taking the path of peace with the Arab states first, will lead us to peace with the Palestinians.”
In addition, Netanyahu accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas “continuing to reject the recognition of Israel as a Jewish state,” and claimed that this issue “is the core of the conflict.”
“The conflict was never about the establishment of a Palestinians State; every Israel government, including mine, are willing to accept a disarmed Palestinian state that recognizes Israel as a Jewish country.”
It is worth mentioning that Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel, including mutual recognition and diplomatic ties, on March 26, 1979, following by Jordan on October 26, 1994.
Although Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) have signed many agreements, starting with the Oslo agreement, signed by Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat, on September 13, 1993, Israel never recognized any of the UN and Security Council resolutions regarding its full withdrawal from all of the territories, occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem, and the Right of Return for the Palestinian refugees.
The Palestinian leadership, on the other hand, recognized Israel as a state, and recognized its right to exist on more than %78 of historic Palestine.
Israel is also ongoing with its illegal construction and expansion of Jewish-only colonies in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and continues to control all borders and natural resource, while the Palestinians are increasingly losing their lands for colonies, the Annexation Wall and military areas, including bases and training grounds.