11 aug 2018
Palestinian farmers have complained that sewage coming from Ariel settlement is polluting the atmosphere and the natural park in western Salfit.
According to local farmers on Saturday morning, wastewater is being channeled from Ariel settlement to the area and park of Wadi al-Matwi and Ghanates in western Salfit.
The wastewater has also reached the town of Kafr ad-Dik in Salfit, the farmers reported.
The settlement of Ariel has been pumping its sewage directly into nearby Palestinian areas for years, creating a dangerous and unhealthy situation for local residents and contaminating groundwater and crops.
According to local farmers on Saturday morning, wastewater is being channeled from Ariel settlement to the area and park of Wadi al-Matwi and Ghanates in western Salfit.
The wastewater has also reached the town of Kafr ad-Dik in Salfit, the farmers reported.
The settlement of Ariel has been pumping its sewage directly into nearby Palestinian areas for years, creating a dangerous and unhealthy situation for local residents and contaminating groundwater and crops.
The Israeli occupation government has embarked on carrying out a massive settlement project that will lead to the isolation of four Palestinian villages from Bethlehem in the West Bank as a prelude to annexing them as Israeli state land.
The new plan is aimed at turning the villages of Battir, Wadi Fukin, Nahalin and Husan, which are located in the west of Bethlehem province, into communities under Israel’s sovereignty after isolating them from Bethlehem.
The area where those villages are located is called locally Arqoub villages and there are about 20,000 Palestinian citizens living there.
According to the plan, Israel intends to expand Road 60 that lead to the illegal settlement of Beitar Illit, which was built on annexed land in Bethlehem, and connect it with roads between these villages to make this new expanded road available only for Jewish settlers.
On the ground, Israeli engineers and surveyors started to put up signs and numbers in the heart of Nahalin town to prepare for the plan.
The new plan is aimed at turning the villages of Battir, Wadi Fukin, Nahalin and Husan, which are located in the west of Bethlehem province, into communities under Israel’s sovereignty after isolating them from Bethlehem.
The area where those villages are located is called locally Arqoub villages and there are about 20,000 Palestinian citizens living there.
According to the plan, Israel intends to expand Road 60 that lead to the illegal settlement of Beitar Illit, which was built on annexed land in Bethlehem, and connect it with roads between these villages to make this new expanded road available only for Jewish settlers.
On the ground, Israeli engineers and surveyors started to put up signs and numbers in the heart of Nahalin town to prepare for the plan.
The City Council in occupied Jerusalem issued orders for the illegal annexation of dozens of Dunams of Palestinian lands in Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, under the pretext of using them for “gardening, irrigation pipes, roads and public gardens.”
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic) has reported that City Council employees posted the new orders in Wadi ar-Rababa and al-Abbasiyya neighborhoods.
Silwanic added that the posted orders also included maps showing the lands that will be confiscated, under of the pretext of “gardening vacant lots.”
It stated that these orders pose serious threats to dozens of Dunams of Palestinian lands in Wadi ar-Rababa, Wadi Hilweh, Be’er Ayyoub and Nabi Daoud, and added that the lands are owned by the Palestinians, who have legal documents proving ownership, in addition to other lands owned by the Greek Orthodox Church.
Jawad Siyam, the head of Wadi Hilweh Information Center, said the lands have, for dozens of years, been planted with olive trees, fig trees and berries; however, in recent years, Israel started preventing the Palestinians from entering them.
Israel has also been bulldozing and uprooting large areas of these lands, in addition to demolishing property, especially in Wadi ar-Rababa, under the pretext of being part of the “Public Gardens.”
The City Council claims “it wants to plant trees, install irrigation systems, create public gardens and seating areas, in addition to pedestrian roads, geotechnical engineering work, and landscaping.
Silwanic added that, although the new orders are for five years, previous experiences prove that once the City Council, the Department of Archeology or the Department of Natural Resources, take control of Palestinian lands, they end up confiscating them permanently, and use them for the construction and expansion of the illegal colonies, and outposts, in Silwan, as well as other vital parts of occupied Jerusalem.
Many areas in Silwan are frequently targeted for annexation, especially since Israel is building a pedestrian bridge for tourists and colonial settlers, linking between the ath-Thoury neighborhood, Nabi Daoud and Wadi ar-Rababa, and is preparing for building a restaurant, in addition to pathways for pedestrians.
Siyam said that the lands Israel is trying to confiscate are privately owned by the Palestinians, and are the only lands left for Silwan to build homes, schools and public gardens for the inhabitants, but the City Council has been denying construction permits, in addition to demolishing homes and property.
“The indigenous Palestinians who own the lands are the ones who should benefit from them, by farming and developing them,” Siyam added, “But Israel denies them these basic rights, and is punishing them if they build, so that it can use the lands for its colonialist projects.”
He affirmed that the Palestinians in Silwan are well aware that the new Israeli orders aim at completely and permanently confiscating their lands, especially since the city confiscated and closed lands, several years ago, in the al-Ein al-Hamra area in the town, for what the Jerusalem City Council said “public benefit,” but the lands ended up owned by El’ad colonialist foundation, which funds and supports the construction and expansion of Jewish-only colonies in occupied Jerusalem.
Furthermore, Siyam added that Israel also confiscated lands in Ras al-Amoud neighborhood, under the pretext of turning a police station into a space for public use, but the station was turned into a colony instead.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic) has reported that City Council employees posted the new orders in Wadi ar-Rababa and al-Abbasiyya neighborhoods.
Silwanic added that the posted orders also included maps showing the lands that will be confiscated, under of the pretext of “gardening vacant lots.”
It stated that these orders pose serious threats to dozens of Dunams of Palestinian lands in Wadi ar-Rababa, Wadi Hilweh, Be’er Ayyoub and Nabi Daoud, and added that the lands are owned by the Palestinians, who have legal documents proving ownership, in addition to other lands owned by the Greek Orthodox Church.
Jawad Siyam, the head of Wadi Hilweh Information Center, said the lands have, for dozens of years, been planted with olive trees, fig trees and berries; however, in recent years, Israel started preventing the Palestinians from entering them.
Israel has also been bulldozing and uprooting large areas of these lands, in addition to demolishing property, especially in Wadi ar-Rababa, under the pretext of being part of the “Public Gardens.”
The City Council claims “it wants to plant trees, install irrigation systems, create public gardens and seating areas, in addition to pedestrian roads, geotechnical engineering work, and landscaping.
Silwanic added that, although the new orders are for five years, previous experiences prove that once the City Council, the Department of Archeology or the Department of Natural Resources, take control of Palestinian lands, they end up confiscating them permanently, and use them for the construction and expansion of the illegal colonies, and outposts, in Silwan, as well as other vital parts of occupied Jerusalem.
Many areas in Silwan are frequently targeted for annexation, especially since Israel is building a pedestrian bridge for tourists and colonial settlers, linking between the ath-Thoury neighborhood, Nabi Daoud and Wadi ar-Rababa, and is preparing for building a restaurant, in addition to pathways for pedestrians.
Siyam said that the lands Israel is trying to confiscate are privately owned by the Palestinians, and are the only lands left for Silwan to build homes, schools and public gardens for the inhabitants, but the City Council has been denying construction permits, in addition to demolishing homes and property.
“The indigenous Palestinians who own the lands are the ones who should benefit from them, by farming and developing them,” Siyam added, “But Israel denies them these basic rights, and is punishing them if they build, so that it can use the lands for its colonialist projects.”
He affirmed that the Palestinians in Silwan are well aware that the new Israeli orders aim at completely and permanently confiscating their lands, especially since the city confiscated and closed lands, several years ago, in the al-Ein al-Hamra area in the town, for what the Jerusalem City Council said “public benefit,” but the lands ended up owned by El’ad colonialist foundation, which funds and supports the construction and expansion of Jewish-only colonies in occupied Jerusalem.
Furthermore, Siyam added that Israel also confiscated lands in Ras al-Amoud neighborhood, under the pretext of turning a police station into a space for public use, but the station was turned into a colony instead.
10 aug 2018
After initially seizing Palestinian land from four villages “for military purposes” last year, Israeli military authorities transferred the seized land to Israeli civilians in direct violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and is now recognizing the illegal colony ‘Adei Ad’.
The land on which the colony was constructed was stolen from Palestinian landowners in the villages of Turmusayya, Mughayyir, Jalud and Qaryut.
The area in question is about 205 dunams of land, located north of Ramallah, and south of Nablus, in the north-central part of the West Bank.
In its recognition of the outpost on Wednesday, in the midst of a bombing campaign on Gaza, Israeli authorities explicitly recognized the legitimacy of a colony that was constructed in violation of Israeli law.
According to Israeli sources, the aim of the legitimization of the outpost of Adei Ad is to expand the existing settlement of Amichai, which is located deep within Palestinian Territory in the West Bank, and was itself constructed on stolen Palestinian land.
The idea, according to the Israeli sources, is to vastly expand the Israeli settlement presence in the central West Bank, in order to expand the state of Israel further onto Palestinian land.
Since its creation in 1948, the state of Israel has never officially declared its borders, and has used military and paramilitary force to continually expand its land base onto what had been Palestinian land.
The large settlement of Amichai was initially constructed to transfer Israeli colonists who were moved from the illegal outpost of Amona. Since that time, the colonists, made up of paramilitary forces and their families, have expanded the land base of their colony onto stolen Palestinian land. In addition, the settler-only roads leading from inside Israel to the settlement colony discriminate against Palestinians and do not allow them to drive on the roads, or even to cross the roads to reach their land.
Adei Ad was constructed a year ago, several kilometers east of Amichai, without licenses or permits from the Israeli government. But Israeli policy allows for colonies to be recognized and receive services from the Israeli government, including water, electricity and sewage services, once they establish themselves illegally on stolen Palestinian land and remain in place for a certain period – despite the fact that they were initially created in violation of Israeli law.
The recognition of the colony of Adei Ad comes despite the fact that there is an active appeal process in the Israeli court system, filed by the Palestinian landowners whose land was confiscated by the Israeli military and then turned over to paramilitary forces for the construction of the colony.
According to an expose’ of the Adei Ad settlement colony by the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, “Yesh Din has documented 96 offenses committed by Israeli civilians against Palestinians in the area of the outpost since its establishment. These offenses include: violence, land seizure and property offenses.”
The full report by Yesh Din about the Adei Ad settlement can be found here.
The land on which the colony was constructed was stolen from Palestinian landowners in the villages of Turmusayya, Mughayyir, Jalud and Qaryut.
The area in question is about 205 dunams of land, located north of Ramallah, and south of Nablus, in the north-central part of the West Bank.
In its recognition of the outpost on Wednesday, in the midst of a bombing campaign on Gaza, Israeli authorities explicitly recognized the legitimacy of a colony that was constructed in violation of Israeli law.
According to Israeli sources, the aim of the legitimization of the outpost of Adei Ad is to expand the existing settlement of Amichai, which is located deep within Palestinian Territory in the West Bank, and was itself constructed on stolen Palestinian land.
The idea, according to the Israeli sources, is to vastly expand the Israeli settlement presence in the central West Bank, in order to expand the state of Israel further onto Palestinian land.
Since its creation in 1948, the state of Israel has never officially declared its borders, and has used military and paramilitary force to continually expand its land base onto what had been Palestinian land.
The large settlement of Amichai was initially constructed to transfer Israeli colonists who were moved from the illegal outpost of Amona. Since that time, the colonists, made up of paramilitary forces and their families, have expanded the land base of their colony onto stolen Palestinian land. In addition, the settler-only roads leading from inside Israel to the settlement colony discriminate against Palestinians and do not allow them to drive on the roads, or even to cross the roads to reach their land.
Adei Ad was constructed a year ago, several kilometers east of Amichai, without licenses or permits from the Israeli government. But Israeli policy allows for colonies to be recognized and receive services from the Israeli government, including water, electricity and sewage services, once they establish themselves illegally on stolen Palestinian land and remain in place for a certain period – despite the fact that they were initially created in violation of Israeli law.
The recognition of the colony of Adei Ad comes despite the fact that there is an active appeal process in the Israeli court system, filed by the Palestinian landowners whose land was confiscated by the Israeli military and then turned over to paramilitary forces for the construction of the colony.
According to an expose’ of the Adei Ad settlement colony by the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, “Yesh Din has documented 96 offenses committed by Israeli civilians against Palestinians in the area of the outpost since its establishment. These offenses include: violence, land seizure and property offenses.”
The full report by Yesh Din about the Adei Ad settlement can be found here.
8 aug 2018
The Israeli occupation is planning to expand the isolated settlement of Amichai to nearly three times its current size so that it will include the illegal outpost of Adei Ad, Haaretz has learned.
The immediate purpose of the expansion is to turn Adei Ad into a kind of distant neighborhood in Amichai. After the expansion, Amichai will be a large jurisdiction run by settlers in the heart of the West Bank.
The area, known as the Shiloh Valley, is located north of Ramallah and the settlement of Ofra and south of the settlement of Ariel, and is outside of and quite a distance from what is usually referred to as the settlement blocs. Construction in this area is considered an obstacle to implementing the two-state solution, Haaretz said.
According to the same source, administration by settlers will make it difficult to enforce planning laws there and will enable settlement construction in the future. Sources familiar with the details of the plan conceded that at this point the goal of increasing the jurisdiction of Amichai is to legalize Adei Ad.
Amichai was established for the settlers evacuated from the illegal settlement of Amona in the northern occupied West Bank, and is now home to some 40 Israeli settler families.
According to the plan approved at the time of Amichai’s establishment, the Israeli occupation authorities were to expand Amichai settlement by 60 more housing units at first, and by about 300 more units in the future. These units were allocated a large area near the settlement of Shiloh and a few other relatively isolated settlements and outposts.
The illegal outpost of Adei Ad, a few kilometers east of Amichai, was built on Palestinian land without legal permits. The government never evacuated it and declared on a number of occasions that it intended to legalize it.
According to the Civil Administration map, which Haaretz has obtained, the Civil Administration intends to legalize a large area around Adei Ad, including the outpost itself, to nearly double the size of Amichai and to bring Adei Ad into its jurisdiction.
The Palestinians, represented by the NGO Yesh Din, argue that expansion of Amichai will deny them access to their farmland.
Yesh Din’s attorney, Shlomi Zecharia, said, “The inhabitants of the villages near the outpost have become hostages to the policy that abundantly rewards prizes and gifts to ideological criminals. Cutting off farmlands by means of a false [expansion of] jurisdiction is extreme, disproportionate and needless, and in fact is intended to perpetuate restrictions on and infringement of Palestinian property, this time under the official auspices of the government.”
One of the immediate consequences of designating the expanded area as part of Amichai is that responsibility for enforcement of construction laws will no longer be in the hands of the Civil Administration, but rather will fall to the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. Except in the rarest cases, the council does not enforce the law against illegal construction in its jurisdiction.
As a result of the transfer of administrative powers, the settlers will be able to build new structures illegally without effective enforcement, Haaretz further warned.
The immediate purpose of the expansion is to turn Adei Ad into a kind of distant neighborhood in Amichai. After the expansion, Amichai will be a large jurisdiction run by settlers in the heart of the West Bank.
The area, known as the Shiloh Valley, is located north of Ramallah and the settlement of Ofra and south of the settlement of Ariel, and is outside of and quite a distance from what is usually referred to as the settlement blocs. Construction in this area is considered an obstacle to implementing the two-state solution, Haaretz said.
According to the same source, administration by settlers will make it difficult to enforce planning laws there and will enable settlement construction in the future. Sources familiar with the details of the plan conceded that at this point the goal of increasing the jurisdiction of Amichai is to legalize Adei Ad.
Amichai was established for the settlers evacuated from the illegal settlement of Amona in the northern occupied West Bank, and is now home to some 40 Israeli settler families.
According to the plan approved at the time of Amichai’s establishment, the Israeli occupation authorities were to expand Amichai settlement by 60 more housing units at first, and by about 300 more units in the future. These units were allocated a large area near the settlement of Shiloh and a few other relatively isolated settlements and outposts.
The illegal outpost of Adei Ad, a few kilometers east of Amichai, was built on Palestinian land without legal permits. The government never evacuated it and declared on a number of occasions that it intended to legalize it.
According to the Civil Administration map, which Haaretz has obtained, the Civil Administration intends to legalize a large area around Adei Ad, including the outpost itself, to nearly double the size of Amichai and to bring Adei Ad into its jurisdiction.
The Palestinians, represented by the NGO Yesh Din, argue that expansion of Amichai will deny them access to their farmland.
Yesh Din’s attorney, Shlomi Zecharia, said, “The inhabitants of the villages near the outpost have become hostages to the policy that abundantly rewards prizes and gifts to ideological criminals. Cutting off farmlands by means of a false [expansion of] jurisdiction is extreme, disproportionate and needless, and in fact is intended to perpetuate restrictions on and infringement of Palestinian property, this time under the official auspices of the government.”
One of the immediate consequences of designating the expanded area as part of Amichai is that responsibility for enforcement of construction laws will no longer be in the hands of the Civil Administration, but rather will fall to the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. Except in the rarest cases, the council does not enforce the law against illegal construction in its jurisdiction.
As a result of the transfer of administrative powers, the settlers will be able to build new structures illegally without effective enforcement, Haaretz further warned.
Representative of the Wall and Settlement Resistance Committee in Bethlehem, Hassan Brejiyyeh, on Tuesday, revealed the arrival of U.S. delegations from political and tourism companies, in order to carry out investment projects in two Bethlehem settlements.
In an interview with Voice of Palestine radio, Brejiyyeh said that American companies are currently investing in Israeli settlement tourism projects, specifically in the settlements of Eliazar and Efrat, which are located on lands of Palestinian citizens.
Such projects, settlement plans, construction of streets, tunnels and rail roads are part of the Israeli occupation project to establish ”Greater Jerusalem” plan and link Jerusalem to the Gush Etzion settlement, to cut the West Bank in half and seize more Palestinian land.
In an interview with Voice of Palestine radio, Brejiyyeh said that American companies are currently investing in Israeli settlement tourism projects, specifically in the settlements of Eliazar and Efrat, which are located on lands of Palestinian citizens.
Such projects, settlement plans, construction of streets, tunnels and rail roads are part of the Israeli occupation project to establish ”Greater Jerusalem” plan and link Jerusalem to the Gush Etzion settlement, to cut the West Bank in half and seize more Palestinian land.
7 aug 2018
The Israeli West Jerusalem Planning and Building Committee on Tuesday approved the building of three new Israeli settlements in the Negev.
According to I24 News, the approval of the Board for Planning and Building committee is needed before the plan can be brought to the cabinet.
The board recommended to the government the construction of two new communities in the Negev: Daniel and Ir Ovot. It also recommended the expansion of the Nitzana village.
Around 250 housing units, and another 450 housing units are planned to be built in Daniel, and Ir Ovot, respectively, the sources added.
According to I24 News, the approval of the Board for Planning and Building committee is needed before the plan can be brought to the cabinet.
The board recommended to the government the construction of two new communities in the Negev: Daniel and Ir Ovot. It also recommended the expansion of the Nitzana village.
Around 250 housing units, and another 450 housing units are planned to be built in Daniel, and Ir Ovot, respectively, the sources added.
Israeli bulldozers escorted by Israeli forces razed and leveled a rural road for military training on predawn Tuesday in the area of Ras al-Ahmar, in the Jordan Valley in the northern occupied West Bank.
Ahmad Ishtayeh, head of the Atuf village council, of which Ras al-Ahmar is part, said that Israeli forces razed the rural road and expanded it, to be used for military vehicles required for Israeli military training.
Ishtayeh added that the area where Israeli forces razed the land and created a military road is an agricultural land owned by local Palestinian farmers, which as a result caused them serious economic harm and disrupted the daily life of residents.
Two weeks ago, Israeli forces had destroyed a main water pipeline in the same area to create a military road.
Khirbet Ras al-Ahmar is one of approximately 180 Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank on lands designated as 'Area C' -- the area of the West bank under full Israeli security and civilian control -- according to Israeli human rights NGO B'Tselem.
The village is often raided by Israeli forces, who carry out various military operations in the area, forcing residents of the village to leave their homes for several hours or even days.
Additionally, the village is a designated Israeli military "firing zone."
Ahmad Ishtayeh, head of the Atuf village council, of which Ras al-Ahmar is part, said that Israeli forces razed the rural road and expanded it, to be used for military vehicles required for Israeli military training.
Ishtayeh added that the area where Israeli forces razed the land and created a military road is an agricultural land owned by local Palestinian farmers, which as a result caused them serious economic harm and disrupted the daily life of residents.
Two weeks ago, Israeli forces had destroyed a main water pipeline in the same area to create a military road.
Khirbet Ras al-Ahmar is one of approximately 180 Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank on lands designated as 'Area C' -- the area of the West bank under full Israeli security and civilian control -- according to Israeli human rights NGO B'Tselem.
The village is often raided by Israeli forces, who carry out various military operations in the area, forcing residents of the village to leave their homes for several hours or even days.
Additionally, the village is a designated Israeli military "firing zone."
5 aug 2018
In addition to the sea barrier, Israeli Navy has deployed a sensor system that detects and warns against infiltration attempts; Lieberman: 'Every day, Hamas is losing its capability to attack Israel'
Significant progress in the barrier project against infiltrations from the Gaza Strip has been reported on Sunday. New images and videos show a new breakwater structure, with a high fence surrounding it, and an advanced detection system.
The construction is expected to be completed within a year and a half.
The Ministry of Defense revealed pictures and videos of the sea barrier construction site at the northern Gaza Strip border, near Zikim beach.
The Ministry of Defense published the material in light of the reported Gaza ceasefire talks.
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly convened his Security Cabinet to discuss an Egyptian brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hamas,.Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman wrote in posted a Twitter message on Sunday:
"We are continuing intensive work to build land and sea obstacles around Gaza. Hamas is losing its capability to attack Israel every day."
The obstacle consists of three components: an underwater level, topped by a layer of stone and a barbed wire fence along the crest. The entire barricade itself will be surrounded by another fortified fence.
The breakwater structure and the high fence surrounding it were constructed in the last couple of months.
The structure was added to the underground wall located dozens of meters deep along the 65 km border with Gaza.
When complete, the "impregnable breakwater" would prevent, almost entirely, infiltration attempts of terrorists into Israel through underground tunnels.
So far, about 20 km of the underground wall have been built. The work is expected to be completed within a year and a half.
While the underground wall, and its advanced detection systems, is intended to identify and destroy Palestinian tunnels penetrating Israel, the naval barrier is intended to prevent the infiltration of Hamas's naval commandos through the sea, similar to the Operation Protective Edge's incident in which five terrorists attempted to infiltrate Israel's territory by sea.
In addition to the visible sea barrier, the Israeli Navy has already deployed a sensor system that detects and warns against infiltration attempts by divers or swimmers from the Gaza Strip.
In the four years since Operation Protective Edge, Israeli naval forces have been deployed dozens of times since the army identified multiple attempts to infiltrate Israel through the Gaza border sea.
At the same time, the Israeli navy has increased its maritime penetration capabilities, advanced technological tools, and conducted large scale trainings for dozens of IDF fighters.
The sea barrier is 200 meters long, 50 meters in width, and the surrounding fortified fence is six meters wide.
Additional technological devices will be installed along the fence to locate suspected sea-level crossings.
Significant progress in the barrier project against infiltrations from the Gaza Strip has been reported on Sunday. New images and videos show a new breakwater structure, with a high fence surrounding it, and an advanced detection system.
The construction is expected to be completed within a year and a half.
The Ministry of Defense revealed pictures and videos of the sea barrier construction site at the northern Gaza Strip border, near Zikim beach.
The Ministry of Defense published the material in light of the reported Gaza ceasefire talks.
As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly convened his Security Cabinet to discuss an Egyptian brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hamas,.Minister of Defense Avigdor Lieberman wrote in posted a Twitter message on Sunday:
"We are continuing intensive work to build land and sea obstacles around Gaza. Hamas is losing its capability to attack Israel every day."
The obstacle consists of three components: an underwater level, topped by a layer of stone and a barbed wire fence along the crest. The entire barricade itself will be surrounded by another fortified fence.
The breakwater structure and the high fence surrounding it were constructed in the last couple of months.
The structure was added to the underground wall located dozens of meters deep along the 65 km border with Gaza.
When complete, the "impregnable breakwater" would prevent, almost entirely, infiltration attempts of terrorists into Israel through underground tunnels.
So far, about 20 km of the underground wall have been built. The work is expected to be completed within a year and a half.
While the underground wall, and its advanced detection systems, is intended to identify and destroy Palestinian tunnels penetrating Israel, the naval barrier is intended to prevent the infiltration of Hamas's naval commandos through the sea, similar to the Operation Protective Edge's incident in which five terrorists attempted to infiltrate Israel's territory by sea.
In addition to the visible sea barrier, the Israeli Navy has already deployed a sensor system that detects and warns against infiltration attempts by divers or swimmers from the Gaza Strip.
In the four years since Operation Protective Edge, Israeli naval forces have been deployed dozens of times since the army identified multiple attempts to infiltrate Israel through the Gaza border sea.
At the same time, the Israeli navy has increased its maritime penetration capabilities, advanced technological tools, and conducted large scale trainings for dozens of IDF fighters.
The sea barrier is 200 meters long, 50 meters in width, and the surrounding fortified fence is six meters wide.
Additional technological devices will be installed along the fence to locate suspected sea-level crossings.
4 aug 2018
Israeli bulldozers on Saturday morning leveled Palestinian-owned lands located between the illegal settlements of Gush Etzion and Alon Shvut, south of Bethlehem.
Representative of the National Committee against the Wall and Settlement Hasan Brijiyyeh said that the bulldozers razed vast tracts of lands in Artas village in preparation for a project to build 1,700 settlement units in the area over the next five years.
Israel has stepped up its attacks on the Palestinian lands adjacent to Gush Etzion settlement bloc. A few months ago, 200 Palestinian-owned trees were destroyed. Israel further has banned all Palestinian construction activities in the nearby Khirbet Iskaria.
Representative of the National Committee against the Wall and Settlement Hasan Brijiyyeh said that the bulldozers razed vast tracts of lands in Artas village in preparation for a project to build 1,700 settlement units in the area over the next five years.
Israel has stepped up its attacks on the Palestinian lands adjacent to Gush Etzion settlement bloc. A few months ago, 200 Palestinian-owned trees were destroyed. Israel further has banned all Palestinian construction activities in the nearby Khirbet Iskaria.
3 aug 2018
The European Union (EU) Representative and the EU Heads of Mission in the Jerusalem and Ramallah districts issued a statement on Thursday denouncing the Israeli expansion of an illegal Israeli settlement project in the Silwan neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.
The statement said that "the EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah express serious concern at the official inauguration on 1st August of a touristic center, run by a settler organization, in the Batn al-Hawa/Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, in the compound from which five households of the Palestinian Abu Nab family were evicted in 2015."
The EU said that "around 180 Palestinian households in East Jerusalem, out of which approximately 100 in Batn al-Hawa alone, face the risk of eviction from their homes, directly facilitating further settlement growth in the city, as in this instance."
"The EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah recall the successive Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions and statements in which the EU has repeated its strong opposition to Israel's settlement policy and actions taken in this context, including evictions and demolitions. Settlement activity in East Jerusalem seriously jeopardizes the possibility of Jerusalem serving as the future capital of both States, is illegal under international law, and undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace."
The EU statement comes a few days after the Wadi Hilweh Information Center and the Batn al-Hawa Committee announced, in a joint statement, that Israeli authorities allocated about 4.5 million shekels for the illegal Israeli settlement project, under the name of the Jewish Yemenite Heritage Center, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Silwan neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Jewish Yemenite Heritage Center is attempting to control and seize more than 5 dunums (1.2 acres) in the Batn al-Hawa area in the Silwan neighborhood under the pretext that it originally belongs to Jews from Yemen since 1881.
The center and the committee mentioned that Yemeni Jews lived in the Silwan neighborhood as refugees for a period not longer than 50 years, where they were welcomed by Palestinian residents, contrary to the Western Jews who refused to live side by side.
Israeli settlement associations have been gradually seizing real estate in the area by claiming ownership of the land in smaller parts and purchasing property from more easily influenced residents.
Silwan is one of many Palestinian neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem that is seeing an influx of Israeli settlers. There are eight illegal Israeli settlement outposts in Silwan, the first one being under Israeli settler control since 2004.
The number of assaults by Israeli settlers towards Palestinian residents in Silwan has escalated as the illegal Israeli settlement expansion throughout the neighborhood continues.
The statement said that "the EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah express serious concern at the official inauguration on 1st August of a touristic center, run by a settler organization, in the Batn al-Hawa/Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem, in the compound from which five households of the Palestinian Abu Nab family were evicted in 2015."
The EU said that "around 180 Palestinian households in East Jerusalem, out of which approximately 100 in Batn al-Hawa alone, face the risk of eviction from their homes, directly facilitating further settlement growth in the city, as in this instance."
"The EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah recall the successive Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions and statements in which the EU has repeated its strong opposition to Israel's settlement policy and actions taken in this context, including evictions and demolitions. Settlement activity in East Jerusalem seriously jeopardizes the possibility of Jerusalem serving as the future capital of both States, is illegal under international law, and undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace."
The EU statement comes a few days after the Wadi Hilweh Information Center and the Batn al-Hawa Committee announced, in a joint statement, that Israeli authorities allocated about 4.5 million shekels for the illegal Israeli settlement project, under the name of the Jewish Yemenite Heritage Center, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Silwan neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Jewish Yemenite Heritage Center is attempting to control and seize more than 5 dunums (1.2 acres) in the Batn al-Hawa area in the Silwan neighborhood under the pretext that it originally belongs to Jews from Yemen since 1881.
The center and the committee mentioned that Yemeni Jews lived in the Silwan neighborhood as refugees for a period not longer than 50 years, where they were welcomed by Palestinian residents, contrary to the Western Jews who refused to live side by side.
Israeli settlement associations have been gradually seizing real estate in the area by claiming ownership of the land in smaller parts and purchasing property from more easily influenced residents.
Silwan is one of many Palestinian neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem that is seeing an influx of Israeli settlers. There are eight illegal Israeli settlement outposts in Silwan, the first one being under Israeli settler control since 2004.
The number of assaults by Israeli settlers towards Palestinian residents in Silwan has escalated as the illegal Israeli settlement expansion throughout the neighborhood continues.
