13 may 2019
Israel's Planning and Building Committee in Occupied Jerusalem on Monday approved two new construction plans.
The Israeli TV channel Seven reported that a bloc will be established of 706 settlement units, including public and trade buildings, markets, and open areas.
Another plan involves the demolition of a building on Road 5 in Neve Yaakov settlement and the construction of four buildings with 235 housing units on the same site.
The Israeli TV channel Seven reported that a bloc will be established of 706 settlement units, including public and trade buildings, markets, and open areas.
Another plan involves the demolition of a building on Road 5 in Neve Yaakov settlement and the construction of four buildings with 235 housing units on the same site.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday announced that a site for a new settlement to be named after the US president Donald Trump in the occupied Golan Heights has been chosen.
"I would like to inform you that we have already selected a site in the Golan Heights where this new community will be established, and we have started the process," Netanyahu said via Twitter.
In April Netanyahu revealed his intention to name a new settlement in Golan after Trump to thank him for recognizing Israel's claim of sovereignty over the Syrian heights.
In March, at the White House, in the presence of Netanyahu, Trump signed a decree under which he recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Syrian territory, a move that sparked widespread international condemnation.
Israel occupied two thirds of Golan Heights during the 1967 war and announced its annexation in 1981, which was rejected by the international community and the United Nations Security Council through Resolution 497.
In an attempt to entrench the annexation move, the Israeli government in April 2018 held its first official meeting in the Syrian Golan since its occupation in 1967.
"I would like to inform you that we have already selected a site in the Golan Heights where this new community will be established, and we have started the process," Netanyahu said via Twitter.
In April Netanyahu revealed his intention to name a new settlement in Golan after Trump to thank him for recognizing Israel's claim of sovereignty over the Syrian heights.
In March, at the White House, in the presence of Netanyahu, Trump signed a decree under which he recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Syrian territory, a move that sparked widespread international condemnation.
Israel occupied two thirds of Golan Heights during the 1967 war and announced its annexation in 1981, which was rejected by the international community and the United Nations Security Council through Resolution 497.
In an attempt to entrench the annexation move, the Israeli government in April 2018 held its first official meeting in the Syrian Golan since its occupation in 1967.
12 may 2019
A new illegal Israeli settlement outpost was set up, on Saturday, on Palestinian-owned lands belonging to the residents of the Deir al-Hatab village, east of the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus.
A Palestinian official who monitors settlement activist in the northern West Bank, Ghassan Daghlas, told Ma'an that the residents of Deit al-Hatab were shocked to find out on Saturday noon that Israeli settlers set up a new settlement outpost, in the form of three large caravans, on their lands.
In August 2018, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that if Israeli settlers built a settlement on private Palestinian land with "good intentions" then it should not be removed. Therefore, allowing more Palestinian lands to be seized by Israeli settlers as they see fit.
Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Member, said that the court's ruling provides the Israeli settlers with further motivation "to steal the private property of Palestinian landowners throughout occupied Palestine without any curbs or accountability."
A Palestinian official who monitors settlement activist in the northern West Bank, Ghassan Daghlas, told Ma'an that the residents of Deit al-Hatab were shocked to find out on Saturday noon that Israeli settlers set up a new settlement outpost, in the form of three large caravans, on their lands.
In August 2018, the Jerusalem District Court ruled that if Israeli settlers built a settlement on private Palestinian land with "good intentions" then it should not be removed. Therefore, allowing more Palestinian lands to be seized by Israeli settlers as they see fit.
Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee Member, said that the court's ruling provides the Israeli settlers with further motivation "to steal the private property of Palestinian landowners throughout occupied Palestine without any curbs or accountability."
6 may 2019
A number of bulldozers, belonging to Israeli settlers, razed and leveled Palestinian-owned agricultural lands, on Monday, in Madama village, south of the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma'an that bulldozers belonging to Israeli settlers started to raze and level Palestinian lands, in order to pave a settler-only road in the area.
Daghlas added that the Israeli settlers were from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar and that the settler-only road would enable Israeli settlers to reach spring water in the area.
The Israeli NGO B'Tselem reported that Israeli settlers' vandalism in the occupied West Bank is a daily routine and is fully backed by Israeli authorities.
The Palestinian government has no jurisdiction over Israelis in the West Bank, and violent acts carried out by Israeli settlers often occur in the presence of Israeli military forces who rarely act to protect Palestinian residents.
Over 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law, with recent announcements of settlement expansion provoking condemnation from the international community.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma'an that bulldozers belonging to Israeli settlers started to raze and level Palestinian lands, in order to pave a settler-only road in the area.
Daghlas added that the Israeli settlers were from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar and that the settler-only road would enable Israeli settlers to reach spring water in the area.
The Israeli NGO B'Tselem reported that Israeli settlers' vandalism in the occupied West Bank is a daily routine and is fully backed by Israeli authorities.
The Palestinian government has no jurisdiction over Israelis in the West Bank, and violent acts carried out by Israeli settlers often occur in the presence of Israeli military forces who rarely act to protect Palestinian residents.
Over 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law, with recent announcements of settlement expansion provoking condemnation from the international community.
5 may 2019
Israeli military bulldozers uprooted 120 olive trees in Lubban al-Gharbiya village in western Ramallah on Sunday morning.
The village’s former municipality council chairman, Fawaz Salem, said that the Israeli occupation authorities informed a village resident, Shafiq Abu Salem, a month ago that his land would be confiscated to allow the construction of a road serving a nearby settlement.
He added that Israeli occupation forces started in the early morning Sunday in uprooting 120 olive trees in Abu Salem’s 3-dunum piece of land.
The village’s former municipality council chairman, Fawaz Salem, said that the Israeli occupation authorities informed a village resident, Shafiq Abu Salem, a month ago that his land would be confiscated to allow the construction of a road serving a nearby settlement.
He added that Israeli occupation forces started in the early morning Sunday in uprooting 120 olive trees in Abu Salem’s 3-dunum piece of land.
3 may 2019
The Jerusalem Center for the Study of Israeli Affairs documented 53 settlement projects implemented by Israel in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the month of April.
The center’s report, which was issued on Thursday, said the Israeli settlement projects and activities included the confiscation of Palestinians land, sending out demolition notices to Palestinian structure, and the actual demolition of tens of residential and commercial establishments, as well as the construction of thousands of settlement housing units in the West Bank settlements.
According to the report, the Israeli measures have also affected facilities owned by Arab-Israelis as part of a policy aimed at displacing them.
The center’s director, Imad Abu Awad, said the Israeli demolition and settlement process is growing on an almost monthly basis, which suggests that the Israeli occupation plan aims to use it as political aesthetic to counter any Palestinian movement.
The report added that occupied East Jerusalem remains the first target of these measures but where almost 50% of the demolition orders were issued inside Jerusalem.
The report pointed out that the construction of illegal Israeli settlement housing units has increased in 2018 by 9% compared to 2017.
The report confirmed that Israel built nearly 1,800 settlement units per year during the last 10 years before 2018, however, in 2018, the number increased to 2,000 housing units.
It added that the figure is likely to increase in 2019 ahead of the United States’ announcement of the so-called “Deal of the Century” and the entry of the right-wing parties into the newly elected Israeli government.
The center’s report, which was issued on Thursday, said the Israeli settlement projects and activities included the confiscation of Palestinians land, sending out demolition notices to Palestinian structure, and the actual demolition of tens of residential and commercial establishments, as well as the construction of thousands of settlement housing units in the West Bank settlements.
According to the report, the Israeli measures have also affected facilities owned by Arab-Israelis as part of a policy aimed at displacing them.
The center’s director, Imad Abu Awad, said the Israeli demolition and settlement process is growing on an almost monthly basis, which suggests that the Israeli occupation plan aims to use it as political aesthetic to counter any Palestinian movement.
The report added that occupied East Jerusalem remains the first target of these measures but where almost 50% of the demolition orders were issued inside Jerusalem.
The report pointed out that the construction of illegal Israeli settlement housing units has increased in 2018 by 9% compared to 2017.
The report confirmed that Israel built nearly 1,800 settlement units per year during the last 10 years before 2018, however, in 2018, the number increased to 2,000 housing units.
It added that the figure is likely to increase in 2019 ahead of the United States’ announcement of the so-called “Deal of the Century” and the entry of the right-wing parties into the newly elected Israeli government.
2 may 2019
The Israeli occupation army’s civil administration approved plans to annex thousands of dunums to build two bypass roads for Jewish settlers in Palestinian areas in the north and south of the West Bank
According to the Hebrew website 0404, the first road will be built in the north of the West Bank and goes around Huwara town in Nablus and the second one will be built near al-Arroub refugee camp in al-Khalil.
Thousands of dunums of agricultural land will be annexed to build these roads.
The council of settlements in the West Bank applauded the plans, affirming that Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu gave the go-ahead for the construction of the road.
According to the Hebrew website 0404, the first road will be built in the north of the West Bank and goes around Huwara town in Nablus and the second one will be built near al-Arroub refugee camp in al-Khalil.
Thousands of dunums of agricultural land will be annexed to build these roads.
The council of settlements in the West Bank applauded the plans, affirming that Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu gave the go-ahead for the construction of the road.
28 apr 2019
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) has issued a military decree giving itself the right to annex 401 dunums of land from Palestinian areas in al-Khalil to build a bypass for Jewish settlers.
Palestinian official Jamal al-Omla, from the Land Research Center, said that the annexed land is located in Beit Ummar town, Halhul town, Beit Kharf hamlet, Ras al-Qadi area and al-Darji hamlet.
Omla warned that this road would have serious repercussions for the local residents in the entire area, adding that the road would go through Palestinian lands and homes and would lead to the destruction of agricultural plots of land and houses.
Palestinian official Jamal al-Omla, from the Land Research Center, said that the annexed land is located in Beit Ummar town, Halhul town, Beit Kharf hamlet, Ras al-Qadi area and al-Darji hamlet.
Omla warned that this road would have serious repercussions for the local residents in the entire area, adding that the road would go through Palestinian lands and homes and would lead to the destruction of agricultural plots of land and houses.
17 apr 2019
The Israeli authorities turned hundreds of dunams of Palestinian-owned agricultural lands into a nature reserve in the eastern area of Khirbet Yanoun south of the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus, on Tuesday.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma’an that the Israeli Civil Administration confiscated hundreds of dunams of agricultural Palestinian lands from Khirbet Yanoun under the pretext that they are transferring them into a nature reserve, preventing Palestinians from entering the area.
Daghlas added dozens of Israeli settlers live around the area, pointing out that the confiscation comes as a first step towards the confiscation of more Palestinian-owned lands to serve Israeli settlers in the area.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma’an that the Israeli Civil Administration confiscated hundreds of dunams of agricultural Palestinian lands from Khirbet Yanoun under the pretext that they are transferring them into a nature reserve, preventing Palestinians from entering the area.
Daghlas added dozens of Israeli settlers live around the area, pointing out that the confiscation comes as a first step towards the confiscation of more Palestinian-owned lands to serve Israeli settlers in the area.
13 apr 2019
The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med) sent an urgent letter to the European Union's European Commission regarding their participation in funding EuroAsia Interconnector, a power transmission project aiming to build the infrastructure necessary to link energy sources between Israel, Cyprus, and Greece.
The project, expected to be implemented in June 2019 with an estimated budget of 3.5 billion Euros, will not only link the electricity infrastructure between Israeli cities with Greece and Cyprus, however, will also include illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including occupied East Jerusalem.
According to a Euro-Med press release, the EU has been labeled as one of the financiers and supporters of the project that nurtures and strengthens settlements built illegally on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and Jerusalem, a move that shows sheer disregard for international law and amounts to complicity in Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Audrey Ferdinand, Euro-Med’s legal researcher, said, “The EU must adhere to its legal obligations under international law, including by not violating its own long-held commitment to a two-state solution.”
Ferdinand stressed, “While Israel is working on projects to boost its energy sources, it denies Palestinians access to basic needs such as energy and clean water,” calling on the EU to “respect its international obligations and not to establish partnerships with states violating international human rights law and international humanitarian law for decades.”
Euro-Med expressed deep shock and surprise at the contradictory policies and non-neutral practices of the European Union. On the one hand, it funds projects to help Palestinians suffering under occupation, it also funds projects that serve Israeli settlers, calling the move as setting for a "double-standard logic."
Euro-Med called on the European Union to seriously reconsider its policies that are biased to the Israeli authorities at the expense of the Palestinian people, to uphold its human rights obligations and to rise above the discourse of selfish interest, to stop the project, especially as Israel continues to expand its illegal settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and not reward them for such infamous record of human rights abuse.
The project, expected to be implemented in June 2019 with an estimated budget of 3.5 billion Euros, will not only link the electricity infrastructure between Israeli cities with Greece and Cyprus, however, will also include illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, including occupied East Jerusalem.
According to a Euro-Med press release, the EU has been labeled as one of the financiers and supporters of the project that nurtures and strengthens settlements built illegally on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and Jerusalem, a move that shows sheer disregard for international law and amounts to complicity in Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Audrey Ferdinand, Euro-Med’s legal researcher, said, “The EU must adhere to its legal obligations under international law, including by not violating its own long-held commitment to a two-state solution.”
Ferdinand stressed, “While Israel is working on projects to boost its energy sources, it denies Palestinians access to basic needs such as energy and clean water,” calling on the EU to “respect its international obligations and not to establish partnerships with states violating international human rights law and international humanitarian law for decades.”
Euro-Med expressed deep shock and surprise at the contradictory policies and non-neutral practices of the European Union. On the one hand, it funds projects to help Palestinians suffering under occupation, it also funds projects that serve Israeli settlers, calling the move as setting for a "double-standard logic."
Euro-Med called on the European Union to seriously reconsider its policies that are biased to the Israeli authorities at the expense of the Palestinian people, to uphold its human rights obligations and to rise above the discourse of selfish interest, to stop the project, especially as Israel continues to expand its illegal settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and not reward them for such infamous record of human rights abuse.
12 apr 2019
The European Union (EU) on Thursday said that Israel's decision to build new settlements in the occupied West Bank is illegal and violates international law.
This was voiced in a statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on Israel's newly revealed plan to construct over 4,000 settlements in the West Bank.
Mogherini said that the EU position on the Israeli settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories is clear, and added that the new decision would obstruct the two-state solution.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said that he would start implementing a plan to annex parts of the West Bank if he won the elections which took place on Tuesday.
According to the Israeli Peace Now movement, there are currently over 630,000 Israelis living in 132 settlements in the West Bank.
Many United Nations resolutions stipulate that the Israeli settlements built on occupied territories in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Syrian Golan Heights are all illegal.
This was voiced in a statement by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini on Israel's newly revealed plan to construct over 4,000 settlements in the West Bank.
Mogherini said that the EU position on the Israeli settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories is clear, and added that the new decision would obstruct the two-state solution.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday said that he would start implementing a plan to annex parts of the West Bank if he won the elections which took place on Tuesday.
According to the Israeli Peace Now movement, there are currently over 630,000 Israelis living in 132 settlements in the West Bank.
Many United Nations resolutions stipulate that the Israeli settlements built on occupied territories in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Syrian Golan Heights are all illegal.
9 apr 2019
The Israeli occupation authorities on Monday seized vast tracts of Palestinian farmland in seven villages south of Nablus in favor of the construction of a new settler road.
Anti-settlement activist Ghassan Daghlas said that the Israeli authorities on Monday ordered the confiscation of about 406 dunums of privately-owned Palestinian land in the villages of Burin, Huwara, Beita, Awarta, Yatma, al-Sawiya, and Yasuf, south of Nablus.
Daghlas affirmed that the new land seizure and road construction move means entrenching the separation between the Palestinians and Israeli settlers, and serves as a prelude to bringing more Israelis to settle in the West Bank.
Anti-settlement activist Ghassan Daghlas said that the Israeli authorities on Monday ordered the confiscation of about 406 dunums of privately-owned Palestinian land in the villages of Burin, Huwara, Beita, Awarta, Yatma, al-Sawiya, and Yasuf, south of Nablus.
Daghlas affirmed that the new land seizure and road construction move means entrenching the separation between the Palestinians and Israeli settlers, and serves as a prelude to bringing more Israelis to settle in the West Bank.
