26 mar 2017
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) on Sunday raided Joret al-Shama and Marah Mealla towns, south of Bethlehem. The IOF soldiers fired stun grenades at civilians in both towns with no arrests or injuries reported.
WAFA news agency quoted Hassan Braijeyeh, representative of the committee against the separation wall and settlement in Bethlehem, as saying that Israeli occupation authorities have completed construction works of the Separation Wall in the part close to Bethlehem Arab Society Hospital for Rehabilitation in Beit Jala town, west of Bethlehem governorate. It is a four-meter-high barbed wire, the agency elaborated.
Braijeyeh pointed out that completing the Separation Wall in Bethlehem means that the lands of Beir Ouneh and Wadi Ahmad areas northwest of Beit Jala are now completely isolated.
An Israeli court, he recalled, had issued a decision stipulating the suspension of construction works in the Separation Wall in that area.
WAFA news agency quoted Hassan Braijeyeh, representative of the committee against the separation wall and settlement in Bethlehem, as saying that Israeli occupation authorities have completed construction works of the Separation Wall in the part close to Bethlehem Arab Society Hospital for Rehabilitation in Beit Jala town, west of Bethlehem governorate. It is a four-meter-high barbed wire, the agency elaborated.
Braijeyeh pointed out that completing the Separation Wall in Bethlehem means that the lands of Beir Ouneh and Wadi Ahmad areas northwest of Beit Jala are now completely isolated.
An Israeli court, he recalled, had issued a decision stipulating the suspension of construction works in the Separation Wall in that area.
A US-Israel agreement gave a green light for the construction of an alternative settlement outpost to the evacuated Amona outpost, Israel’s Channel 2 reported Saturday evening.
According to the Channel 2 report, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to build a new settlement outpost for Amona evacuees, but then restrain settlement construction elsewhere and focus on construction in the large settlement blocs according to the terms of an agreement being hammered out with Washington.
The report added that the Trump Administration will also give Israel a green light to find a solution for other outposts where there are questions regarding illegal land ownership.
The report comes following two weeks of high-level talks between Israeli and US officials looking for a formula that would govern illegal settlement construction on Palestinian land beyond the Green Line.
A week of talks in Washington ended last Thursday night with a joint statement saying that the discussions were “serious and constructive, and they are ongoing.”
According to the Channel 2 report, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to build a new settlement outpost for Amona evacuees, but then restrain settlement construction elsewhere and focus on construction in the large settlement blocs according to the terms of an agreement being hammered out with Washington.
The report added that the Trump Administration will also give Israel a green light to find a solution for other outposts where there are questions regarding illegal land ownership.
The report comes following two weeks of high-level talks between Israeli and US officials looking for a formula that would govern illegal settlement construction on Palestinian land beyond the Green Line.
A week of talks in Washington ended last Thursday night with a joint statement saying that the discussions were “serious and constructive, and they are ongoing.”
25 mar 2017
Dozens of Palestinian homes have become threatened with demolition as the Israeli municipal authority in Occupied Jerusalem is still embarking on building a link road passing through the Palestinian neighborhood of Jabal Mukaber.
Lawyer Ra’ed Bashir, a member of the Jabal Mukaber land defense committee, told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the road, to be named the American Street, would be 32 meters wide, thus leading to the demolition of 57 Palestinian homes.
Bashir added that the Israeli municipality would not build new homes for the Palestinians whose current ones are slated for demolition to make space for the new road and would only allow commercial structures and projects to be built around it.
He noted that Jabal Mukaber land defense committee managed to extract a court order delaying the demolition of 35 homes for five years, but the Israeli occupation authority did not comply and decided to go ahead with the road project.
He also said that the residents of the neighborhood only want the IOA to make the road 12 meters wide instead of 32 meters, to provide their area with infrastructure, and to allow residential construction around it.
Although the Israeli municipality claims that the road project is intended to serve the Palestinian residents, specialists in Jerusalem affairs confirm that the facts on the ground reflect that it will be built to connect the settlement of Har Homa (Jabal Abu Ghneim), south of Jerusalem, with the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, east of the city.
Lawyer Ra’ed Bashir, a member of the Jabal Mukaber land defense committee, told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the road, to be named the American Street, would be 32 meters wide, thus leading to the demolition of 57 Palestinian homes.
Bashir added that the Israeli municipality would not build new homes for the Palestinians whose current ones are slated for demolition to make space for the new road and would only allow commercial structures and projects to be built around it.
He noted that Jabal Mukaber land defense committee managed to extract a court order delaying the demolition of 35 homes for five years, but the Israeli occupation authority did not comply and decided to go ahead with the road project.
He also said that the residents of the neighborhood only want the IOA to make the road 12 meters wide instead of 32 meters, to provide their area with infrastructure, and to allow residential construction around it.
Although the Israeli municipality claims that the road project is intended to serve the Palestinian residents, specialists in Jerusalem affairs confirm that the facts on the ground reflect that it will be built to connect the settlement of Har Homa (Jabal Abu Ghneim), south of Jerusalem, with the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, east of the city.
24 mar 2017
A delegation of the Israeli Civil Administration visited on Friday the Jordan Valley Regional Council, compromising 21 illegal settlements, to discuss ways to establish new development projects in the Jordan Valley settlements, Israeli media sources said.
The meeting was attended by David El Hayani, mayor of the Jordan Valley Regional Council, and Aravot HaYarden, chairman of the council.
The discussion covered means of developing agriculture, tourism, and other economic sectors in the settlements.
Nearly one million tourists visited the Jordan Valley last year, half of whom came to visit the religious sites in the area, which were recently developed by the Civil Administration, HaYarden said.
For his part, El Hayani revealed plans to establish new tourism projects in the area including restaurants and parking.
The new projects came as part of the Israeli settlement expansion policy which has notably escalated over the past few months.
Earlier on Thursday, Haaretz Hebrew newspaper revealed that US President Donald Trump gave an undeclared consent for Israeli settlement construction in occupied Jerusalem.
The meeting was attended by David El Hayani, mayor of the Jordan Valley Regional Council, and Aravot HaYarden, chairman of the council.
The discussion covered means of developing agriculture, tourism, and other economic sectors in the settlements.
Nearly one million tourists visited the Jordan Valley last year, half of whom came to visit the religious sites in the area, which were recently developed by the Civil Administration, HaYarden said.
For his part, El Hayani revealed plans to establish new tourism projects in the area including restaurants and parking.
The new projects came as part of the Israeli settlement expansion policy which has notably escalated over the past few months.
Earlier on Thursday, Haaretz Hebrew newspaper revealed that US President Donald Trump gave an undeclared consent for Israeli settlement construction in occupied Jerusalem.
23 mar 2017
U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East reportedly asked, during last week’s meeting, for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to freeze settlement construction in Jerusalem and outside the large settlement blocs. According to Al Ray, Netanyahu expressed reservations at an official freeze.
Channel 2 News reported, on Wednesday, that Jason Greenblatt, who visited Israel last week, asked Netanyahu to freeze construction in isolated settlements and restrict it to East Jerusalem and outside the large settlement blocs.
In addition, Washington also reportedly asked to set a fixed number of houses that can be built each year.
The Israeli security cabinet has rejected these requests, demanding that Israel has the right to build in any part of the West Bank.
Channel 2 News reported, on Wednesday, that Jason Greenblatt, who visited Israel last week, asked Netanyahu to freeze construction in isolated settlements and restrict it to East Jerusalem and outside the large settlement blocs.
In addition, Washington also reportedly asked to set a fixed number of houses that can be built each year.
The Israeli security cabinet has rejected these requests, demanding that Israel has the right to build in any part of the West Bank.
22 mar 2017
Haaretz Hebrew newspaper revealed that Israeli authorities decided to annex Maale Adumim settlement despite postponing vote on the settlement bill at the Knesset.
Israeli bulldozers have already started, over the past few weeks, works to link between Maale Adumim settlement and occupied Jerusalem, the paper said.
Postponing vote on annexing Maale Adumim at the Knesset was just a diplomatic attempt to avoid the international community's criticism, according to the sources.
The paper quoted an Israeli pro-settlement association official as saying that a new junction has been established to facilitate movement between the settlement and occupied Jerusalem.
A new tunnel has been also established to alleviate the overcrowding in the area and facilitate movement between the northern and southern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, the sources added.
The paper pointed out that Israeli authorities seek to demolish the Palestinian Khan al-Ahmar village for the same purpose, recalling that dozens of demolition notifications were distributed in that village last month.
Israeli bulldozers have already started, over the past few weeks, works to link between Maale Adumim settlement and occupied Jerusalem, the paper said.
Postponing vote on annexing Maale Adumim at the Knesset was just a diplomatic attempt to avoid the international community's criticism, according to the sources.
The paper quoted an Israeli pro-settlement association official as saying that a new junction has been established to facilitate movement between the settlement and occupied Jerusalem.
A new tunnel has been also established to alleviate the overcrowding in the area and facilitate movement between the northern and southern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, the sources added.
The paper pointed out that Israeli authorities seek to demolish the Palestinian Khan al-Ahmar village for the same purpose, recalling that dozens of demolition notifications were distributed in that village last month.
20 mar 2017
Israeli bulldozers on Monday leveled Palestinian lands in Jenin’s western town of Erka, in the northern occupied West Bank, in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
A PIC news correspondent said a flock of Israeli bulldozers razed Palestinian lands in Erka town in an attempt to expand Shaked illegal settlement outpost.
A new settlement road is expected to be built in the area so as to smooth settlers’ access to Shaked’s industrial zone.
Speaking with PIC, Palestinian citizen Mohamed Yahya, a native of Erka town, said the Israeli industrial zone located northeast of Shaked outpost comprises nine factories manufacturing leather, iron, and plastic furniture, among other products.
In a statement issued on Monday, Erka’s village council warned of Israeli plans to expand illegal settlement units at the expense of Palestinians’ private lands in the area.
Shaked outpost was established in 1981 and has been home to fanatic settlers. An apartheid wall built around the outpost has severed the ties between surrounding Palestinian towns and villages.
A PIC news correspondent said a flock of Israeli bulldozers razed Palestinian lands in Erka town in an attempt to expand Shaked illegal settlement outpost.
A new settlement road is expected to be built in the area so as to smooth settlers’ access to Shaked’s industrial zone.
Speaking with PIC, Palestinian citizen Mohamed Yahya, a native of Erka town, said the Israeli industrial zone located northeast of Shaked outpost comprises nine factories manufacturing leather, iron, and plastic furniture, among other products.
In a statement issued on Monday, Erka’s village council warned of Israeli plans to expand illegal settlement units at the expense of Palestinians’ private lands in the area.
Shaked outpost was established in 1981 and has been home to fanatic settlers. An apartheid wall built around the outpost has severed the ties between surrounding Palestinian towns and villages.
19 mar 2017
Israeli bulldozers on Sunday morning continued to raze Palestinian land tracts across Salfit governorate in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
Speaking to the PIC, local farmers said the Israeli bulldozers leveled Palestinian lands near illegal settlement outposts.
Palestinian lands in and outside Leshem outpost, near Deir Balout, Kafr al-Deek, Rafat, and al-Zawiya, have also been bulldozed in the process.
Researcher Khaled Maali said the move makes part of Israeli attempts to grab more Palestinian lands in the Israel-run Area C.
Maali further warned of the swift pace of Israel’s settlement activity in Salfit in an attempt to prop up geopolitical ties between 25 outposts built on Palestinian land in the area.
He added that the move is expected to culminate in a settlement strip stretching from Zaatara checkpoint, east of Salfit, to Kafr Kasem, in 1948 Occupied Palestine (Green Line). A railway connecting Tel Aviv to the second largest West Bank outpost of Ariel is also expected to be set up in the process.
According to Maali another repercussion of the plan lies in the confiscation of the largest water basin in historical Palestine.
Speaking to the PIC, local farmers said the Israeli bulldozers leveled Palestinian lands near illegal settlement outposts.
Palestinian lands in and outside Leshem outpost, near Deir Balout, Kafr al-Deek, Rafat, and al-Zawiya, have also been bulldozed in the process.
Researcher Khaled Maali said the move makes part of Israeli attempts to grab more Palestinian lands in the Israel-run Area C.
Maali further warned of the swift pace of Israel’s settlement activity in Salfit in an attempt to prop up geopolitical ties between 25 outposts built on Palestinian land in the area.
He added that the move is expected to culminate in a settlement strip stretching from Zaatara checkpoint, east of Salfit, to Kafr Kasem, in 1948 Occupied Palestine (Green Line). A railway connecting Tel Aviv to the second largest West Bank outpost of Ariel is also expected to be set up in the process.
According to Maali another repercussion of the plan lies in the confiscation of the largest water basin in historical Palestine.