25 sept 2019
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Israeli soldiers stand guard in Hebron, West Bank on 16 September 2017
A damning new report by Israeli human rights group B’Tselem has charged Israeli occupation authorities with policies designed to “forcibly transfer” Palestinians in Hebron. The report, “Playing the Security Card”, details what it describes as “a policy of segregation” designed to “allow a handful of Jewish residents to live as though they had not settled in the middle of a bustling Palestinian city, in the heart of an occupied territory”. “This policy completely ignores the needs of hundreds of thousands of |
Palestinians and sentences them to an unbearable reality, with the hope that they will leave their homes ostensibly of their own free will,” B’Tselem stated.
Since the late 1990s, Hebron was been divided in two. In so-called Area H1, the Palestinian Authority (PA) exercises the same autonomy as it does in other West Bank cities.
In Area H2, some 700 Israeli settlers live in an area home to around 7,000 Palestinians. In recent years, according to B’Tselem, “both official and unofficial plans have been advanced to expand the settlement and develop tourism in the historic centre of Hebron”.
Since the late 1990s, Hebron was been divided in two. In so-called Area H1, the Palestinian Authority (PA) exercises the same autonomy as it does in other West Bank cities.
In Area H2, some 700 Israeli settlers live in an area home to around 7,000 Palestinians. In recent years, according to B’Tselem, “both official and unofficial plans have been advanced to expand the settlement and develop tourism in the historic centre of Hebron”.
The human rights group has warned that “if these plans come to fruition, the settler population in Hebron stands to double over the next few years.”
B’Tselem describes a reality in Hebron whereby Israel maintains “a cruel system of travel restrictions which creates a contiguous strip of land isolated from the rest of the city that is partially or fully off limits to Palestinians, whether traveling on foot or by car.”
This “separation regime” imposed by occupation authorities “goes hand in hand with routine acts of violence” by Israeli forces and settlers by security forces and settlers against Palestinian residents.
Overall, B’Tselem concludes, these living conditions have produced the outcome Israel desired: Thousands of Palestinians have left the city centre, and it has become a ghost town where only Palestinians who do not have the option to leave remain.
“The forcible transfer of thousands of Palestinian residents and the closure of hundreds of businesses in this manner violate the prohibition on forcible transfer enshrined in international law, which constitutes a war crime,” the human rights group affirmed.
B’Tselem added that while “the settlement in Hebron is exceptional in that it was injected into the heart of a major Palestinian city”, Israel’s policy there “is essentially identical to that employed in the rest of the West Bank: treating the area as primarily intended to serve Israeli needs and regularly ignoring the interests of Palestinians while giving settlers preferential treatment.”
“This regime instated by Israel is reminiscent of the systemic aspects of South Africa’s Apartheid regime,” B’Tselem said, “which included restricting access to land, limiting movement and denying political rights.”
B’Tselem describes a reality in Hebron whereby Israel maintains “a cruel system of travel restrictions which creates a contiguous strip of land isolated from the rest of the city that is partially or fully off limits to Palestinians, whether traveling on foot or by car.”
This “separation regime” imposed by occupation authorities “goes hand in hand with routine acts of violence” by Israeli forces and settlers by security forces and settlers against Palestinian residents.
Overall, B’Tselem concludes, these living conditions have produced the outcome Israel desired: Thousands of Palestinians have left the city centre, and it has become a ghost town where only Palestinians who do not have the option to leave remain.
“The forcible transfer of thousands of Palestinian residents and the closure of hundreds of businesses in this manner violate the prohibition on forcible transfer enshrined in international law, which constitutes a war crime,” the human rights group affirmed.
B’Tselem added that while “the settlement in Hebron is exceptional in that it was injected into the heart of a major Palestinian city”, Israel’s policy there “is essentially identical to that employed in the rest of the West Bank: treating the area as primarily intended to serve Israeli needs and regularly ignoring the interests of Palestinians while giving settlers preferential treatment.”
“This regime instated by Israel is reminiscent of the systemic aspects of South Africa’s Apartheid regime,” B’Tselem said, “which included restricting access to land, limiting movement and denying political rights.”
24 sept 2019
Physicians for Human Rights Israel: The undersigned Israeli and Palestinian NGOs strongly condemn the night raid of Addameer – Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association in Ramallah – by the Israeli army.
During the raid, which took place on the 19th of September, the army confiscated laptops, laptop drives and other items – all of which are critical to Addameer’s work.
Addameer’s work in protecting the rights of prisoners is crucial in preventing violations of human rights.
A prestigious human rights organization founded nearly 30 years ago, many of us have worked closely with Addameer on a variety of issues in order to safeguard basic rights, including prevention of torture, arbitrary arrests and unfair trials.
This raid is part and parcel of an ongoing attack on the legitimacy of Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations, aiming to silence criticism of the occupation.
The crackdown on human rights defenders and Palestinian civil society, including the attempt by Israeli authorities, such as the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, to dry up sources of funding for all human rights organizations, publishing false accusations and creating an intimidating atmosphere must end and be condemned by the international community.
It is through the work of organizations such as Addameer that Palestinians and Israelis can struggle against the ongoing, catastrophic damage caused by the occupation. We ask you to speak out against this attack.
As organizations that care deeply about the societies in which we work, we believe that only by ending the occupation and protecting human rights can we ensure a better future for Palestinians and Israelis.
The signed organizations:
ACRI – The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Adalah – The legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Akevot Institute, Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights, B’tselem, Emek Shaveh, Gisha, Haqel: ln Defense of Human Rights, HRDF – Human Rights Defenders Fund, Ir Amim, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, PCATI – The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Torah of Justice, Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights
During the raid, which took place on the 19th of September, the army confiscated laptops, laptop drives and other items – all of which are critical to Addameer’s work.
Addameer’s work in protecting the rights of prisoners is crucial in preventing violations of human rights.
A prestigious human rights organization founded nearly 30 years ago, many of us have worked closely with Addameer on a variety of issues in order to safeguard basic rights, including prevention of torture, arbitrary arrests and unfair trials.
This raid is part and parcel of an ongoing attack on the legitimacy of Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations, aiming to silence criticism of the occupation.
The crackdown on human rights defenders and Palestinian civil society, including the attempt by Israeli authorities, such as the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, to dry up sources of funding for all human rights organizations, publishing false accusations and creating an intimidating atmosphere must end and be condemned by the international community.
It is through the work of organizations such as Addameer that Palestinians and Israelis can struggle against the ongoing, catastrophic damage caused by the occupation. We ask you to speak out against this attack.
As organizations that care deeply about the societies in which we work, we believe that only by ending the occupation and protecting human rights can we ensure a better future for Palestinians and Israelis.
The signed organizations:
ACRI – The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Adalah – The legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Akevot Institute, Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights, B’tselem, Emek Shaveh, Gisha, Haqel: ln Defense of Human Rights, HRDF – Human Rights Defenders Fund, Ir Amim, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, PCATI – The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Torah of Justice, Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights
23 sept 2019
Israel constructed six new settlement units, on Palestinian lands, in Hebron, southern West Bank during the period 2017-2019, the Land Research Center reported.
The center stated that Israeli settlers established the units just a few hundred meters away from the main settlements.
It noted that the units were constructed at the border of the western, southern and eastern provinces, citing the towns of Dura, Bane Na’eem, Yatta, Assamou’, Athaherya and Sa’eer.
The settlers began establishing these units by bringing in closed trucks hiding resident settler families inside, Al Ray further reports.
“As soon as the local authority in the settlement provides the truck with services, the settlers’ family will bring prefabricated buildings (caravans) or build shelters of insulated tin sheets, which will gradually become a reality on the ground,” the center added.
It explained that, despite its small size, the settlement’s existence aims to seize wider areas of land.
The center noted that those who reside in these units tend herds of livestock, grazing them on Palestinian lands and preventing shepherds from accessing large areas of land located around the outpost.
It also also noted that settlers cultivate area around the outpost, and that Israeli occupation forces provide protection for such outposts.
According to the center, these outposts are intended to create geographic continuity between former major settlements, to convert them into new major settlements, in the future, or to annex them to existing ones, as new settlements.
The Israeli government aims to legitimize many of these outposts through the preparation of detailed plans and the establishment of infrastructure, as well as providing services and granting building permits.
In December of 2018, Hebrew press revealed that the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs discussed a draft settlement law which aims to legalize 66 outposts built on private Palestinian lands located in the occupied West Bank.
In May of 2017, Israel’s Cabinet Minister for Political and Security Affairs decided to set up a special team to take care of the legalization of outposts, and allocated a budget of NIS 10 million (US $ 3 million) annually, for three years.
It is noteworthy that these outposts are established without previous notice to the owners of the land, and, in the case that residents object, Israeli occupation forces expel them and prevent them from accessing their land, issuing military orders to expel them from the site and prohibit their presence.
The center stated that Israeli settlers established the units just a few hundred meters away from the main settlements.
It noted that the units were constructed at the border of the western, southern and eastern provinces, citing the towns of Dura, Bane Na’eem, Yatta, Assamou’, Athaherya and Sa’eer.
The settlers began establishing these units by bringing in closed trucks hiding resident settler families inside, Al Ray further reports.
“As soon as the local authority in the settlement provides the truck with services, the settlers’ family will bring prefabricated buildings (caravans) or build shelters of insulated tin sheets, which will gradually become a reality on the ground,” the center added.
It explained that, despite its small size, the settlement’s existence aims to seize wider areas of land.
The center noted that those who reside in these units tend herds of livestock, grazing them on Palestinian lands and preventing shepherds from accessing large areas of land located around the outpost.
It also also noted that settlers cultivate area around the outpost, and that Israeli occupation forces provide protection for such outposts.
According to the center, these outposts are intended to create geographic continuity between former major settlements, to convert them into new major settlements, in the future, or to annex them to existing ones, as new settlements.
The Israeli government aims to legitimize many of these outposts through the preparation of detailed plans and the establishment of infrastructure, as well as providing services and granting building permits.
In December of 2018, Hebrew press revealed that the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs discussed a draft settlement law which aims to legalize 66 outposts built on private Palestinian lands located in the occupied West Bank.
In May of 2017, Israel’s Cabinet Minister for Political and Security Affairs decided to set up a special team to take care of the legalization of outposts, and allocated a budget of NIS 10 million (US $ 3 million) annually, for three years.
It is noteworthy that these outposts are established without previous notice to the owners of the land, and, in the case that residents object, Israeli occupation forces expel them and prevent them from accessing their land, issuing military orders to expel them from the site and prohibit their presence.
21 sept 2019
Kuwait's permanent representative at the UN in New York, Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi, said that the international inaction has clearly encouraged Israel to continue its intransigence and defiance of the will of the international law and United Nations' resolutions, according to Kuwait’s Kuna news agency.
During a speech he delivered at the Security Council session on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, Otaibi said that UN security council resolution 2334; concerning the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, demands that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and fully respect all its legal obligations in this regard.
He stressed that Israel’s continuation of expanding and building of illegal settlement in the occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, sends a clear message that it is determined to continue to do so.
He said that the building of new settlements, expanding of existing ones, and annexing West Bank land, including East Jerusalem, undermines the two-state solution and the chances to establish the state of Palestine based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The ambassador said that measures and policies taken and pursued by Israel with disregard of world opinion was clearly reflected in its recent announcement to approve the establishment of more than 2,300 housing units in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Otaibi stated that this latest step was followed by the recent provocative declaration of the intention to annex territories from the occupied West Bank in 1967 in flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter and the relevant international resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, said Kuna agency.
He pointed to the Israel’s deduction from the Palestinian Authority’s tax revenues, pressures on UNRWA and the targeting of demonstrators participating in the Great March of Return with live ammunition, which he said could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
During a speech he delivered at the Security Council session on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, Otaibi said that UN security council resolution 2334; concerning the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, demands that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and fully respect all its legal obligations in this regard.
He stressed that Israel’s continuation of expanding and building of illegal settlement in the occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, sends a clear message that it is determined to continue to do so.
He said that the building of new settlements, expanding of existing ones, and annexing West Bank land, including East Jerusalem, undermines the two-state solution and the chances to establish the state of Palestine based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The ambassador said that measures and policies taken and pursued by Israel with disregard of world opinion was clearly reflected in its recent announcement to approve the establishment of more than 2,300 housing units in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Otaibi stated that this latest step was followed by the recent provocative declaration of the intention to annex territories from the occupied West Bank in 1967 in flagrant violation of international law, the UN Charter and the relevant international resolutions, including Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, said Kuna agency.
He pointed to the Israel’s deduction from the Palestinian Authority’s tax revenues, pressures on UNRWA and the targeting of demonstrators participating in the Great March of Return with live ammunition, which he said could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Author Kamila Shamsie stripped of her German prize due to her support of the Palestinian boycott of Israel movement, BDS
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med) condemned today the decision of the Nelly Sachs Prize jury to withdraw author Kamila Shamsie’s award over her support for the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, according to a press release.
The British-Pakistani author has reportedly been participating in the boycott movement against the Israeli government for its Palestinian policies since 2014.
In a statement following the jury’s decision, Shamsie shared her disappointment and explained why she supports the BDS.
“In the just-concluded Israeli elections, Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to annex up to one third of the West Bank, in contravention of international law, and his political opponent Benny Gantz’s objection to this was that Netanyahu had stolen his idea; this closely followed the killing of two Palestinian teenagers by Israeli forces - which was condemned as 'appalling’ by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process," Shamsie said.
The Nelly Sachs Prize is a biennial literary prize awarded by the German city of Dortmund to honor authors for their contributions to the promotion of understanding between peoples. It is named after the German-Swedish Jewish poet Nelly Sachs.
The Israeli government has repeatedly contravened international laws and the United Nations’ resolutions when it comes to the Palestinian population and territories, said Euro-Med.
The BDS, a citizen-led movement, was started in response to international inaction and modelled on the South Africa boycott against the Apartheid regime. The BDS is not a violent campaign, and its supporters should not be discriminated against for their involvement, it added.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Right Monitor is concerned that this will set a dangerous precedent of a serious assault on free speech in Germany and other parts of the world.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med) condemned today the decision of the Nelly Sachs Prize jury to withdraw author Kamila Shamsie’s award over her support for the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, according to a press release.
The British-Pakistani author has reportedly been participating in the boycott movement against the Israeli government for its Palestinian policies since 2014.
In a statement following the jury’s decision, Shamsie shared her disappointment and explained why she supports the BDS.
“In the just-concluded Israeli elections, Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to annex up to one third of the West Bank, in contravention of international law, and his political opponent Benny Gantz’s objection to this was that Netanyahu had stolen his idea; this closely followed the killing of two Palestinian teenagers by Israeli forces - which was condemned as 'appalling’ by the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process," Shamsie said.
The Nelly Sachs Prize is a biennial literary prize awarded by the German city of Dortmund to honor authors for their contributions to the promotion of understanding between peoples. It is named after the German-Swedish Jewish poet Nelly Sachs.
The Israeli government has repeatedly contravened international laws and the United Nations’ resolutions when it comes to the Palestinian population and territories, said Euro-Med.
The BDS, a citizen-led movement, was started in response to international inaction and modelled on the South Africa boycott against the Apartheid regime. The BDS is not a violent campaign, and its supporters should not be discriminated against for their involvement, it added.
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Right Monitor is concerned that this will set a dangerous precedent of a serious assault on free speech in Germany and other parts of the world.
Israeli settlers carried out eight attacks in the first two weeks of September that resulted in two Palestinian injuries and damage to property, amid preparations for the olive harvest season, bringing the total settler-related incidents so far this year to 233, including 52 that resulted in injuries to Palestinians, according to the latest report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the occupied Palestinian territory.
In 2018, total settler-related incidents amounted to 280.The report said in three separate incidents, settlers believed to be from Yitzhar settlement and its surrounding outposts raided the nearby villages of Madama, 'Einabus and 'Asira al Qibliya in the north of the West Bank.
They cut down about 100 olive trees, stoned houses, vandalized vehicles and clashed with the residents. Israeli forces, which intervened during clashes that erupted in Madama village, fired tear gas canisters at the Palestinian villagers defending their homes and fields injuring one Palestinian boy in the face.
According to the report, so far this year, over 4,870 olive trees have been vandalized by settlers.
In others incident, Israeli settlers physically assaulted a Palestinian family having a picnic near Jibya village, near Ramallah, injuring the father.
Settlers reportedly coming from the former Homesh settlement, evacuated in 2005, opened fire at Palestinian vendors near Burqa village in the north of the West Bank without causing any injuries. In another four separate incidents, settlers stoned and damaged Palestinian houses and cars in the H2 area of Hebron city, which is under full Israeli military rule, in Beitin village and near the settlements of Beit El in the Ramallah area, and Ariel near Salfit.
In addition to settler vandalism of Palestinian property, the Israeli authorities demolished a total of 23 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem on the grounds of a lack of Israeli-issued permits, displacing 29 people, said OCHA in its report, bringing the total of demolished homes so far this year to 393, out of which 244 were in Area C and 148 in occupied Jerusalem and total of displace people 487, of whom 219 were in Jerusalem.
Most of the displacement followed the demolition of four residential shelters, previously provided as humanitarian assistance in Umm Fagarah community located in Area C and designated as a firing zone for military training south of Hebron.
In Khirbet 'Atuf near Tubas in the northern Jordan Valley, a community located in an area designated as a nature reserve, the Israeli authorities demolished five water cisterns provided as humanitarian aid, affecting over 250 residents; over 470 trees were also damaged during the incident.
In East Jerusalem, eight structures, including two buildings under construction, were demolished in an area close to the separation barrier. Israeli forces also seized materials provided as assistance to the As Safeer community in the Hebron district, located in the closed area behind the barrier, for the rehabilitation of residential structures.
In 2018, total settler-related incidents amounted to 280.The report said in three separate incidents, settlers believed to be from Yitzhar settlement and its surrounding outposts raided the nearby villages of Madama, 'Einabus and 'Asira al Qibliya in the north of the West Bank.
They cut down about 100 olive trees, stoned houses, vandalized vehicles and clashed with the residents. Israeli forces, which intervened during clashes that erupted in Madama village, fired tear gas canisters at the Palestinian villagers defending their homes and fields injuring one Palestinian boy in the face.
According to the report, so far this year, over 4,870 olive trees have been vandalized by settlers.
In others incident, Israeli settlers physically assaulted a Palestinian family having a picnic near Jibya village, near Ramallah, injuring the father.
Settlers reportedly coming from the former Homesh settlement, evacuated in 2005, opened fire at Palestinian vendors near Burqa village in the north of the West Bank without causing any injuries. In another four separate incidents, settlers stoned and damaged Palestinian houses and cars in the H2 area of Hebron city, which is under full Israeli military rule, in Beitin village and near the settlements of Beit El in the Ramallah area, and Ariel near Salfit.
In addition to settler vandalism of Palestinian property, the Israeli authorities demolished a total of 23 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem on the grounds of a lack of Israeli-issued permits, displacing 29 people, said OCHA in its report, bringing the total of demolished homes so far this year to 393, out of which 244 were in Area C and 148 in occupied Jerusalem and total of displace people 487, of whom 219 were in Jerusalem.
Most of the displacement followed the demolition of four residential shelters, previously provided as humanitarian assistance in Umm Fagarah community located in Area C and designated as a firing zone for military training south of Hebron.
In Khirbet 'Atuf near Tubas in the northern Jordan Valley, a community located in an area designated as a nature reserve, the Israeli authorities demolished five water cisterns provided as humanitarian aid, affecting over 250 residents; over 470 trees were also damaged during the incident.
In East Jerusalem, eight structures, including two buildings under construction, were demolished in an area close to the separation barrier. Israeli forces also seized materials provided as assistance to the As Safeer community in the Hebron district, located in the closed area behind the barrier, for the rehabilitation of residential structures.
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