30 dec 2017

Eyewitnesses from Bruqin town, west of Salfit city, on Saturday reported that new housing units and infrastructure are being built for the Israeli settlement of Brukhin in the northern area of the town.
They told the PIC reporter that Brukhin is expanding at the expense of the Palestinian farmers' lands from which they are constantly expelled by the settlement's guards.
Palestinian researcher Khalid Ma'ali said that Israel's settlement expansion projects are in full swing in the villages and towns of Salfit province, adding that there are 25 Israeli settlements stretching over lands belonging to 18 Palestinian residential communities in Salfit.
Ma'ali pointed out that Brukhin was established in 1999 as a small outpost before the head of central command at the Israeli occupation army, Nitzan Alon, signed an order to turn it into an "official settlement" administered by the Regional Settlement Council.
They told the PIC reporter that Brukhin is expanding at the expense of the Palestinian farmers' lands from which they are constantly expelled by the settlement's guards.
Palestinian researcher Khalid Ma'ali said that Israel's settlement expansion projects are in full swing in the villages and towns of Salfit province, adding that there are 25 Israeli settlements stretching over lands belonging to 18 Palestinian residential communities in Salfit.
Ma'ali pointed out that Brukhin was established in 1999 as a small outpost before the head of central command at the Israeli occupation army, Nitzan Alon, signed an order to turn it into an "official settlement" administered by the Regional Settlement Council.
28 dec 207

The Israeli occupation army on Thursday announced its intent to appropriate three dunums and 279 square meters of agricultural land belonging to Palestinian citizens in Tammun town, south of Tubas in the West Bank.
A local official said the Israeli army’s civil administration delivered a notice stating its intent to commandeer this tract of land in order to build an agricultural road for Jewish settlers.
The official added that there were efforts to know the owners of this land.
A local official said the Israeli army’s civil administration delivered a notice stating its intent to commandeer this tract of land in order to build an agricultural road for Jewish settlers.
The official added that there were efforts to know the owners of this land.
24 dec 2017

Israeli Minister of Housing and Construction Yoav Galant has launched a campaign to promote the construction of 300,000 settlement units in east Jerusalem, according to Israeli media.
Israeli Channel 10 said the planned construction was part of the so-called Israeli "Greater Jerusalem" bill, which aims at annexing settlements built on lands sought by Palestinians for their future state.
According to the channel, most of the planned homes will be built in areas beyond the Green Line, which refers to the territories occupied by Israel during the 1967 war.
The move comes less than three weeks after US president Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, defying world opposition.
Israeli Channel 10 said the planned construction was part of the so-called Israeli "Greater Jerusalem" bill, which aims at annexing settlements built on lands sought by Palestinians for their future state.
According to the channel, most of the planned homes will be built in areas beyond the Green Line, which refers to the territories occupied by Israel during the 1967 war.
The move comes less than three weeks after US president Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, defying world opposition.

The Israeli authorities are set on Monday to approve the construction of 300 new settlement units which comes within the framework of a project to expand Gilo settlement to the south of Occupied Jerusalem.
According to Hebrew media sources, the so-called Planning and Building Committee is expected to grant building permits to the Jewish associations which will oversee the expansion operation that will be carried out on Palestinian lands belonging to al-Walaja village.
Despite the fact that the Palestinian lands which the settlement project targets are privately-owned by residents of al-Walaja village, the Israeli authorities continue to distribute demolition notices against Palestinian houses there for allegedly being unlicensed.
According to Hebrew media sources, the so-called Planning and Building Committee is expected to grant building permits to the Jewish associations which will oversee the expansion operation that will be carried out on Palestinian lands belonging to al-Walaja village.
Despite the fact that the Palestinian lands which the settlement project targets are privately-owned by residents of al-Walaja village, the Israeli authorities continue to distribute demolition notices against Palestinian houses there for allegedly being unlicensed.
20 dec 2017

Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, on Wednesday affirmed that the Israeli government's plan to build a synagogue under al-Aqsa Mosque constitutes a serious violation of the Palestinians' full right in Jerusalem and the holy site.
Hamas's spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a press statement that establishing the synagogue is a new Israeli crime against the Palestinian people and holy sites that requires escalating the Jerusalem Intifada.
The Israeli government has recently inaugurated a new synagogue inside the tunnels adjacent to al-Aqsa Mosque.
Hamas's spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a press statement that establishing the synagogue is a new Israeli crime against the Palestinian people and holy sites that requires escalating the Jerusalem Intifada.
The Israeli government has recently inaugurated a new synagogue inside the tunnels adjacent to al-Aqsa Mosque.

Haaretz Hebrew newspaper on Wednesday unveiled an Israeli plan to construct three settlements in Jordan Valley area east of the West Bank.
The Israeli daily newspaper stated that the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Jewish National Fund announced Wednesday a new settlement plan in the northern Jordan Valley, including doubling the number of settlers and setting up three new outposts.
It also reported that around 20 settlements exist in the northern Jordan Valley area with some 4,500 settlers. The new settlements to be established are slated for Givat Sal'it, Bitronot, and Given Eden.
The Israeli government approved the settlement plan and allocated budgets for this purpose, the newspaper added.
The Israeli daily newspaper stated that the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing and the Jewish National Fund announced Wednesday a new settlement plan in the northern Jordan Valley, including doubling the number of settlers and setting up three new outposts.
It also reported that around 20 settlements exist in the northern Jordan Valley area with some 4,500 settlers. The new settlements to be established are slated for Givat Sal'it, Bitronot, and Given Eden.
The Israeli government approved the settlement plan and allocated budgets for this purpose, the newspaper added.
18 dec 2017

Israel’s Culture Minister Miri Regev has ordered the Israel Antiquities Authority to put plans in motion to undertake far-reaching archaeological excavations in Occupied Jerusalem, in a bid to boost Jewish bonds to the ancient city.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the plan constitutes a historic initiative, as it marks the first time an official Israeli government agency undertakes widespread excavations in the Old City. The plan is estimated to cost NIS 250 million (roughly $70 million).
"The immense importance of the archaeological digs taking place in Jerusalem cannot be questioned. The digs are uncovering the deep roots we have in our land," Israel Antiquities Authority Chairman claimed in a letter to Regev.
Regev herself told Yedioth Ahronoth that the desire to strengthen Jewish bonds to the city was at the heart of the initiative. "Even if (Palestinian Authority President) Mahmoud Abbas made an effort to dig hundreds of meters into the ground he will not find a Palestinian coin from 2,000 or 3,000 years ago," she alleged.
For his part, MK Talab Abu Arar sounded the alarm over the upshots of the excavations on the surroundings of holy al-Aqsa Mosque, saying the planned works make part of new digs rather than maintenance works as the Israeli authorities have claimed.
According to Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the plan constitutes a historic initiative, as it marks the first time an official Israeli government agency undertakes widespread excavations in the Old City. The plan is estimated to cost NIS 250 million (roughly $70 million).
"The immense importance of the archaeological digs taking place in Jerusalem cannot be questioned. The digs are uncovering the deep roots we have in our land," Israel Antiquities Authority Chairman claimed in a letter to Regev.
Regev herself told Yedioth Ahronoth that the desire to strengthen Jewish bonds to the city was at the heart of the initiative. "Even if (Palestinian Authority President) Mahmoud Abbas made an effort to dig hundreds of meters into the ground he will not find a Palestinian coin from 2,000 or 3,000 years ago," she alleged.
For his part, MK Talab Abu Arar sounded the alarm over the upshots of the excavations on the surroundings of holy al-Aqsa Mosque, saying the planned works make part of new digs rather than maintenance works as the Israeli authorities have claimed.
16 dec 2017

The Hebrew Iroshalim newspaper on Saturday reported that the Israeli government is planning to establish a new synagogue on the slopes of the Mount of Olives in Ras al-Amud neighborhood in Occupied Jerusalem.
The paper said that the project will be implemented on an area of 2,000 square meters with a ten-million-shekel budget collected from donors.
The four-floor synagogue is going to be divided into two separate sections: the first is for Ashkenazi Jews while the second is for Sephardi Jews.
The building will also include a number of classrooms belonging to a religious college to be established there.
The synagogue will be built inside the well-guarded Ma'ale ha-Zeitim settlement, which houses 130 Israeli families, and will be used by Jewish settlers living in Palestinian neighborhoods near the settlement.
The synagogue project was approved about a decade ago, but only recently could the settlers start the actual implementation of the project.
The paper said that the project will be implemented on an area of 2,000 square meters with a ten-million-shekel budget collected from donors.
The four-floor synagogue is going to be divided into two separate sections: the first is for Ashkenazi Jews while the second is for Sephardi Jews.
The building will also include a number of classrooms belonging to a religious college to be established there.
The synagogue will be built inside the well-guarded Ma'ale ha-Zeitim settlement, which houses 130 Israeli families, and will be used by Jewish settlers living in Palestinian neighborhoods near the settlement.
The synagogue project was approved about a decade ago, but only recently could the settlers start the actual implementation of the project.