4 july 2018
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The Israeli occupation army’s civil administration has given the Palestinian residents of Khan al-Ahmar Bedouin community, south of Jerusalem, until next Friday to leave the area as a prelude to demolishing it and establishing a settlement for Jewish settlers in its place.
This came after the Israeli army on Tuesday night encircled the community and declared it a closed military zone. According to Walid Assaf, head of the popular committee to resist Israel’s separation wall and settlement activities, said that Israeli troops stormed Khan al-Ahmar hamlet and notified residents of a military decision to close roads inside and around their community. |
The Israeli authorities decided to seize the land where the community is located and displace its residents, although the land is registered as owned by Palestinian citizens from the nearby town of Anata, according to the news website Arab48.
Last May 24, following a long-running legal battle, Israeli judges at the high court allowed the civil administration to go ahead with the demolition of the community’s homes and sole school at the pretext of unlicensed construction and to forcibly evacuate their residents to an area near the Abu Dis garbage dump.
The residents of Khan al-Ahmar, known as al-Jahhalin Bedouins, are refugees from the Negev desert who have lived in this area of south Jerusalem since their displacement by the Israeli army in 1967.
Throughout the years, Israel has refused to recognize al-Jahhalin Bedouin communities or grant them building permits.
Last May 24, following a long-running legal battle, Israeli judges at the high court allowed the civil administration to go ahead with the demolition of the community’s homes and sole school at the pretext of unlicensed construction and to forcibly evacuate their residents to an area near the Abu Dis garbage dump.
The residents of Khan al-Ahmar, known as al-Jahhalin Bedouins, are refugees from the Negev desert who have lived in this area of south Jerusalem since their displacement by the Israeli army in 1967.
Throughout the years, Israel has refused to recognize al-Jahhalin Bedouin communities or grant them building permits.
3 july 2018
Israel Hayom newspaper on Tuesday reported that Israel is seeking to take advantage of what it described as the "historic opportunity" embodied in the current US administration to legalize settlement outposts built in the West Bank during the past 20 years.
Israel's Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz and Minister of Education Naftali Bennett had called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the opportunity and organize settlement construction in the West Bank by legalizing dozens of random outposts.
According to the Hebrew newspaper, Katz said that there is a legal plan already prepared to allow 300 Israeli families living in these outposts to settle down.
For his part, Bennet said that the US administration's policies, led by president Donald Trump, go in line with Israel's interests, adding that it is time for real actions in the international arena.
In response to the two ministers' requests, Netanyahu's office confirmed that the team established about a year and a half ago have made significant progress in that regard, and that the delay was due to bureaucratic reasons.
Israel's Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz and Minister of Education Naftali Bennett had called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seize the opportunity and organize settlement construction in the West Bank by legalizing dozens of random outposts.
According to the Hebrew newspaper, Katz said that there is a legal plan already prepared to allow 300 Israeli families living in these outposts to settle down.
For his part, Bennet said that the US administration's policies, led by president Donald Trump, go in line with Israel's interests, adding that it is time for real actions in the international arena.
In response to the two ministers' requests, Netanyahu's office confirmed that the team established about a year and a half ago have made significant progress in that regard, and that the delay was due to bureaucratic reasons.
A horde of extremist Jewish settlers on Tuesday morning attacked a car boarded by a Palestinian family in Wadi Sa’ir area, north east of al-Khalil in the occupied West Bank.
Yousef Kawazbeh, a resident of Sa’ir town in al-Khalil, told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that settlers from the settlement of Asfar hurled stones at his car, which was also boarded by his wife and children, as they were traveling in Wadi Sa’ir area, east of their native town.
He added that the assault caused panic among his family members and damage to his car.
In a separate incident, Jewish settlers from the outpost in the Old City of al-Khalil pitched on Monday night several tents in al-Shuhada Street, whose native residents had been forced to leave it over the past 20 years.
At the same time, dozens of settlers started to build a road for themselves connecting Tel Rumeida neighborhood with al-Shuhada Street as a prelude to seizing the remaining Palestinian property in the area and annexing it to their outposts of Beit Romano and Beit Hadassah.
Yousef Kawazbeh, a resident of Sa’ir town in al-Khalil, told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that settlers from the settlement of Asfar hurled stones at his car, which was also boarded by his wife and children, as they were traveling in Wadi Sa’ir area, east of their native town.
He added that the assault caused panic among his family members and damage to his car.
In a separate incident, Jewish settlers from the outpost in the Old City of al-Khalil pitched on Monday night several tents in al-Shuhada Street, whose native residents had been forced to leave it over the past 20 years.
At the same time, dozens of settlers started to build a road for themselves connecting Tel Rumeida neighborhood with al-Shuhada Street as a prelude to seizing the remaining Palestinian property in the area and annexing it to their outposts of Beit Romano and Beit Hadassah.
Israel’s Planning and Building Committee has submitted six settlement plans to be implemented in occupied Jerusalem, Israeli media sources revealed on Tuesday.
The plans include the construction of 1000 housing units with the aim of extending Pisgat Zeev settlement east of occupied Jerusalem.
The sources pointed out that the project is the largest of its kind to be implemented in occupied Jerusalem over the past two years.
There are 700,000 Israeli settlers living in West Bank settlements. According to international law all Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including those in East Jerusalem, are illegal.
1,064 New Settlement Units in East Jerusalem Proposed by Israeli Committee
Israel’s Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee presented, on Tuesday, six architectural plans to build more than 1,000 new settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, the new settlement housing units are intended for the expansion of the illegal Israeli settlement of Pisgat Zeev, in the Jerusalem district.
Ma’an further reports that the current project includes the construction of 1,064 new housing units that would lead to the rapid expansion of the illegal Pisgat Zeev settlement, near the neighborhood of Beit Hanina, from its western side, and the neighborhood of Hizma, from the east.
Israeli media added that the project is the largest that has been launched during the past two years, in the occupied areas of Jerusalem.
Since US President Donald Trump took office, nearly a year and a half ago, Israel has submitted and approved over 14,454 units in the occupied West Bank.
The original settlement plan was submitted to Israel’s Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee in July of 2017, as part of a large campaign to begin construction of about 2,000 settlement units in Jerusalem.
Since the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis have moved into Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of international law.
The estimated 196 government-recognized Israeli settlements scattered across the Palestinian territory are all considered illegal under international law.
The plans include the construction of 1000 housing units with the aim of extending Pisgat Zeev settlement east of occupied Jerusalem.
The sources pointed out that the project is the largest of its kind to be implemented in occupied Jerusalem over the past two years.
There are 700,000 Israeli settlers living in West Bank settlements. According to international law all Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including those in East Jerusalem, are illegal.
1,064 New Settlement Units in East Jerusalem Proposed by Israeli Committee
Israel’s Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee presented, on Tuesday, six architectural plans to build more than 1,000 new settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, the new settlement housing units are intended for the expansion of the illegal Israeli settlement of Pisgat Zeev, in the Jerusalem district.
Ma’an further reports that the current project includes the construction of 1,064 new housing units that would lead to the rapid expansion of the illegal Pisgat Zeev settlement, near the neighborhood of Beit Hanina, from its western side, and the neighborhood of Hizma, from the east.
Israeli media added that the project is the largest that has been launched during the past two years, in the occupied areas of Jerusalem.
Since US President Donald Trump took office, nearly a year and a half ago, Israel has submitted and approved over 14,454 units in the occupied West Bank.
The original settlement plan was submitted to Israel’s Civil Administration’s Higher Planning Committee in July of 2017, as part of a large campaign to begin construction of about 2,000 settlement units in Jerusalem.
Since the occupation of the West Bank in 1967, between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis have moved into Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of international law.
The estimated 196 government-recognized Israeli settlements scattered across the Palestinian territory are all considered illegal under international law.
2 july 2018
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) installed several caravans on Monday on a Palestinian land east of al-Khalil city in the southern West Bank.
According to WAFA news agency, the IOF installed the caravans near an Israeli military camp, which was constructed on a land lot belonging to the Jaber family about one month ago near the illegal Kiryat Arba settlement.
The Palestinian citizens in the area expressed concern over a possible Israeli intention to establish a new settlement outpost in the area.
According to WAFA news agency, the IOF installed the caravans near an Israeli military camp, which was constructed on a land lot belonging to the Jaber family about one month ago near the illegal Kiryat Arba settlement.
The Palestinian citizens in the area expressed concern over a possible Israeli intention to establish a new settlement outpost in the area.
The new settlement of “Amichai” has reportedly discharged sewage water, on Monday morning, that drenched Palestinian lands in a town called TurmusAyya, north-west of Ramallah.
Even though the residents tried to dig holes to collect the polluted water, it continued to flow toward adjacent lands. Locals fear that it would pose threat to their agricultural economy, especially for the owners of the land, since the situation has been ongoing for two months, intermittently.
The newly established settlement, under supervision of the “Maaleh Binyamin Regional Council” was built after the evacuation from “Amona” settlement, which currently has 40 families as dwellers, according to the PNN.
Despite objections from officials and local Palestinians, the new settlers confiscated the private Palestinian properties with protection from Israeli occupation forces.
Even though the residents tried to dig holes to collect the polluted water, it continued to flow toward adjacent lands. Locals fear that it would pose threat to their agricultural economy, especially for the owners of the land, since the situation has been ongoing for two months, intermittently.
The newly established settlement, under supervision of the “Maaleh Binyamin Regional Council” was built after the evacuation from “Amona” settlement, which currently has 40 families as dwellers, according to the PNN.
Despite objections from officials and local Palestinians, the new settlers confiscated the private Palestinian properties with protection from Israeli occupation forces.
1 july 2018
Israel is in the process of enacting laws that would allow it to formally annex parts of the occupied West Bank, in serious violation of international law, a United Nations expert said on Friday, according to WAFA.
UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Michael Lynk, said, after a fact-finding tour of the region, that he was gravely alarmed about the deterioration of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), saying that reports received during his visit to the region, this week, painted the most dispiriting picture yet, of the situation on the ground.
“After years of creeping Israeli de facto annexation of the large swathes of the West Bank through settlement expansion, the creation of closed military zones and other measures, Israel appears to be getting closer to enacting legislation that will formally annex parts of the West Bank,” he said. “This would amount to a profound violation of international law, and the impact of ongoing settlement expansion on human rights must not be ignored.”
Lynk travelled to Amman, Jordan, this week, where he met with Palestinian civil society, government officials and UN representatives, after Israel prevented him from entering the OPT. His mission was to collect information for his next report, to be presented to the 73rd session of the General Assembly, in October of 2018.
“This is my third mission to the region since I assumed the mandate in May 2016, and the reports I received this week have painted the bleakest picture yet of the human rights situation in the OPT,” he said.
“Palestinians in the West Bank face daily indignities, as they pass through Israeli checkpoints, face night raids of their homes, and are unable to build or expand their homes or work to develop their communities due to the complex system which makes building permits nearly impossible to obtain from the Israeli authorities,” the Special Rapporteur said.
Lynk cited the situation of Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin community near Jerusalem, which is at imminent risk of forcible transfer after the Israeli High Court of Justice upheld a demolition order for all structures in the community. “Its residents are living in a coercive environment that may lead to forcible transfer, not knowing where they may find themselves in the coming months and not knowing if they will be living in a place where they are able to continue their traditional way of life,” he said.
Lynk further stated that the situation in Gaza has continued to worsen, highlighting that the electricity crisis, for example, which became acute last June, had not been alleviated. “Residents are deprived of their most basic rights, including the rights to health, to education, and most recently, in attempting to exercise their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, they were deprived of the right to life,” Lynk said, in reference to the recent demonstrations along the fence during which Israeli security forces killed more than 140 and wounded thousands of Palestinian protesters.
He also expressed concern about the impact of significant cuts to the funding of UNRWA, the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees, noting its crucial role in providing health, protection and education services as well as employment in Gaza and the West Bank.
The Special Rapporteur heard eloquent testimony of the challenges facing the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, and expressed concern at information he received, recently, stating that the Israeli government and the West Jerusalem municipality have been advancing plans which risk denial of the residency rights of 120,000 Palestinians in the municipality, as part of a larger policy to maintain an Israeli Jewish majority in Jerusalem.
The Rapporteur was particularly concerned at information he received, this week, which indicated that many human rights organizations and human rights defenders – Israeli, Palestinian, and international – are facing increasing attacks aimed not only at their delegitimization, but at their ability to operate.
He is particularly concerned that these attacks are gaining traction with members of the international community. “The incredible, and extremely difficult work that these human rights organizations do is essential to preventing a further deterioration of the human rights situation in the OPT, and any effort to undermine this work only serves to weaken human rights in the OPT, and in the broader world.”
UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, Michael Lynk, said, after a fact-finding tour of the region, that he was gravely alarmed about the deterioration of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), saying that reports received during his visit to the region, this week, painted the most dispiriting picture yet, of the situation on the ground.
“After years of creeping Israeli de facto annexation of the large swathes of the West Bank through settlement expansion, the creation of closed military zones and other measures, Israel appears to be getting closer to enacting legislation that will formally annex parts of the West Bank,” he said. “This would amount to a profound violation of international law, and the impact of ongoing settlement expansion on human rights must not be ignored.”
Lynk travelled to Amman, Jordan, this week, where he met with Palestinian civil society, government officials and UN representatives, after Israel prevented him from entering the OPT. His mission was to collect information for his next report, to be presented to the 73rd session of the General Assembly, in October of 2018.
“This is my third mission to the region since I assumed the mandate in May 2016, and the reports I received this week have painted the bleakest picture yet of the human rights situation in the OPT,” he said.
“Palestinians in the West Bank face daily indignities, as they pass through Israeli checkpoints, face night raids of their homes, and are unable to build or expand their homes or work to develop their communities due to the complex system which makes building permits nearly impossible to obtain from the Israeli authorities,” the Special Rapporteur said.
Lynk cited the situation of Khan al-Ahmar, a Bedouin community near Jerusalem, which is at imminent risk of forcible transfer after the Israeli High Court of Justice upheld a demolition order for all structures in the community. “Its residents are living in a coercive environment that may lead to forcible transfer, not knowing where they may find themselves in the coming months and not knowing if they will be living in a place where they are able to continue their traditional way of life,” he said.
Lynk further stated that the situation in Gaza has continued to worsen, highlighting that the electricity crisis, for example, which became acute last June, had not been alleviated. “Residents are deprived of their most basic rights, including the rights to health, to education, and most recently, in attempting to exercise their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, they were deprived of the right to life,” Lynk said, in reference to the recent demonstrations along the fence during which Israeli security forces killed more than 140 and wounded thousands of Palestinian protesters.
He also expressed concern about the impact of significant cuts to the funding of UNRWA, the UN agency that helps Palestinian refugees, noting its crucial role in providing health, protection and education services as well as employment in Gaza and the West Bank.
The Special Rapporteur heard eloquent testimony of the challenges facing the Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, and expressed concern at information he received, recently, stating that the Israeli government and the West Jerusalem municipality have been advancing plans which risk denial of the residency rights of 120,000 Palestinians in the municipality, as part of a larger policy to maintain an Israeli Jewish majority in Jerusalem.
The Rapporteur was particularly concerned at information he received, this week, which indicated that many human rights organizations and human rights defenders – Israeli, Palestinian, and international – are facing increasing attacks aimed not only at their delegitimization, but at their ability to operate.
He is particularly concerned that these attacks are gaining traction with members of the international community. “The incredible, and extremely difficult work that these human rights organizations do is essential to preventing a further deterioration of the human rights situation in the OPT, and any effort to undermine this work only serves to weaken human rights in the OPT, and in the broader world.”
30 june 2018
A former employee of Israel's Civil Administration declared a plot of land in the occupied West Bank to be state land and then, after leaving his job, set up an illegal outpost on it, Haaretz reported on Saturday.
The settlement outpost, located in Gush Etzion bloc and named Tzurei Ye'elim, now contains a farm and a guesthouse owned by the Israeli official Yossi Levitt and his partner, the Hebrew newspaper said.
Tzurei Ye'elim, which covers an area of 250 dunums, was built entirely without permits. A demolition order was issued against the buildings but has never been carried out.
According to Haaretz, the Civil Administration declared the site state land on 24th November 2013, and the outpost was illegally established in 2014. Aerial photographs show that Levitt began building the outpost immediately after he resigned from the Civil Administration.
The settlement outpost, located in Gush Etzion bloc and named Tzurei Ye'elim, now contains a farm and a guesthouse owned by the Israeli official Yossi Levitt and his partner, the Hebrew newspaper said.
Tzurei Ye'elim, which covers an area of 250 dunums, was built entirely without permits. A demolition order was issued against the buildings but has never been carried out.
According to Haaretz, the Civil Administration declared the site state land on 24th November 2013, and the outpost was illegally established in 2014. Aerial photographs show that Levitt began building the outpost immediately after he resigned from the Civil Administration.
28 june 2018
A group of illegal Israeli colonizers started, Thursday, the construction of a new colonialist outpost on Palestinian lands, in Qana Valley area, west of Deir Istiya town, north of Salfit in Central West Bank.
The Mayor of Salfit, Sa’id Zidan, said the so-called Civil Administration Office, run by the army in the West Bank, decided to build 108 colonialist units on 59 Dunams of Palestinian lands in three basins, to build the new colony.
He added that Israel “legalized” the construction of many homes for colonialist settlers in what was previously declared as a protected “Natural Reserve,” where the Palestinians have been denied the right to even plant trees, installed hot houses or irrigation pipes.
“We contacted various official sides, including the National Committee against the Wall and Colonies, the Department of Local Government, and the Agriculture Ministry, to file all needed applications to counter this illegal Israeli measure,” he said, “We only have two months to get all documents and appeals filed with Israeli courts.”
Nathmi Salman, a local farmer and a member of the Deir Istiya Town Council said Israel uses the excuse of “Natural Reserve,” in order to “legalize” its takeover of Palestinian lands, and to prevent the locals from planting and taking care of their lands.
“This is happening while illegal Israeli colonists continue the building and expanding of their outposts on these lands,” Nathmi added, “This means the complete and illegal annexation of hundreds of Dunams of Palestinian lands.”
It is worth mentioning that Israel started targeting Qana Valley area since the early days of its illegal occupation of the West Bank in 1967, but the colonialist activities escalated in the late 1970’s, after Israel declared the area a “closed military zone,” and in 1983, it changed the classification of the Palestinian lands to “Natural Reserve.”
Qana Valley is more than 10.000 Dunams surrounded by illegal Israeli colonies, built on Palestinian lands and gradually expanding.
The Mayor of Salfit, Sa’id Zidan, said the so-called Civil Administration Office, run by the army in the West Bank, decided to build 108 colonialist units on 59 Dunams of Palestinian lands in three basins, to build the new colony.
He added that Israel “legalized” the construction of many homes for colonialist settlers in what was previously declared as a protected “Natural Reserve,” where the Palestinians have been denied the right to even plant trees, installed hot houses or irrigation pipes.
“We contacted various official sides, including the National Committee against the Wall and Colonies, the Department of Local Government, and the Agriculture Ministry, to file all needed applications to counter this illegal Israeli measure,” he said, “We only have two months to get all documents and appeals filed with Israeli courts.”
Nathmi Salman, a local farmer and a member of the Deir Istiya Town Council said Israel uses the excuse of “Natural Reserve,” in order to “legalize” its takeover of Palestinian lands, and to prevent the locals from planting and taking care of their lands.
“This is happening while illegal Israeli colonists continue the building and expanding of their outposts on these lands,” Nathmi added, “This means the complete and illegal annexation of hundreds of Dunams of Palestinian lands.”
It is worth mentioning that Israel started targeting Qana Valley area since the early days of its illegal occupation of the West Bank in 1967, but the colonialist activities escalated in the late 1970’s, after Israel declared the area a “closed military zone,” and in 1983, it changed the classification of the Palestinian lands to “Natural Reserve.”
Qana Valley is more than 10.000 Dunams surrounded by illegal Israeli colonies, built on Palestinian lands and gradually expanding.
Haaretz newspaper said that Israel’s planning agencies recently approved a plan that could create an unbroken stretch of Jewish construction from Jerusalem to Bethlehem in the West Bank.
According to the newspaper, the settlement expansion plan will isolate the Palestinian village of al-Walaja from the West Bank by sandwiching it between the settlement of Har Gilo and the fence that separates Israel from the West Bank.
In late March, the Gush Etzion regional council’s planning committee approved a plan to almost double Har Gilo from its current 400 families. The plan calls for building 330 new homes, as well as public buildings, a gas station, parks and other amenities.
The plan is still in its preliminary stages, but if it was actually implemented, Har Gilo, which already hems al-Walaja in from the southeast, would hem it in from the southwest as well. To the north, the village is hemmed in by the separation wall.
According to the newspaper, the settlement expansion plan will isolate the Palestinian village of al-Walaja from the West Bank by sandwiching it between the settlement of Har Gilo and the fence that separates Israel from the West Bank.
In late March, the Gush Etzion regional council’s planning committee approved a plan to almost double Har Gilo from its current 400 families. The plan calls for building 330 new homes, as well as public buildings, a gas station, parks and other amenities.
The plan is still in its preliminary stages, but if it was actually implemented, Har Gilo, which already hems al-Walaja in from the southeast, would hem it in from the southwest as well. To the north, the village is hemmed in by the separation wall.
26 june 2018
A group of Israeli colonialist settlers installed, Tuesday, an outpost on Palestinian lands in the al-Boweira area, close to the illegal Kharsina colony, east Hebron city, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.
Locals said the colonizers installed four mobile homes on the Palestinian lands, owned by several families, including Jweihan, Eada and Abu al-Halawa.
They added that the Israeli assailants are trying to illegally occupy 70 Dunams of Palestinian lands, to build a new colony on top of a mountain that overlooks many neighborhoods in Hebron city.
Several months ago, the colonists uprooted dozens of olive saplings, planted by the Palestinians from Eada family, on their own lands, in the same area.
Locals said the colonizers installed four mobile homes on the Palestinian lands, owned by several families, including Jweihan, Eada and Abu al-Halawa.
They added that the Israeli assailants are trying to illegally occupy 70 Dunams of Palestinian lands, to build a new colony on top of a mountain that overlooks many neighborhoods in Hebron city.
Several months ago, the colonists uprooted dozens of olive saplings, planted by the Palestinians from Eada family, on their own lands, in the same area.