1 june 2019
The European Union has denounced as “illegal” Israel’s settlement activities on occupied Palestinian territories, saying that the Tel Aviv regime's land grab policy is an obstacle to peace.
In a statement released Saturday, the EU said it is "strongly opposed to Israel's settlement policy, including in East Jerusalem, which is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace."
The statement came after Israel's Housing Ministry this week issued construction tenders for over 800 new housing units in East Jerusalem al-Quds.
"The policy of settlement construction and expansion in East Jerusalem” al-Quds undermines the so-called two-state solution, the statement from EU Spokesperson Maja Kocijancic read.
About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.
The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.
The Israeli move comes as the US administration prepares to unveil the first phase of its so-called Middle East peace plan, rejected by the Palestinian leadership, in an economic conference in Manama, Bahrain, on June 25-26.
All Palestinian factions have boycotted the event, accusing Washington of offering financial rewards for accepting the Israeli occupation.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have said they will send delegations to the Manama forum and Israel’s Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon has said he intends to attend.
The United States has kept the so-called "deal of the century", which it says is aimed at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, under wraps. Leaked information, however, indicate that it features serious violations of the Palestinian’s age-old demands.
In a statement released Saturday, the EU said it is "strongly opposed to Israel's settlement policy, including in East Jerusalem, which is illegal under international law and an obstacle to peace."
The statement came after Israel's Housing Ministry this week issued construction tenders for over 800 new housing units in East Jerusalem al-Quds.
"The policy of settlement construction and expansion in East Jerusalem” al-Quds undermines the so-called two-state solution, the statement from EU Spokesperson Maja Kocijancic read.
About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.
The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.
The Israeli move comes as the US administration prepares to unveil the first phase of its so-called Middle East peace plan, rejected by the Palestinian leadership, in an economic conference in Manama, Bahrain, on June 25-26.
All Palestinian factions have boycotted the event, accusing Washington of offering financial rewards for accepting the Israeli occupation.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have said they will send delegations to the Manama forum and Israel’s Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon has said he intends to attend.
The United States has kept the so-called "deal of the century", which it says is aimed at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, under wraps. Leaked information, however, indicate that it features serious violations of the Palestinian’s age-old demands.
Canadian Law Professor, Michael Lynk, the Special Rapporteur for the United Nations Human Rights Council on the situation in the Palestinian territories, along with the secretary general of Amnesty International Canada, Alex Neve, whose article was featured on Australian News site, The Conversation.
The authors begin by stating that “While Israel rejects that it’s the occupying power, there is a virtual wall-to-wall consensus among the international community — including the United Nations, the European Union, the International Court of Justice, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Canada — that the laws of occupation, including the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, apply in full to the Palestinian territory.”
On May 9, the Canadian Senate passed Bill C-85 — the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, which amends and updates the original 1997 free-trade agreement, and on May 27, it received royal assent.
Two fundamental provisions, Lynk says are missing in the updated agreement, a human rights provision, requiring both parties to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law.
The agreement allows goods and services produced in the illegal Israeli settlements to enter Canada on the same tariff-free terms as those originating in Israel. No distinction is made between Israel and its illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories encourages the economic growth of settlements.
This, the pair state, is not only contrary to Canada’s general duty to uphold international law, it expressly violates both international and Canadian law, as well as the direction of the UN Security Council.
Treating the Israeli settlements as part of Israel, and extending the benefits of our open market to settlements’ goods and services, ensnares Canada in the serious violations of both international human rights and humanitarian law that are part and parcel of the Israeli occupation.
The authors cite the Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 49(6), which states that, the occupying power is prohibited against transferring its civilian population onto the occupied territory.
In direct violation of this, during its 52-year occupation of the Palestinian territory, Israel has built 240 Jewish only settlements in the West Bank, housing 630,000 illegal settlers.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, declared the Israeli settlements are “a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of a two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.”
Lynk and Neve affirm that at the heart of the illegal settlement enterprise, is a “discriminatory two-tier system of laws governing political rights, zoning laws, roads, water and natural resources, property, public services and access to courts — all based entirely on ethnicity.”
The report concludes “the Canadian government is knowingly extending economic benefits and political cover to an illegal enterprise at a time when these settlements are undermining the chances for peace and generating systematic human rights violations.”
The authors begin by stating that “While Israel rejects that it’s the occupying power, there is a virtual wall-to-wall consensus among the international community — including the United Nations, the European Union, the International Court of Justice, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Canada — that the laws of occupation, including the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, apply in full to the Palestinian territory.”
On May 9, the Canadian Senate passed Bill C-85 — the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, which amends and updates the original 1997 free-trade agreement, and on May 27, it received royal assent.
Two fundamental provisions, Lynk says are missing in the updated agreement, a human rights provision, requiring both parties to uphold international human rights and humanitarian law.
The agreement allows goods and services produced in the illegal Israeli settlements to enter Canada on the same tariff-free terms as those originating in Israel. No distinction is made between Israel and its illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories encourages the economic growth of settlements.
This, the pair state, is not only contrary to Canada’s general duty to uphold international law, it expressly violates both international and Canadian law, as well as the direction of the UN Security Council.
Treating the Israeli settlements as part of Israel, and extending the benefits of our open market to settlements’ goods and services, ensnares Canada in the serious violations of both international human rights and humanitarian law that are part and parcel of the Israeli occupation.
The authors cite the Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 49(6), which states that, the occupying power is prohibited against transferring its civilian population onto the occupied territory.
In direct violation of this, during its 52-year occupation of the Palestinian territory, Israel has built 240 Jewish only settlements in the West Bank, housing 630,000 illegal settlers.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, declared the Israeli settlements are “a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of a two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.”
Lynk and Neve affirm that at the heart of the illegal settlement enterprise, is a “discriminatory two-tier system of laws governing political rights, zoning laws, roads, water and natural resources, property, public services and access to courts — all based entirely on ethnicity.”
The report concludes “the Canadian government is knowingly extending economic benefits and political cover to an illegal enterprise at a time when these settlements are undermining the chances for peace and generating systematic human rights violations.”
30 may 2019
a new housing project in the West Bank settlement of Na'ale on January 1, 2019
Israeli officials are planning to construct hundreds of new housing units in East Jerusalem al-Quds irrespective of international outcry against the Tel Aviv regime’s land expropriation and settlement expansion policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported on Thursday that 460 settler units will be constructed in Pisgat Ze'ev settlement, while another 345 will be built in Ramot neighborhood in the northern part of East Jerusalem al-Quds.
The report added that plans for the construction of the settler units had been approved two years ago.
Israeli settlers storm agricultural land in Ramallah
Meanwhile, dozens of extremist Jewish settlers have stormed an agricultural land in the al-Tira neighborhood of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem al-Quds.
An informed source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the settlers performed prayers as well as acts deemed provocative by Palestinians, triggering clashes with local residents.
Israeli forces fired teargas canisters and stun grenades to disperse the crowd. There were no reports of casualties.
About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.
The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.
Less than a month before US President Donald Trump took office, the United Nations Security Council in December 2016 adopted Resolution 2334, [pdf] calling on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem” al-Quds.
Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.
The last round of Israeli-Palestinian talks collapsed in 2014. Among the major sticking points in those negotiations was Israel’s continued settlement expansion on Palestinian territories.
Trump backtracked on Washington’s support for a “two-state solution” in 2017, saying he would support any solution favored by both sides.
“Looking at two-state or one-state, I like the one that both parties like. I’m very happy with the one both parties like. I can live with either one,” the US president said during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on February 15, 2017.
Israeli officials are planning to construct hundreds of new housing units in East Jerusalem al-Quds irrespective of international outcry against the Tel Aviv regime’s land expropriation and settlement expansion policies in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported on Thursday that 460 settler units will be constructed in Pisgat Ze'ev settlement, while another 345 will be built in Ramot neighborhood in the northern part of East Jerusalem al-Quds.
The report added that plans for the construction of the settler units had been approved two years ago.
Israeli settlers storm agricultural land in Ramallah
Meanwhile, dozens of extremist Jewish settlers have stormed an agricultural land in the al-Tira neighborhood of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem al-Quds.
An informed source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the settlers performed prayers as well as acts deemed provocative by Palestinians, triggering clashes with local residents.
Israeli forces fired teargas canisters and stun grenades to disperse the crowd. There were no reports of casualties.
About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.
The UN Security Council has condemned Israel’s settlement activities in the occupied territories in several resolutions.
Less than a month before US President Donald Trump took office, the United Nations Security Council in December 2016 adopted Resolution 2334, [pdf] calling on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem” al-Quds.
Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.
The last round of Israeli-Palestinian talks collapsed in 2014. Among the major sticking points in those negotiations was Israel’s continued settlement expansion on Palestinian territories.
Trump backtracked on Washington’s support for a “two-state solution” in 2017, saying he would support any solution favored by both sides.
“Looking at two-state or one-state, I like the one that both parties like. I’m very happy with the one both parties like. I can live with either one,” the US president said during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington on February 15, 2017.
16 may 2019
Likud members of Knesset tour Homesh
Knesset members say international support for imposing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank is high and it is time to return to settlements evacuated as part of the 2005 disengagement
Likud members sent a message to Prime Minister Netanyahu calling for him to revoke the disengagement law from 2005, that enabled the pullback from Gaza and disbanding four settlements in the Northern West Bank.
Nine members of Likud along with others from the right- wing, toured the site of Homesh, a settlement that was evicted in 2005 as part of the disengagement from Gaza.
The group led by Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, said they will support legislation put forth by the Union of Right-Wing Parties to re-settle the four settlements evicted.
Yossi Dagan, the Samaria Regional Council, said 30 of the 35 Likud members in the newly elected Knesset, including all Likud ministers, support the legislation so the ball is in Netanyahu's court adding the prime minister should lead the move to re-instate the settlements.
A member of delegation touring Homesh Thursday said the decision to evict the settlers was a terrible mistake. Settlers had to leave their homes in expectation of some imaginary peace. There is no peace and they have lost their homes.
Another member said that Israel is now enjoying international support of its claims of sovereignty over the West Bank.
Knesset members say international support for imposing Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank is high and it is time to return to settlements evacuated as part of the 2005 disengagement
Likud members sent a message to Prime Minister Netanyahu calling for him to revoke the disengagement law from 2005, that enabled the pullback from Gaza and disbanding four settlements in the Northern West Bank.
Nine members of Likud along with others from the right- wing, toured the site of Homesh, a settlement that was evicted in 2005 as part of the disengagement from Gaza.
The group led by Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, said they will support legislation put forth by the Union of Right-Wing Parties to re-settle the four settlements evicted.
Yossi Dagan, the Samaria Regional Council, said 30 of the 35 Likud members in the newly elected Knesset, including all Likud ministers, support the legislation so the ball is in Netanyahu's court adding the prime minister should lead the move to re-instate the settlements.
A member of delegation touring Homesh Thursday said the decision to evict the settlers was a terrible mistake. Settlers had to leave their homes in expectation of some imaginary peace. There is no peace and they have lost their homes.
Another member said that Israel is now enjoying international support of its claims of sovereignty over the West Bank.
14 may 2019
Settlement watchdog Peace Now published its annual settlement report for 2018, entitled as “A Glance at 10 Years under Netanyahu,” on Tuesday.
The Peace Now report said that regarding construction in the occupied West Bank, some 2,100 new housing units began construction in 2018, 9% above the annual average since 2009 (1,935 units per year) and that nearly 73% (1,539 housing units) of the new construction was in settlements east of the proposed Geneva Initiative border, i.e. settlements likely to be evacuated in a two-state agreement.
Meanwhile, the report showed that at least ten structures were built on private Palestinian land, measuring about 10 dunams, and at least 37 additional dunams of private land were seized for the purpose of constructing a park, a road, and dirt mounds left behind from settlement infrastructure construction.
Concerning Advancement of Plans and Tenders in 2018 (January-December), Peace Now said 5,618 housing units were advanced through plans in 79 settlements and almost 83% (4,672 housing units) of the planned units were east of the proposed Geneva Initiative border.
“Tenders were published for 3,808 housing units, a record number of almost two decades. In addition, tenders for 603 units in East Jerusalem were also published in 2018,” the report stressed.
According to Peace Now’s count, during the decade of Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s Prime Minister (2009 – 2018), 19,346 new housing units began construction in illegal settlements.
About 70% (13,608 housing units) of the new construction was in settlements east of the proposed Geneva Initiative border. This translates to an addition of more than 60,000 settlers in illegal Israeli settlements.
Peace Now also showed data, published by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statisticson, on construction in Israel and the settlements during the ten years of Netanyahu in power, which stated that 18,502 housing units have been built in the settlements and since the end of 2008 until the end of 2017, 120,518 settlers have been added to the settlements.
The report emphasized on Israeli government’s investments, in the past decade, in which the various government ministries transferred more than 10 billion shekels ($2.8 billion) as surplus budgets to the settlements. In 2016, the amount transferred to the settlements was 1,189 billion shekels. In the following year, the sum was 1,650 billion shekels and in the first half of 2018 the amount was 697 million shekels.
Peace Now concluded its report by focusing on construction on private Palestinian land, saying that due to Peace Now’s and other organizations’ petitions against settlement construction on private Palestinian land, there has been a dramatic decline in the past decade in such construction. In 2018, 10 buildings were built on private land.
In addition, playgrounds and parks were established on private land in the Naaleh settlement, a road was paved in the relocated Migron settlement, and the phenomenon of dumping mounds of dirt from settlement construction on private land in various settlements continued. At least 37 dunams of private land were taken from their Palestinian owners in this way.
The Peace Now report said that regarding construction in the occupied West Bank, some 2,100 new housing units began construction in 2018, 9% above the annual average since 2009 (1,935 units per year) and that nearly 73% (1,539 housing units) of the new construction was in settlements east of the proposed Geneva Initiative border, i.e. settlements likely to be evacuated in a two-state agreement.
Meanwhile, the report showed that at least ten structures were built on private Palestinian land, measuring about 10 dunams, and at least 37 additional dunams of private land were seized for the purpose of constructing a park, a road, and dirt mounds left behind from settlement infrastructure construction.
Concerning Advancement of Plans and Tenders in 2018 (January-December), Peace Now said 5,618 housing units were advanced through plans in 79 settlements and almost 83% (4,672 housing units) of the planned units were east of the proposed Geneva Initiative border.
“Tenders were published for 3,808 housing units, a record number of almost two decades. In addition, tenders for 603 units in East Jerusalem were also published in 2018,” the report stressed.
According to Peace Now’s count, during the decade of Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s Prime Minister (2009 – 2018), 19,346 new housing units began construction in illegal settlements.
About 70% (13,608 housing units) of the new construction was in settlements east of the proposed Geneva Initiative border. This translates to an addition of more than 60,000 settlers in illegal Israeli settlements.
Peace Now also showed data, published by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statisticson, on construction in Israel and the settlements during the ten years of Netanyahu in power, which stated that 18,502 housing units have been built in the settlements and since the end of 2008 until the end of 2017, 120,518 settlers have been added to the settlements.
The report emphasized on Israeli government’s investments, in the past decade, in which the various government ministries transferred more than 10 billion shekels ($2.8 billion) as surplus budgets to the settlements. In 2016, the amount transferred to the settlements was 1,189 billion shekels. In the following year, the sum was 1,650 billion shekels and in the first half of 2018 the amount was 697 million shekels.
Peace Now concluded its report by focusing on construction on private Palestinian land, saying that due to Peace Now’s and other organizations’ petitions against settlement construction on private Palestinian land, there has been a dramatic decline in the past decade in such construction. In 2018, 10 buildings were built on private land.
In addition, playgrounds and parks were established on private land in the Naaleh settlement, a road was paved in the relocated Migron settlement, and the phenomenon of dumping mounds of dirt from settlement construction on private land in various settlements continued. At least 37 dunams of private land were taken from their Palestinian owners in this way.
The Israeli Civil Administration has approved the construction of hundreds of new housing units in two illegal Israeli settlement neighborhoods in Jerusalem, on Tuesday.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, the Israeli Civil Administration approved the construction of 706 units, including commercial buildings, in the Giafat Mishfat Israeli neighborhood.
Another 235 units were approved to be built in al-Nabi Yacoub neighborhood, north of Jerusalem City, in addition to four large residential buildings, each one made up of 13-15 floors.
According to settlement watchdog Peace Now, in the two years since President Trump took office some 14,454 units in the West Bank has been approved, which is more than three times the amount that was approved in the year and half before his inauguration (4,476 units).
Since the occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 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.
According to Hebrew-language news outlets, the Israeli Civil Administration approved the construction of 706 units, including commercial buildings, in the Giafat Mishfat Israeli neighborhood.
Another 235 units were approved to be built in al-Nabi Yacoub neighborhood, north of Jerusalem City, in addition to four large residential buildings, each one made up of 13-15 floors.
According to settlement watchdog Peace Now, in the two years since President Trump took office some 14,454 units in the West Bank has been approved, which is more than three times the amount that was approved in the year and half before his inauguration (4,476 units).
Since the occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, 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 Israeli authorities have approved the paving of two new roads to link with illegal isolated colonies, built on private Palestinian lands in the southern and northern parts of the occupied West Bank.
Israeli daily Haaretz said the approval was for two major road in the occupied West Bank, and added that it sets the ground for the annexation of large areas of Palestinian lands.
It stated that the “Civil Administration Office” has issued permits for paving the roads to the isolated colonies, and that the work is scheduled to begin this July.
Israeli Peace Now Movement said the “Subcommittee on Roadways of the Israeli Civil Administration Higher Planning Committee has approved on May 1st, construction permits for the paving of two bypass roads: the Huwwara Bypass Road south of Nablus and the Al-Aroub Bypass Road, south of Bethlehem.”
Palestinian official Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the Israeli side has officially informed the Palestinians of its decision to annex 406 Dunams in three villages near Nablus, to pave the bypass road.
Nasser al-Huwwari, the mayor of Huwwara town, near Nablus, told the Maan News Agency that %98 of the Palestinian lands are owned by Huwwara residents.
He added that the road would go through an-Najma area, to pass near the Palestinian Luna Park Recreation Center and Swimming Pools, and includes several bridges and junctions.
Al-Huwwari stated the Palestinians were given 60 days to file appeals with Israeli courts, and that the Israeli government is also planning more colonialist constructions that would be possible after the road is paved, and infrastructure is set.
Peace Now also said, “In early April, the defense minister (at that time Prime Minister Netanyahu), approved to begin the construction of the two bypass roads, and immediately afterwards, the head of the Civil Administration issued orders to confiscate hundreds of dunams of private Palestinian land for paving the roads.”
Huwwara Bypass – For the purpose of the road, an expropriation order was issued for 406 dunams of private Palestinian land from the villages of Burin, Huwwara, Beita, Awarta, Yasouf, Yitma and as-Sawiya.
The road is expected to serve only four settlements: Yitzhar, Itamar, Har Bracha and Alon Moreh, where just 7,132 settlers live. According to reports, the cost of the road, which is 5.5 kilometers long, is estimated at a quarter of a billion shekels ($69 million), or about NIS 35,000 per settler ($9, 750).
Al-Arroub Bypass – To build the road, an expropriation order was issued for 401 dunams [pdf] of lands from Beit Ummar and Halhoul for a road of about 7 kilometers, south of Bethlehem (Read more on Al-Aroub Bypass road).
Peace Now stated that the work on the newly approved roads can start 60 after the annexation orders of the Palestinian lands are issued, on June 4th, and added that if landowners file petitions against the expropriation of their lands, the work could be delayed until a final ruling is made.
Peace Now: “These expropriations are part of the government’s continued capitulation to the settlers to build Israeli-oriented bypass roads throughout the West Bank. The settlers know very well that without good roads, the settlements will not be able to develop, and tactically demand that they be built “for security reasons.” This stated rationale masks the real goal behind these roads: to expand the settlements and to advance plans for annexing the West Bank at the cost of a two-state solution.”
For Full Statement by Peace Now, Please Click Here
Israeli daily Haaretz said the approval was for two major road in the occupied West Bank, and added that it sets the ground for the annexation of large areas of Palestinian lands.
It stated that the “Civil Administration Office” has issued permits for paving the roads to the isolated colonies, and that the work is scheduled to begin this July.
Israeli Peace Now Movement said the “Subcommittee on Roadways of the Israeli Civil Administration Higher Planning Committee has approved on May 1st, construction permits for the paving of two bypass roads: the Huwwara Bypass Road south of Nablus and the Al-Aroub Bypass Road, south of Bethlehem.”
Palestinian official Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the Israeli side has officially informed the Palestinians of its decision to annex 406 Dunams in three villages near Nablus, to pave the bypass road.
Nasser al-Huwwari, the mayor of Huwwara town, near Nablus, told the Maan News Agency that %98 of the Palestinian lands are owned by Huwwara residents.
He added that the road would go through an-Najma area, to pass near the Palestinian Luna Park Recreation Center and Swimming Pools, and includes several bridges and junctions.
Al-Huwwari stated the Palestinians were given 60 days to file appeals with Israeli courts, and that the Israeli government is also planning more colonialist constructions that would be possible after the road is paved, and infrastructure is set.
Peace Now also said, “In early April, the defense minister (at that time Prime Minister Netanyahu), approved to begin the construction of the two bypass roads, and immediately afterwards, the head of the Civil Administration issued orders to confiscate hundreds of dunams of private Palestinian land for paving the roads.”
Huwwara Bypass – For the purpose of the road, an expropriation order was issued for 406 dunams of private Palestinian land from the villages of Burin, Huwwara, Beita, Awarta, Yasouf, Yitma and as-Sawiya.
The road is expected to serve only four settlements: Yitzhar, Itamar, Har Bracha and Alon Moreh, where just 7,132 settlers live. According to reports, the cost of the road, which is 5.5 kilometers long, is estimated at a quarter of a billion shekels ($69 million), or about NIS 35,000 per settler ($9, 750).
Al-Arroub Bypass – To build the road, an expropriation order was issued for 401 dunams [pdf] of lands from Beit Ummar and Halhoul for a road of about 7 kilometers, south of Bethlehem (Read more on Al-Aroub Bypass road).
Peace Now stated that the work on the newly approved roads can start 60 after the annexation orders of the Palestinian lands are issued, on June 4th, and added that if landowners file petitions against the expropriation of their lands, the work could be delayed until a final ruling is made.
Peace Now: “These expropriations are part of the government’s continued capitulation to the settlers to build Israeli-oriented bypass roads throughout the West Bank. The settlers know very well that without good roads, the settlements will not be able to develop, and tactically demand that they be built “for security reasons.” This stated rationale masks the real goal behind these roads: to expand the settlements and to advance plans for annexing the West Bank at the cost of a two-state solution.”
For Full Statement by Peace Now, Please Click Here
