20 feb 2012
Report: Israeli authorities seek to permit unplanned settler roads
Israeli military authorities in the occupied West Bank are pushing to change laws to allow Israeli settlers to build dirt roads "to protect state lands," Israeli media reported on Monday.
The change in legislation will allow settlers to construct non-tarmacked roads without a permit, allowing settlers to extend their control outside settlement boundaries on the large swathes of occupied territory designated Israeli-state land, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Israel's Civil Administration will request the legal amendment from Israel's Deputy Attorney General, the report said. Currently settlers have to apply for permits to build, however the Israeli army is already permitted to seize land for roads to "protect settlements," it added.
All Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem break international law banning the transfer of civilian populations into occupied territory. Israeli authorities want to make a distinction between authorized settlements and outposts that have not received official approval, as well as "state land" that rights groups say has been seized from Palestinian owners.
According to a 2006 report by Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now, over 50 percent of the lands settlements have been built on have retroactively been declared state lands. The areas in the occupied West Bank are often declared state land if it is not formally registered as private property, or if it is not cultivated for three years, under Ottoman law it can be declared state lands.
Under the British Mandate a process of registration of lands began, continued under Jordanian rule, but was halted by an injunction by Israel when its military occupied the West Bank in 1967.
The change in legislation will allow settlers to construct non-tarmacked roads without a permit, allowing settlers to extend their control outside settlement boundaries on the large swathes of occupied territory designated Israeli-state land, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.
Israel's Civil Administration will request the legal amendment from Israel's Deputy Attorney General, the report said. Currently settlers have to apply for permits to build, however the Israeli army is already permitted to seize land for roads to "protect settlements," it added.
All Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem break international law banning the transfer of civilian populations into occupied territory. Israeli authorities want to make a distinction between authorized settlements and outposts that have not received official approval, as well as "state land" that rights groups say has been seized from Palestinian owners.
According to a 2006 report by Israeli settlement watchdog Peace Now, over 50 percent of the lands settlements have been built on have retroactively been declared state lands. The areas in the occupied West Bank are often declared state land if it is not formally registered as private property, or if it is not cultivated for three years, under Ottoman law it can be declared state lands.
Under the British Mandate a process of registration of lands began, continued under Jordanian rule, but was halted by an injunction by Israel when its military occupied the West Bank in 1967.
14 feb 2012
Israel approves plan to build huge Jewish tourist center in Silwan
The Zionist district committee for planning and building approved on Monday a plan to build what it called the foot center in Wadi Hilwa neighborhood of Silwan area, Al-Aqsa foundation for endowment and heritage said.
In a report, the Aqsa foundation stated that Israel intensified and accelerated unprecedentedly its Judaization activities around the Aqsa Mosque compared to its plans in the past which took years before approval and implementation.
The foundation said it had monitored Israeli moves to build a huge tourist project on a seized Palestinian land near the fence of the old city of occupied Jerusalem.
The Israeli occupation authority used this Palestinian land as a parking lot for Jewish settlers and the settlement outpost Zuwar center or David city and now it intends to build a Jewish center in this land, according to the report.
The report noted that this project is part of a larger scheme to Judaize the entire circumference of the Aqsa Mosque.
It also warned that this Jewish center and its annexes would be connected to a network of tunnels that were established beneath Silwan and Wadi Hilwa areas, and the vicinity of the Aqsa Mosque and would be like a pivot point for Judaization activities in Jerusalem.
In a report, the Aqsa foundation stated that Israel intensified and accelerated unprecedentedly its Judaization activities around the Aqsa Mosque compared to its plans in the past which took years before approval and implementation.
The foundation said it had monitored Israeli moves to build a huge tourist project on a seized Palestinian land near the fence of the old city of occupied Jerusalem.
The Israeli occupation authority used this Palestinian land as a parking lot for Jewish settlers and the settlement outpost Zuwar center or David city and now it intends to build a Jewish center in this land, according to the report.
The report noted that this project is part of a larger scheme to Judaize the entire circumference of the Aqsa Mosque.
It also warned that this Jewish center and its annexes would be connected to a network of tunnels that were established beneath Silwan and Wadi Hilwa areas, and the vicinity of the Aqsa Mosque and would be like a pivot point for Judaization activities in Jerusalem.
13 feb 2012
Report: Israeli govt oks new settlement for Migron outpost
An Israeli settler clears the debris of a makeshift structure after Israeli security forces demolished the building at the unauthorized outpost of Mitzpe Avihai on Jan. 12.
Settlers from the illegal outpost of Migron said Monday that they had reached a deal with the Israeli government to relocate their homes inside the occupied West Bank.
Israel's High Court of Justice had ordered Israeli settlers in the Migron outpost near West Bank city Ramallah to leave by March 31 in response to a 2006 petition filed by seven Palestinian landowners and Israeli pressure group Peace Now.
According to the court's ruling of Aug. 2, 2011, the outpost is on privately-owned Palestinian land.
Settlers said Monday that they had struck a deal with the Israeli government to relocate Migron to a nearby hill which they say is an Israeli government owned site, Israeli daily Ynet reported.
All settlements built on occupied Palestinian land are illegal under international law.
The current outpost structures will not be demolished until all families have moved, with the agreement stipulating a 18 month timeline. The agreement must be signed by the Israeli government and the settlers before being presented to the Israeli high court, Ynet said.
But Peace Now director Yariv Oppenhemier said that the deal is in "in direct violation of the court order mandating Migron's eviction by the end of March," according to the Ynet report.
"Erecting a new isolated settlement, deep within the territories, which will cost millions, goes against Israeli interests and is meant only to appease a radical minority of settlers," he added.
Outposts are settlements built without official Israeli government blessing, typically after the mid-1990s. There are about 100 outposts to date, many of which were supported by the Israeli government.
Settlement expansion in the West Bank accelerated in 2011. There were 1,850 new "building starts" for housing units (excluding East Jerusalem), an almost 20 percent increase on 2010, says the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Various initiatives by the Israeli government in 2011 were aimed at "legalizing" unauthorized settlement outposts built on private Palestinian land, reports OCHA.
About 500,000 Israeli settlers live in occupied Palestinian land, according to UN estimates. Of these, between 4,000 and 5,000 settlers live in outposts, according to Peace Now.
Settlers from the illegal outpost of Migron said Monday that they had reached a deal with the Israeli government to relocate their homes inside the occupied West Bank.
Israel's High Court of Justice had ordered Israeli settlers in the Migron outpost near West Bank city Ramallah to leave by March 31 in response to a 2006 petition filed by seven Palestinian landowners and Israeli pressure group Peace Now.
According to the court's ruling of Aug. 2, 2011, the outpost is on privately-owned Palestinian land.
Settlers said Monday that they had struck a deal with the Israeli government to relocate Migron to a nearby hill which they say is an Israeli government owned site, Israeli daily Ynet reported.
All settlements built on occupied Palestinian land are illegal under international law.
The current outpost structures will not be demolished until all families have moved, with the agreement stipulating a 18 month timeline. The agreement must be signed by the Israeli government and the settlers before being presented to the Israeli high court, Ynet said.
But Peace Now director Yariv Oppenhemier said that the deal is in "in direct violation of the court order mandating Migron's eviction by the end of March," according to the Ynet report.
"Erecting a new isolated settlement, deep within the territories, which will cost millions, goes against Israeli interests and is meant only to appease a radical minority of settlers," he added.
Outposts are settlements built without official Israeli government blessing, typically after the mid-1990s. There are about 100 outposts to date, many of which were supported by the Israeli government.
Settlement expansion in the West Bank accelerated in 2011. There were 1,850 new "building starts" for housing units (excluding East Jerusalem), an almost 20 percent increase on 2010, says the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Various initiatives by the Israeli government in 2011 were aimed at "legalizing" unauthorized settlement outposts built on private Palestinian land, reports OCHA.
About 500,000 Israeli settlers live in occupied Palestinian land, according to UN estimates. Of these, between 4,000 and 5,000 settlers live in outposts, according to Peace Now.
11 feb 2012
Foundation: New structure near Al-Aqsa
A committee within the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem has submitted plans for a new structure adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage said Saturday.
According to the foundation, the 3,700-square-meter structure will be built near the Mughrabi Gate at the site known as the Al-Buraq Square to Muslims and the Western Wall to Jews.
It will consist of five floors, two of which will be underground. “The building will serve settlers and foreign tourists who visit the square,” the foundation said in a statement.
The building, according to the report, will be located in the northern part of the square. It is designed to include a Jewish museum, lecture halls, exhibition halls, a library and archives center, and a center for information.
The Al-Aqsa Foundation said the structure would be built on Islamic and Arab ruins.
“The Israeli archeology department has been digging and excavating for about five years demolishing structures that date back to different Arab and Islamic eras,” the statement said.
The report comes as Israeli archeologists are continuing to excavate an ancient cave that runs under Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Foundation said Tuesday.
Foundation representatives visited the al-Kittan cave, also known as Zedkiah’s Cave or Solomon’s Quarries, and say archeologists are digging under the Old City in two directions to connect the cave to an ancient tunnel network.
The cave, near Damascus Gate, is being extended towards the Haram al-Sharif compound housing the Dome of the Rock and towards Herod's Gate to the east, the foundation said.
It highlighted that the route runs under Palestinian homes.
Israel annexed East Jerusalem after a 1967 war in a move never recognized abroad.
According to the foundation, the 3,700-square-meter structure will be built near the Mughrabi Gate at the site known as the Al-Buraq Square to Muslims and the Western Wall to Jews.
It will consist of five floors, two of which will be underground. “The building will serve settlers and foreign tourists who visit the square,” the foundation said in a statement.
The building, according to the report, will be located in the northern part of the square. It is designed to include a Jewish museum, lecture halls, exhibition halls, a library and archives center, and a center for information.
The Al-Aqsa Foundation said the structure would be built on Islamic and Arab ruins.
“The Israeli archeology department has been digging and excavating for about five years demolishing structures that date back to different Arab and Islamic eras,” the statement said.
The report comes as Israeli archeologists are continuing to excavate an ancient cave that runs under Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa Foundation said Tuesday.
Foundation representatives visited the al-Kittan cave, also known as Zedkiah’s Cave or Solomon’s Quarries, and say archeologists are digging under the Old City in two directions to connect the cave to an ancient tunnel network.
The cave, near Damascus Gate, is being extended towards the Haram al-Sharif compound housing the Dome of the Rock and towards Herod's Gate to the east, the foundation said.
It highlighted that the route runs under Palestinian homes.
Israel annexed East Jerusalem after a 1967 war in a move never recognized abroad.
Newspapers Review: Israeli Settlement Plans Focus of Dailies
The three Palestinian Arabic dailies Saturday focused on new Israeli settlement plans in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Al-Quds prime headline reported on plans by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to turn a deserted military camp south of Bethlehem to a new settlement, saying it would be used to house people of special needs.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida also featured this item on their front page along with an Israeli plan to build a Jewish museum on the ruins of Islamic buildings and monuments west of al-Aqsa compound in East Jerusalem.
Al-Ayyam highlighted the weekly anti-settlements, anti-wall demonstrations across the West Bank and the injury of dozens of protesters at the hands of Israeli soldiers. The paper said two protesters and five journalists were shot, whereas dozens of demonstrators suffered gas inhalation due to the Israeli assaults.
Al-Quds newspaper quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu as saying that a Palestinian state on land occupied in 1967 must be established now and Israel must stop stalling.
The dailies reported on escalated settlers’ attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, including razing of 100 dunums of Palestinian-owned land in Yatta, a town east of Hebron, and the clashes that broke out between Palestinians and settlers in Qaryout, near Nablus.
Al-Quds editorial addressed the deteriorating health of Islamic Jihad prisoners Khader Adnan, who has been on hunger strike for 55 days. The daily called on national forces and the international community to take immediate action to save the lives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Al-Quds prime headline reported on plans by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to turn a deserted military camp south of Bethlehem to a new settlement, saying it would be used to house people of special needs.
Al-Ayyam and al-Hayat al-Jadida also featured this item on their front page along with an Israeli plan to build a Jewish museum on the ruins of Islamic buildings and monuments west of al-Aqsa compound in East Jerusalem.
Al-Ayyam highlighted the weekly anti-settlements, anti-wall demonstrations across the West Bank and the injury of dozens of protesters at the hands of Israeli soldiers. The paper said two protesters and five journalists were shot, whereas dozens of demonstrators suffered gas inhalation due to the Israeli assaults.
Al-Quds newspaper quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu as saying that a Palestinian state on land occupied in 1967 must be established now and Israel must stop stalling.
The dailies reported on escalated settlers’ attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, including razing of 100 dunums of Palestinian-owned land in Yatta, a town east of Hebron, and the clashes that broke out between Palestinians and settlers in Qaryout, near Nablus.
Al-Quds editorial addressed the deteriorating health of Islamic Jihad prisoners Khader Adnan, who has been on hunger strike for 55 days. The daily called on national forces and the international community to take immediate action to save the lives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
10 feb 2012
Occupation approves the establishment of new settlement
Israeli occupation continue with plans to grab more Palestinian land to establish Jewish colonies and push Palestinians out. Occupation war minister Ehud Barak approved the establishment of a new settlement in Gush Etzion settlement bloc to the south of Bethlehem.
Maariv newspaper reported that the talk is about an old military base set up by the IOF in 1984 called Gafanot to the west of the settlement bloc. The abandoned military base lies on the road between Gush Etzion and Beit Shemesh inside the green line and that setting up a colony there would mean contiguity.
The Israeli occupation government decided in 1997 to give the military base a civilian nature, but difference between settlers, especially of Efrat as to who owns the land meant the base was left empty.
The interim head of the Etzion council Yaer Wolf contacted the Zionist war ministry last month to change the status of the land of the abandoned military base in favour of a new settlement to serve settlers with special needs and the war ministry agreed.
Maariv newspaper reported that the talk is about an old military base set up by the IOF in 1984 called Gafanot to the west of the settlement bloc. The abandoned military base lies on the road between Gush Etzion and Beit Shemesh inside the green line and that setting up a colony there would mean contiguity.
The Israeli occupation government decided in 1997 to give the military base a civilian nature, but difference between settlers, especially of Efrat as to who owns the land meant the base was left empty.
The interim head of the Etzion council Yaer Wolf contacted the Zionist war ministry last month to change the status of the land of the abandoned military base in favour of a new settlement to serve settlers with special needs and the war ministry agreed.
Report: UN confirms Israeli fence near Lebanese village
A UN peacekeeping official said Israeli forces have erected a barbed wire fence along its frontier with Lebanon, Lebanese media reported on Thursday.
The barrier lies in a disputed area near Lebanese village Adaisseh, Lebanon's The Daily Star reported.
"On the night of Feb. 7-8 in the general area of Adaysseh Israeli troops laid concertina wire to mark the mine field after prior notification to UNIFIL," spokesperson Neeraj Singh said in a statement.
Israeli media reported in early January that the Israeli army plans to build a new 5-meter high and 1-kilometer long wall on the country's northern ceasefire line with Lebanon.
The border between Israel and Lebanon is disputed by the two sides and the UN-drawn "Blue Line" covers just part of the stretch, established in 2000 to determine whether Israel had withdrawn from Lebanon after its 1982 invasion.
The barrier lies in a disputed area near Lebanese village Adaisseh, Lebanon's The Daily Star reported.
"On the night of Feb. 7-8 in the general area of Adaysseh Israeli troops laid concertina wire to mark the mine field after prior notification to UNIFIL," spokesperson Neeraj Singh said in a statement.
Israeli media reported in early January that the Israeli army plans to build a new 5-meter high and 1-kilometer long wall on the country's northern ceasefire line with Lebanon.
The border between Israel and Lebanon is disputed by the two sides and the UN-drawn "Blue Line" covers just part of the stretch, established in 2000 to determine whether Israel had withdrawn from Lebanon after its 1982 invasion.
3 feb 2012
Zionist plans to build a shopping centre on Armenian Church land
The Jerusalem occupation municipality announced a plan to build a new shopping centre with a car park on a piece of land that is owned by the Armenian Church in the old city.
The municipality further banned residents of the Armenian quarter in the old city from parking their cars on the land which is owned by the church.
Residents of the Armenian quarters demonstrated on Thursday to protest the steps taken by the municipality, but the demonstration was dispersed by the Israeli occupation police.
The land which is about 4000 square meters and which is owned by the Armenian Church was used by local residents as a free car park, but the locals were surprised when the so called Jewish quarters committee started collecting parking fees, and now barred them altogether from parking their cars there.
The municipality further banned residents of the Armenian quarter in the old city from parking their cars on the land which is owned by the church.
Residents of the Armenian quarters demonstrated on Thursday to protest the steps taken by the municipality, but the demonstration was dispersed by the Israeli occupation police.
The land which is about 4000 square meters and which is owned by the Armenian Church was used by local residents as a free car park, but the locals were surprised when the so called Jewish quarters committee started collecting parking fees, and now barred them altogether from parking their cars there.
2 feb 2012
Gov't to withhold aid from settlements
Ministers decide to exclude 70 West Bank settlements from national priorities map; The story was covered up, officials say.
The government has decided to exclude 70 West Bank settlements from the list of national priority areas, Ynet has learned Thursday.
The list asserts which towns across the country are to receive grants and benefits aimed at boosting the communities' economy and making them more attractive for new residents and investors.
On Sunday, the government voted to approve an updated version of the list, which included the 70 settlements. A day later, it was proposed to remove towns that are located beyond the Green Line from the priority map; the initiative was put up to a telephone vote, and was passed by a 15-10 margin. Several ministers abstained from the vote.
Government sources estimate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was concerned that including the settlements in the list will hurt the latest efforts to restart the peace talks with the Palestinians. Due to this fear, the West Bank communities were deemed ineligible for automatic aid.
The settlements can still apply for incentives, but the decision to grant them these benefits is left up to the government.
Settlers and officials leveled criticism at the government for passing the measure.
"It was a behind-the-scenes trick," one official said. "This story was covered up."
Some officials claimed that the exclusion was tied to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's visit to Israel, saying that it was Netanyahu's attempt to uphold his commitment to the US and Europe that the government won't do anything that might encourage settlement construction.
"The Americans must have exerted pressure to reverse the decision," one minister said.
The Prime Minister's Office refused to release the names of the ministers who votes for or against the measure.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu said in a joint press conference with the visiting UN chief that the government's approval of the initial, inclusive list was a mistake.
"When we realized what happened, we fixed it with a telephone vote," he said.
Netanyahu denied caving to international pressure on the matter.
Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan sent a letter to government ministers, urging them to rescind the exclusion of the settlements.
"It's a grave decision blatantly discriminating against the West Bank settlements," Dayan wrote. He further asked the ministers to hold another debate on the matter at the Knesset plenum.
The government has decided to exclude 70 West Bank settlements from the list of national priority areas, Ynet has learned Thursday.
The list asserts which towns across the country are to receive grants and benefits aimed at boosting the communities' economy and making them more attractive for new residents and investors.
On Sunday, the government voted to approve an updated version of the list, which included the 70 settlements. A day later, it was proposed to remove towns that are located beyond the Green Line from the priority map; the initiative was put up to a telephone vote, and was passed by a 15-10 margin. Several ministers abstained from the vote.
Government sources estimate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was concerned that including the settlements in the list will hurt the latest efforts to restart the peace talks with the Palestinians. Due to this fear, the West Bank communities were deemed ineligible for automatic aid.
The settlements can still apply for incentives, but the decision to grant them these benefits is left up to the government.
Settlers and officials leveled criticism at the government for passing the measure.
"It was a behind-the-scenes trick," one official said. "This story was covered up."
Some officials claimed that the exclusion was tied to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's visit to Israel, saying that it was Netanyahu's attempt to uphold his commitment to the US and Europe that the government won't do anything that might encourage settlement construction.
"The Americans must have exerted pressure to reverse the decision," one minister said.
The Prime Minister's Office refused to release the names of the ministers who votes for or against the measure.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu said in a joint press conference with the visiting UN chief that the government's approval of the initial, inclusive list was a mistake.
"When we realized what happened, we fixed it with a telephone vote," he said.
Netanyahu denied caving to international pressure on the matter.
Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan sent a letter to government ministers, urging them to rescind the exclusion of the settlements.
"It's a grave decision blatantly discriminating against the West Bank settlements," Dayan wrote. He further asked the ministers to hold another debate on the matter at the Knesset plenum.