31 oct 2012
Israel to build '180 housing units' in East Jerusalem
An illegal Israeli settlement pictured near Ramallah
Israeli authorities plan to build 180 new housings units in East Jerusalem, an Israeli peace group said Monday.
Israel's Land Administration made the announcement last week, saying that the new units will be built for the families of Israeli security forces, Peace Now said.
The area slated for construction is located between the Palestinian neighborhoods of Sur Baher and Um Lison, on land confiscated by Israel in 1970, Peace Now said.
"It is a shame that in a city where over 1/3 of the population is Palestinian, the authorities are planning only for Israelis, even near Palestinian areas in East Jerusalem, where such construction is desperately needed," the group said.
"This policy is not only taking us away from the possibility to get to Two States, but is also discriminatory and adds to the instability in Jerusalem."
The location of the housing units was reached according to a previous Israeli government decision to build homes for security personnel in "places with special characteristics that can justify such allocations, according to the ILA considerations."
Israeli settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal and repeatedly condemned by the international community.
Israeli authorities plan to build 180 new housings units in East Jerusalem, an Israeli peace group said Monday.
Israel's Land Administration made the announcement last week, saying that the new units will be built for the families of Israeli security forces, Peace Now said.
The area slated for construction is located between the Palestinian neighborhoods of Sur Baher and Um Lison, on land confiscated by Israel in 1970, Peace Now said.
"It is a shame that in a city where over 1/3 of the population is Palestinian, the authorities are planning only for Israelis, even near Palestinian areas in East Jerusalem, where such construction is desperately needed," the group said.
"This policy is not only taking us away from the possibility to get to Two States, but is also discriminatory and adds to the instability in Jerusalem."
The location of the housing units was reached according to a previous Israeli government decision to build homes for security personnel in "places with special characteristics that can justify such allocations, according to the ILA considerations."
Israeli settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal and repeatedly condemned by the international community.
IOA plans building two new settlement outposts in WB
An Israeli leftist organization has revealed that the Israeli occupation authority was planning to build two new settlement outposts in the West Bank within the few coming months.
“Peace Now” movement said in a statement on Wednesday that Jewish settlers had already started to install caravans and extend electricity and water lines to the outpost to the north west of Ramallah while another similar outpost was built near Qalqilia.
The head of settlements council Danny Dayan claimed that both outposts were only new suburbs to be added to the established settlements in both areas.
The Israeli civil administration said that it was aware of the plan to build new settlement outposts in the West Bank for the first time in seven years and would investigate it.
More than 340000 Jewish settlers live in settlements built on Palestinian land in the West Bank while more than 200000 others lives in ten Jewish suburbs built to the east of occupied Jerusalem.
“Peace Now” movement said in a statement on Wednesday that Jewish settlers had already started to install caravans and extend electricity and water lines to the outpost to the north west of Ramallah while another similar outpost was built near Qalqilia.
The head of settlements council Danny Dayan claimed that both outposts were only new suburbs to be added to the established settlements in both areas.
The Israeli civil administration said that it was aware of the plan to build new settlement outposts in the West Bank for the first time in seven years and would investigate it.
More than 340000 Jewish settlers live in settlements built on Palestinian land in the West Bank while more than 200000 others lives in ten Jewish suburbs built to the east of occupied Jerusalem.
30 oct 2012
Euro-Mid submits report on Israel's settlement activities to UN probe committee
The Euro-Mid observer for human rights said it handed a detailed report on Israel's settlement expansion activities during the year 2012 in the occupied Palestinian territories to the UN fact-finding committee probing the violations in this regard.
In a press release, the Geneva-based rights group stated that its report showed that the first nine months of 2012 saw a rise in Israel's settlement activities.
During the reporting year, Israel started to build 1,546 new housing units, mostly in randomly-built settlement outposts and approved plans to build more than 940 other units in the illegal settlement Gilo in east of Jerusalem, regional director of the Euro-Mid Amani Sinwar said.
The Euro-Mid expressed its deep concern about Israel's disregard for international law and appeals for an immediate halt to its settlement expansion activities.
When the UN decided to activate its fact-finding committee on settlement activities, Israel defied the UN step and embarked on building a settlement outpost of 180 housing units for its military and police retirees on Palestinian lands near Sur Baher in east Jerusalem, it added.
The Euro-Mid hailed the UN for the formation of its probe committee, despite Israel's refusal to cooperate with any committee investigating its settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian lands.
In a press release, the Geneva-based rights group stated that its report showed that the first nine months of 2012 saw a rise in Israel's settlement activities.
During the reporting year, Israel started to build 1,546 new housing units, mostly in randomly-built settlement outposts and approved plans to build more than 940 other units in the illegal settlement Gilo in east of Jerusalem, regional director of the Euro-Mid Amani Sinwar said.
The Euro-Mid expressed its deep concern about Israel's disregard for international law and appeals for an immediate halt to its settlement expansion activities.
When the UN decided to activate its fact-finding committee on settlement activities, Israel defied the UN step and embarked on building a settlement outpost of 180 housing units for its military and police retirees on Palestinian lands near Sur Baher in east Jerusalem, it added.
The Euro-Mid hailed the UN for the formation of its probe committee, despite Israel's refusal to cooperate with any committee investigating its settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian lands.
27 oct 2012
Israel criticizes Falk for boycott call
The Israeli government criticized UN special rapporteur on human rights in occupied Palestinian territories, Richard Falk, after he had urged a boycott of companies working in or dealing with Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian land.
Falk submitted his report, which documented the Israeli ongoing violations against Palestinians in the occupied territories, during the UN General Assembly meeting on Friday in New York.
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, rejected Falk's report, while the Israeli UN mission described it as "grossly biased" and "completely divorced from reality."
"Mr. Falk's recommendations do nothing to further a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and indeed poison the environment for peace," Rice said.
Falk had pointed out in his report that the Israeli settlement policy violates international humanitarian laws, and called on the UNGA to issue a resolution that requires boycotting the Israeli and international companies tied to Jewish settlements.
Falk lists 13 companies in his report to the UNGA, but notes that this is a small portion of the businesses operating or dealing in the Jewish settlements.
Resheq calls for boycotting all companies operating in WB settlements
Political bureau member of Hamas Ezzet Al-Resheeq has called on the UN to boycott all companies operating in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
He said that the UN special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories Richard Falk had called for such a step and the UN should be wise enough to abide by the proposal of its own official.
Resheq urged all Arab and Islamic countries to boycott the companies operating in or having links to Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
He told Quds Press on Friday that his movement appreciated and supported the call by Falk in this regard.
Falk had described the status of those settlements in a statement on Thursday as “illegal” and called for boycotting all companies working in those settlements or dealing with them until their activities are in complete harmony with the international humanitarian law.
Falk submitted his report, which documented the Israeli ongoing violations against Palestinians in the occupied territories, during the UN General Assembly meeting on Friday in New York.
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, rejected Falk's report, while the Israeli UN mission described it as "grossly biased" and "completely divorced from reality."
"Mr. Falk's recommendations do nothing to further a peaceful settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and indeed poison the environment for peace," Rice said.
Falk had pointed out in his report that the Israeli settlement policy violates international humanitarian laws, and called on the UNGA to issue a resolution that requires boycotting the Israeli and international companies tied to Jewish settlements.
Falk lists 13 companies in his report to the UNGA, but notes that this is a small portion of the businesses operating or dealing in the Jewish settlements.
Resheq calls for boycotting all companies operating in WB settlements
Political bureau member of Hamas Ezzet Al-Resheeq has called on the UN to boycott all companies operating in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
He said that the UN special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories Richard Falk had called for such a step and the UN should be wise enough to abide by the proposal of its own official.
Resheq urged all Arab and Islamic countries to boycott the companies operating in or having links to Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
He told Quds Press on Friday that his movement appreciated and supported the call by Falk in this regard.
Falk had described the status of those settlements in a statement on Thursday as “illegal” and called for boycotting all companies working in those settlements or dealing with them until their activities are in complete harmony with the international humanitarian law.
26 oct 2012
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UN expert calls for boycott of companies in settlements
Richard Falk on Thursday introduced his newest report as one focusing on the businesses working in collusion with illegal Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. |
25 oct 2012
France Condemns Israeli Decision to Construct 700 New Housing in East Jerusalem
France condemns the decision by the Israeli Ministry of Housing to issue calls for tender for 700 new house units in the settlements of Pisgat Zeev in East Jerusalem and Maale Adumim in the West Bank.
Philippe Lalliot, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France said in a press release that this decision came just few days after the approval to expand another settlement in East Jerusalem, which we also condemned. France is extremely concerned by the recent increase in the number of provocative announcements relating to the acceleration of settlement activities.
France reaffirms that Israeli settlement activity – in all its forms – is illegal under international law, is detrimental to efforts to restore trust between the parties and constitutes an obstacle to a just peace based on the two-state solution.
Philippe Lalliot, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France said in a press release that this decision came just few days after the approval to expand another settlement in East Jerusalem, which we also condemned. France is extremely concerned by the recent increase in the number of provocative announcements relating to the acceleration of settlement activities.
France reaffirms that Israeli settlement activity – in all its forms – is illegal under international law, is detrimental to efforts to restore trust between the parties and constitutes an obstacle to a just peace based on the two-state solution.
23 oct 2012
Netanyahu tours settlement after EU condemnation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to the illegal settlement of Gilo on Tuesday in a defiant prelude to talks with the European Union's top diplomat, who has condemned Gilo's expansion.
Israel issued a detailed plan last week for 797 additional homes in Gilo, an urban complex built in a part of the occupied West Bank that it captured in a 1967 Middle East war and later annexed to Jerusalem.
"United Jerusalem is Israel's eternal capital, we have a full right to build in it," Netanyahu said during a tour of Gilo, a day before he was due to meet Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs.
In a statement reflecting long-standing EU policy, Ashton said on Friday she deeply regretted the planned expansion of Gilo, where some 40,000 Israelis live.
"Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible," she said, referring to more than two decades of efforts to negotiate the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967 and illegally annexed it in a move never recognized internationally.
"We have built Jerusalem, we are building Jerusalem and we will continue to build Jerusalem. This is our policy and I will continue to back building in Jerusalem," Netanyahu said in Gilo.
The visit by the right-wing Likud party leader was likely to play well with his core pro-settlement constituency ahead of a parliamentary election on Jan. 22.
Ashton, who began a visit to the region on Monday, was due to meet Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders in Jerusalem on Wednesday and also to see President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Palestinian Authority cabinet on Tuesday condemned Israel's settlement expansion plans in Gilo in its weekly meeting in Ramallah.
Ministers demanded "effective intervention" by the international community to compel Israel to stop building on Palestinian land.
Israel issued a detailed plan last week for 797 additional homes in Gilo, an urban complex built in a part of the occupied West Bank that it captured in a 1967 Middle East war and later annexed to Jerusalem.
"United Jerusalem is Israel's eternal capital, we have a full right to build in it," Netanyahu said during a tour of Gilo, a day before he was due to meet Catherine Ashton, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs.
In a statement reflecting long-standing EU policy, Ashton said on Friday she deeply regretted the planned expansion of Gilo, where some 40,000 Israelis live.
"Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible," she said, referring to more than two decades of efforts to negotiate the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967 and illegally annexed it in a move never recognized internationally.
"We have built Jerusalem, we are building Jerusalem and we will continue to build Jerusalem. This is our policy and I will continue to back building in Jerusalem," Netanyahu said in Gilo.
The visit by the right-wing Likud party leader was likely to play well with his core pro-settlement constituency ahead of a parliamentary election on Jan. 22.
Ashton, who began a visit to the region on Monday, was due to meet Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders in Jerusalem on Wednesday and also to see President Mahmoud Abbas.
The Palestinian Authority cabinet on Tuesday condemned Israel's settlement expansion plans in Gilo in its weekly meeting in Ramallah.
Ministers demanded "effective intervention" by the international community to compel Israel to stop building on Palestinian land.
IOA to build 600 new housing units in Jerusalem
Hebrew sources revealed on Monday an Israeli plan to build more than 660 new housing units in East Jerusalem.
The sources said that the Israeli Ministry of Housing announced its intention to build thousands of settlement units, including 660 new units in the settlements of "Pisgat Ze'ev" and "Ma'ale Adumim" established on Palestinian confiscated territory in East Jerusalem.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday his intention was to continue settlement around occupied Jerusalem.
The sources said that the Israeli Ministry of Housing announced its intention to build thousands of settlement units, including 660 new units in the settlements of "Pisgat Ze'ev" and "Ma'ale Adumim" established on Palestinian confiscated territory in East Jerusalem.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday his intention was to continue settlement around occupied Jerusalem.
21 oct 2012
Settlement expansion in the northern Jordan valley
Residents of Ein al-Baid in the northern Jordan valley said that new expansion work is being carried out in Makhoula which is built on their land.
Local sources said that the settlers have started building new structures to the west of the settlement after confiscating tracts of land at an earlier stage.
The sources said that the settlement have been witnessing accelerated construction activities lately, while at the same time Palestinian residents are being harassed and forbidden from tending their fields which lie near the settlement.
Local sources said that the settlers have started building new structures to the west of the settlement after confiscating tracts of land at an earlier stage.
The sources said that the settlement have been witnessing accelerated construction activities lately, while at the same time Palestinian residents are being harassed and forbidden from tending their fields which lie near the settlement.
Israel to build illegal military academy in East al-Quds
The Israeli regime is reportedly planning to construct a military academy in the occupied East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
The anti-Israeli settlement group Peace Now says the Tel Aviv regime is going ahead with a plan to construct the academy building on the Mount of Olives.
The Tel Aviv regime approved the construction of the eight-storey structure in July.
Activists say the building will be used for training military commanders.
The regime’s continued building activities have drawn angry reactions from Palestinians and the international community.
On October 18, the European Union censured an Israeli plan to build 800 new housing units in the southern East al-Quds settlement of Gilo.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds.
In his address to the UN General Assembly on September 27, acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel’s “catastrophic” settlement expansion as part of Tel Aviv’s ethnic cleansing campaign against Palestinians and its attempt to change the historic demography of the region.
The anti-Israeli settlement group Peace Now says the Tel Aviv regime is going ahead with a plan to construct the academy building on the Mount of Olives.
The Tel Aviv regime approved the construction of the eight-storey structure in July.
Activists say the building will be used for training military commanders.
The regime’s continued building activities have drawn angry reactions from Palestinians and the international community.
On October 18, the European Union censured an Israeli plan to build 800 new housing units in the southern East al-Quds settlement of Gilo.
More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds.
In his address to the UN General Assembly on September 27, acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel’s “catastrophic” settlement expansion as part of Tel Aviv’s ethnic cleansing campaign against Palestinians and its attempt to change the historic demography of the region.
20 oct 2012
European Union slams Israel's plan to expand Gilo settlement
The European Union condemned the Israeli government for approving the building of about 800 housing units in the illegal settlement outpost "Gilo" south of occupied Jerusalem.
European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton expressed her regert and dismay at the Israeli interior ministry's decision to expand the settlement.
"Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible," Ashton stressed.
She said the peace talks continue to be the best way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Israeli movement Peace Now on Friday unveiled this plan to build about 800 new housing units in Gilo, south of Jerusalem, as part of Israel's major settlement project known as "Greater Jerusalem."
European Union's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton expressed her regert and dismay at the Israeli interior ministry's decision to expand the settlement.
"Settlements are illegal under international law and threaten to make a two-state solution impossible," Ashton stressed.
She said the peace talks continue to be the best way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Israeli movement Peace Now on Friday unveiled this plan to build about 800 new housing units in Gilo, south of Jerusalem, as part of Israel's major settlement project known as "Greater Jerusalem."
18 oct 2012
Israeli gov’t sanctions 800 new housing units in OJ
The Israeli occupation government has sanctioned the construction of 800 new housing units in Gilo settlement in occupied Jerusalem.
The Israeli Peace Now movement said in a statement on Thursday that the plan was approved and implementation was on its way, adding that it was published in Maariv newspaper.
It pointed out that publication of the plan was the final stage in its approval, expecting construction to start within two weeks.
Contractors would now start asking for construction licenses from the municipality, the movement said.
The Israeli Peace Now movement said in a statement on Thursday that the plan was approved and implementation was on its way, adding that it was published in Maariv newspaper.
It pointed out that publication of the plan was the final stage in its approval, expecting construction to start within two weeks.
Contractors would now start asking for construction licenses from the municipality, the movement said.
13 oct 2012
IOF clashes with young Palestinians in Jenin village
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed at dawn Saturday four towns west of Jenin and conducted combing operations during which clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces were reported in the village of Rumana.
Eyewitnesses said that five military vehicles stormed the village of Romana at dawn where Palestinian youths pelted Israeli forces with stones and empty bottles. The clashes were followed by heavy gunfire, the sources added.
IOF soldiers stormed the nearby town of Tiba, and conducted extensive combing operations in the area between Romana and Tiba towns where flare bombs were fired.
Israeli forces deployed in the neighboring village of Zbobh also conducted combing operations along the apartheid wall without arrests.
In a separate incident, Israeli settlers started to construct a roadway to connect one settlement to other outposts built on Palestinian land south of Bethlehem.
Ahmad Salah, Coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements, told Quds press that the settlers started two days ago to construct a roadway on an agricultural land in al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem, to connect between Daniel settlement and Ein Qasis settlement outpost.
Salah pointed out that the mentioned road is a 50-meter-long and 4-meter-wide road, noting that the road would seize part of Palestinian land in the town.
Salah recalled that settlers tried few months ago to grab this land and plant it with trees, but the land owners removed the trees. The settlers came again to establish the roadway on the Palestinian agricultural land.
Eyewitnesses said that five military vehicles stormed the village of Romana at dawn where Palestinian youths pelted Israeli forces with stones and empty bottles. The clashes were followed by heavy gunfire, the sources added.
IOF soldiers stormed the nearby town of Tiba, and conducted extensive combing operations in the area between Romana and Tiba towns where flare bombs were fired.
Israeli forces deployed in the neighboring village of Zbobh also conducted combing operations along the apartheid wall without arrests.
In a separate incident, Israeli settlers started to construct a roadway to connect one settlement to other outposts built on Palestinian land south of Bethlehem.
Ahmad Salah, Coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements, told Quds press that the settlers started two days ago to construct a roadway on an agricultural land in al-Khader village, south of Bethlehem, to connect between Daniel settlement and Ein Qasis settlement outpost.
Salah pointed out that the mentioned road is a 50-meter-long and 4-meter-wide road, noting that the road would seize part of Palestinian land in the town.
Salah recalled that settlers tried few months ago to grab this land and plant it with trees, but the land owners removed the trees. The settlers came again to establish the roadway on the Palestinian agricultural land.
1 oct 2012
The establishment of new settlements in the West Bank
The Settlement Subcommittee in West Bank decided to change the classification of the large land area of Jouret Alkatfeh in the town of Abu Dis from agricultural land as it was announced in the past, to land used for housing and public facilities, a prelude to grab it to expand "Kedar" settlement built on the territories of the town.
This decision came in light of the Israeli confiscation and Judaization plans in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, the lawyer Bassam Bahr, Chairman of the Committee for the Defense of lands in Abu Dis, said in a statement on Sunday.
He added that this Israeli scheme came in light of the plan announced by Minister of war in which he called for Israeli unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank, in order to add all the main outposts and settlements to the entity.
Bahr pointed out that "these measures aimed at imposing new facts by expanding settlements, establishing new ones, completing the construction of the separation wall, and seizing the largest possible area of the Palestinian territories and annexing them to the entity before taking any unilateral withdrawal step."
He called on all international institutions to intervene in order to stop these Israeli aggressive plans aiming to seize the Palestinian territories, pointing out that the occupation authorities had issued several orders of confiscation of this region for the benefit of the settlements built on Abu Dis lands, within a scheme aimed at isolating the city of Jerusalem completely.
Meanwhile, a number of Jewish settlers Sunday set up mobile homes on private-owned Palestinian land in al-Khader, a village south of Bethlehem.
Coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements Ahmad Salah confirmed that a group of settlers from the Israeli Daniel settlement, which is built illegally in al-Khader and is part of the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, set up a number of mobile homes on private-owned land belonging to Palestinian Ali Khader Isa, after seizing five dunums of his land two months ago.
Salah pointed out that they also set up mobile homes as well as carried out unauthorized infrastructure work in the area as a prelude to expand Daniel settlement according to an Israeli systematic scheme.
He said the village’s residents are constantly targeted by settlers, who are protected by occupation soldiers, through taking over large areas of land, closing off agricultural roads, as well as unleashing dogs on farmers; aiming to scare farmers off and prevent them from returning to their land.
This decision came in light of the Israeli confiscation and Judaization plans in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, the lawyer Bassam Bahr, Chairman of the Committee for the Defense of lands in Abu Dis, said in a statement on Sunday.
He added that this Israeli scheme came in light of the plan announced by Minister of war in which he called for Israeli unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank, in order to add all the main outposts and settlements to the entity.
Bahr pointed out that "these measures aimed at imposing new facts by expanding settlements, establishing new ones, completing the construction of the separation wall, and seizing the largest possible area of the Palestinian territories and annexing them to the entity before taking any unilateral withdrawal step."
He called on all international institutions to intervene in order to stop these Israeli aggressive plans aiming to seize the Palestinian territories, pointing out that the occupation authorities had issued several orders of confiscation of this region for the benefit of the settlements built on Abu Dis lands, within a scheme aimed at isolating the city of Jerusalem completely.
Meanwhile, a number of Jewish settlers Sunday set up mobile homes on private-owned Palestinian land in al-Khader, a village south of Bethlehem.
Coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements Ahmad Salah confirmed that a group of settlers from the Israeli Daniel settlement, which is built illegally in al-Khader and is part of the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, set up a number of mobile homes on private-owned land belonging to Palestinian Ali Khader Isa, after seizing five dunums of his land two months ago.
Salah pointed out that they also set up mobile homes as well as carried out unauthorized infrastructure work in the area as a prelude to expand Daniel settlement according to an Israeli systematic scheme.
He said the village’s residents are constantly targeted by settlers, who are protected by occupation soldiers, through taking over large areas of land, closing off agricultural roads, as well as unleashing dogs on farmers; aiming to scare farmers off and prevent them from returning to their land.