6 apr 2020
Israeli forces today ordered a halt on the construction of several structures in Khirbet Yarza and al-Jiftlik villages in the Jordan Valley, according to sources.
Aref Daraghmeh, an activist, told WAFA that Israeli forces handed out a villager from Khirbet Yarza, east of Tubas city, a notice ordering him to stop the construction of some agricultural and residential structures as well as tents. The villager was identified as Salem Abu al-Tayyib.
Soldiers also handed notices to several other villagers from al-Jiftlik, north of Jericho city, ordering them to halt the construction of agricultural and residential tents and uproot palm trees.
They cited unlicensed construction as a pretext for halting construction.
The Jordan Valley, which is a fertile strip of land running west along the Jordan River, is home to about 65,000 Palestinians and makes up approximately 30% of the West Bank.
Since 1967, when the Israeli army occupied the West Bank, Israel has transferred at least 11,000 of its Jewish citizens to the Jordan Valley. Some of the settlements in which they live were built almost entirely on private Palestinian land.
The Israel military has also designated about 46 percent of the Jordan Valley as a closed military zone since the beginning of the occupation in June 1967, and has been utilizing the pretext of military drills to forcefully displace Palestinian families living there as part of a policy of ethnic cleansing and stifling Palestinian development in the area.
Approximately 6,200 Palestinians live in 38 communities in places earmarked for military use and have had to obtain permission from the Israeli authorities to enter and live in their communities.
In violation of international law, the Israeli military not only temporarily displaces the communities on a regular basis, but also confiscates their farmlands, demolishes their homes and infrastructure from time to time.
Besides undergoing temporary displacement, the Palestinian families living there face a myriad restrictions on access to resources and services.
Meanwhile, Israel exploits the resources of the area and generates profit by allocating generous tracts of land and water resources for the benefit of settlers.
Israeli politicians have made it clear on several occasions that the highly strategic Jordan Valley would remain under their control in any eventuality.
Aref Daraghmeh, an activist, told WAFA that Israeli forces handed out a villager from Khirbet Yarza, east of Tubas city, a notice ordering him to stop the construction of some agricultural and residential structures as well as tents. The villager was identified as Salem Abu al-Tayyib.
Soldiers also handed notices to several other villagers from al-Jiftlik, north of Jericho city, ordering them to halt the construction of agricultural and residential tents and uproot palm trees.
They cited unlicensed construction as a pretext for halting construction.
The Jordan Valley, which is a fertile strip of land running west along the Jordan River, is home to about 65,000 Palestinians and makes up approximately 30% of the West Bank.
Since 1967, when the Israeli army occupied the West Bank, Israel has transferred at least 11,000 of its Jewish citizens to the Jordan Valley. Some of the settlements in which they live were built almost entirely on private Palestinian land.
The Israel military has also designated about 46 percent of the Jordan Valley as a closed military zone since the beginning of the occupation in June 1967, and has been utilizing the pretext of military drills to forcefully displace Palestinian families living there as part of a policy of ethnic cleansing and stifling Palestinian development in the area.
Approximately 6,200 Palestinians live in 38 communities in places earmarked for military use and have had to obtain permission from the Israeli authorities to enter and live in their communities.
In violation of international law, the Israeli military not only temporarily displaces the communities on a regular basis, but also confiscates their farmlands, demolishes their homes and infrastructure from time to time.
Besides undergoing temporary displacement, the Palestinian families living there face a myriad restrictions on access to resources and services.
Meanwhile, Israel exploits the resources of the area and generates profit by allocating generous tracts of land and water resources for the benefit of settlers.
Israeli politicians have made it clear on several occasions that the highly strategic Jordan Valley would remain under their control in any eventuality.
Israeli forces today seized a container and dismantled a stall in Khirbet Qalqas village, south of Hebron city, said WAFA correspondent.
He confirmed that Israeli forces escorted a bulldozer into the village, where the heavy machinery seized a shipping container and dismantled a stall for selling scrap belonging to Mohammad Abu Sneineh. video
Located 4 kilometers to the south of Salfit city, Khirbet Qalqas has a population of some 1,800 and occupies a total area of 7,000 dunams.
Under the Oslo Accords, an agreement made 25 years ago that was supposed to last just five years towards a self-governing country alongside Israel, the Palestinian Authority was given ed control over a small pocket of land occupying 300 dunams, accounting for almost 4 percent of the village’s total area.
In contrast, Israel maintains control over the remainder, classified as Area C.
Israel has seized at least 1,000 dunams (14 percent) belonging to the village and blocked the road linking the village with the rest of Hebron city since 2000.
Ever since, residents have had to cross the settler-only by-pass road Route 60 on foot or travel an alternative route to reach the rest of the city. Six Palestinians have been killed crossing Route 60 in recent years.
Soldiers in the oxymoronically named Civil Administration determine where Palestinians may live, where and when they may travel (including to other parts of the occupied territories like Gaza and East Jerusalem), whether they can build or expand homes on their own land, whether they own that land at all, whether an Israeli settler can takeover that land among others.
There are almost 834,000 Israeli settlers living in colonial settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The number of settlers has almost tripled since the Oslo Accords of 1993, when settlers’ number estimated 252,000. Illegal colonial settlements have leapt from 144 to 515 in that time.
Israel’s nation-state law states that building and strengthening the settlements is a “national interest.”
He confirmed that Israeli forces escorted a bulldozer into the village, where the heavy machinery seized a shipping container and dismantled a stall for selling scrap belonging to Mohammad Abu Sneineh. video
Located 4 kilometers to the south of Salfit city, Khirbet Qalqas has a population of some 1,800 and occupies a total area of 7,000 dunams.
Under the Oslo Accords, an agreement made 25 years ago that was supposed to last just five years towards a self-governing country alongside Israel, the Palestinian Authority was given ed control over a small pocket of land occupying 300 dunams, accounting for almost 4 percent of the village’s total area.
In contrast, Israel maintains control over the remainder, classified as Area C.
Israel has seized at least 1,000 dunams (14 percent) belonging to the village and blocked the road linking the village with the rest of Hebron city since 2000.
Ever since, residents have had to cross the settler-only by-pass road Route 60 on foot or travel an alternative route to reach the rest of the city. Six Palestinians have been killed crossing Route 60 in recent years.
Soldiers in the oxymoronically named Civil Administration determine where Palestinians may live, where and when they may travel (including to other parts of the occupied territories like Gaza and East Jerusalem), whether they can build or expand homes on their own land, whether they own that land at all, whether an Israeli settler can takeover that land among others.
There are almost 834,000 Israeli settlers living in colonial settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The number of settlers has almost tripled since the Oslo Accords of 1993, when settlers’ number estimated 252,000. Illegal colonial settlements have leapt from 144 to 515 in that time.
Israel’s nation-state law states that building and strengthening the settlements is a “national interest.”
The Israeli occupation army on Monday morning carried out a limited incursion into the southeast of the besieged Gaza Strip and fired tear gas grenades at local farmers.
According to local sources, six military bulldozers infiltrated into a border area in the east of Khan Yunis, south of Gaza before embarking on leveling raised areas of land.
Meanwhile, five tanks and armored vehicles escorted the bulldozers and showered a group of farmers in the area with tear gas.
In a separate incident, Israeli gunboats opened machinegun fire at and chased Palestinian fishing boats in the northern waters of Gaza City.
Luckily, no one was hurt in the shooting attack.
According to local sources, six military bulldozers infiltrated into a border area in the east of Khan Yunis, south of Gaza before embarking on leveling raised areas of land.
Meanwhile, five tanks and armored vehicles escorted the bulldozers and showered a group of farmers in the area with tear gas.
In a separate incident, Israeli gunboats opened machinegun fire at and chased Palestinian fishing boats in the northern waters of Gaza City.
Luckily, no one was hurt in the shooting attack.
The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) on Sunday sprayed once again toxic herbicides on farmlands near the border fence in the east of Gaza City.
Local farmers from al-Zeitoun and Johr al-Dik areas of Gaza City reported that Israeli agricultural aircrafts sprayed toxic chemicals on vast tracts of land planted with wheat, barley, corn, okra, molokhia (corchorus olitorius) and other crops, affirming the chemical spray caused widespread damage to the crops.
The farmers said that the Israeli measure caused them heavy financial losses and poisoned the agricultural environment in the area.
In this regard, al-Mezan Center for Human Rights accused the Israeli occupation state of exploiting the global coronavirus crisis to destroy crops along the border fence in the east of Gaza, while persisting in imposing its tight siege on the population.
Al-Mezan Center called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and intervene to prevent Israel from using toxic herbicides that exterminate crops and endanger the lives of farmers in Gaza.
Every once in a while, the IOA deliberately sprays agricultural areas in eastern Gaza with toxic chemicals and destroy large tracts of cultivated land under different flimsy pretexts.
Local farmers from al-Zeitoun and Johr al-Dik areas of Gaza City reported that Israeli agricultural aircrafts sprayed toxic chemicals on vast tracts of land planted with wheat, barley, corn, okra, molokhia (corchorus olitorius) and other crops, affirming the chemical spray caused widespread damage to the crops.
The farmers said that the Israeli measure caused them heavy financial losses and poisoned the agricultural environment in the area.
In this regard, al-Mezan Center for Human Rights accused the Israeli occupation state of exploiting the global coronavirus crisis to destroy crops along the border fence in the east of Gaza, while persisting in imposing its tight siege on the population.
Al-Mezan Center called on the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and intervene to prevent Israel from using toxic herbicides that exterminate crops and endanger the lives of farmers in Gaza.
Every once in a while, the IOA deliberately sprays agricultural areas in eastern Gaza with toxic chemicals and destroy large tracts of cultivated land under different flimsy pretexts.
5 apr 2020
Illegal Jewish settlers today flooded sewage into Palestinian-owned farms planted with grapes near the town of Beit Ummar, north of Hebron in the south of the West Bank, said a local source.
Mohammad Awad, a local activist, told WAFA that extremist settlers from Gush Etzion settlement bloc, located near the town, flooded their sewage into the grape-planted farms with the aim of damaging crops. video
He said today's flooding of sewage is only an episode in a series of assaults by Jewish settlers which are often noticeable during this time of the year, usually ending up with the destruction of hundreds of trees.
Attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians and their belongings are a common practice in the occupied West Bank, and are rarely prosecuted by the Israeli authorities. Under signed agreements, the Palestinian Authority has no jurisdiction over Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Mohammad Awad, a local activist, told WAFA that extremist settlers from Gush Etzion settlement bloc, located near the town, flooded their sewage into the grape-planted farms with the aim of damaging crops. video
He said today's flooding of sewage is only an episode in a series of assaults by Jewish settlers which are often noticeable during this time of the year, usually ending up with the destruction of hundreds of trees.
Attacks by Jewish settlers against Palestinians and their belongings are a common practice in the occupied West Bank, and are rarely prosecuted by the Israeli authorities. Under signed agreements, the Palestinian Authority has no jurisdiction over Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
Israeli occupation forces and extremist settlers today prevented Palestinian farmers from accessing their lands in the village of Tuqu', southeast of the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem, according to sources.
Tayseer Abu Mfarreh, mayor of the village, told WAFA that a large military unit of Israeli forces as well as a group of extremist settlers intercepted the farmers and banned their access to their agricultureal lands.
In recent weeks, Israeli forces and settlers escalated their attacks against vulnerable Palestinian communities in the Bethlehem governorate, attacking and chasing farmers, preventing them from reaching their lands and uprooting hundreds of olive and grape trees.
Tayseer Abu Mfarreh, mayor of the village, told WAFA that a large military unit of Israeli forces as well as a group of extremist settlers intercepted the farmers and banned their access to their agricultureal lands.
In recent weeks, Israeli forces and settlers escalated their attacks against vulnerable Palestinian communities in the Bethlehem governorate, attacking and chasing farmers, preventing them from reaching their lands and uprooting hundreds of olive and grape trees.
4 apr 2020
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Saturday morning opened fire at Palestinian farmers and fishermen in the Gaza Strip with no reported casualties.
Local sources said that the IOF in the morning heavily fired live ammunition and tear gas bombs at Palestinian farmers and shepherds working in their lands east of Khan Yunis and Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Israeli gunboats attacked fishermen sailing off the shore of northern Gaza.
No injuries were reported in the attacks.
Local sources said that the IOF in the morning heavily fired live ammunition and tear gas bombs at Palestinian farmers and shepherds working in their lands east of Khan Yunis and Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Israeli gunboats attacked fishermen sailing off the shore of northern Gaza.
No injuries were reported in the attacks.
3 apr 2020
Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) on Friday forced a Palestinian citizen to demolish his grain store in Beit Skaria village in the West Bank province of Bethlehem.
According to the Palestinian Commission Against the Wall and Settlement, a Palestinian man named Amer Oudeh had to demolish his own store based on an IOA order on Thursday under the pretext of lacking Israeli license.
Beit Skaria is surrounded by a number of Israeli settlements between Jerusalem and Bethlehem and is subjected to Israeli attacks and harassment on a regular basis.
According to the Palestinian Commission Against the Wall and Settlement, a Palestinian man named Amer Oudeh had to demolish his own store based on an IOA order on Thursday under the pretext of lacking Israeli license.
Beit Skaria is surrounded by a number of Israeli settlements between Jerusalem and Bethlehem and is subjected to Israeli attacks and harassment on a regular basis.
2 apr 2020
The Israeli occupation police last night and at dawn Thursday stormed different areas of Jerusalem and kidnaped several Palestinian young men.
According to local sources, police forces escorted by intelligence officers stormed Silwan district, east of Jerusalem, last night and rounded up three young men after physically assaulting them.
The detainees were identified as Yazan Siyam, Mahmoud Awwad and Nour Asfour.
Later at dawn, police forces broke into Abu Tayeh neighborhood in Silwan, with no reported arrests.
Israeli police forces also stormed Issawiya district, northeast of Jerusalem, and kidnaped a young man called Sa’id Obeid after beating him. video
They also kidnaped another young man called Mohamed Mustafa from Issawiya and handed others summonses for interrogation.
In a separate incident, police forces on Wednesday evening confiscated about 100 sheep from a Palestinian shepherd as he was herding them in Wadi al-Humus neighborhood in Sur Baher village, south of Jerusalem. video
According to local sources, police forces escorted by intelligence officers stormed Silwan district, east of Jerusalem, last night and rounded up three young men after physically assaulting them.
The detainees were identified as Yazan Siyam, Mahmoud Awwad and Nour Asfour.
Later at dawn, police forces broke into Abu Tayeh neighborhood in Silwan, with no reported arrests.
Israeli police forces also stormed Issawiya district, northeast of Jerusalem, and kidnaped a young man called Sa’id Obeid after beating him. video
They also kidnaped another young man called Mohamed Mustafa from Issawiya and handed others summonses for interrogation.
In a separate incident, police forces on Wednesday evening confiscated about 100 sheep from a Palestinian shepherd as he was herding them in Wadi al-Humus neighborhood in Sur Baher village, south of Jerusalem. video
1 apr 2020
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Wednesday morning carried out a limited incursion into the northeast of the Gaza Strip border.
Local sources said that several armored bulldozers escorted by 13 military vehicles advanced a few meters into a border area in the east of Beit Hanoun town in northern Gaza and embarked on leveling plots of land.
The eastern border areas of Gaza are repeatedly exposed to Israeli military incursions and gunfire attacks, which prevents hundreds of farmers from working their lands near the security fence.
Local sources said that several armored bulldozers escorted by 13 military vehicles advanced a few meters into a border area in the east of Beit Hanoun town in northern Gaza and embarked on leveling plots of land.
The eastern border areas of Gaza are repeatedly exposed to Israeli military incursions and gunfire attacks, which prevents hundreds of farmers from working their lands near the security fence.
31 mar 2020
Israeli colonial settlers on Tuesday, razed vast areas of Palestinian-owned farm lands in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus.
Local media outlets said that the lands razed, are located near the illegal Israeli colonial settlement of Shefout Rahel.
The sources confirmed that today’s bulldozing caused widespread harm to tens of olive trees, owned by local Palestinian farmers from Nablus city.
Previously, Israeli defense minister, Naftali Bennett, announced his government’s plan to expand the Shefout Rahel colonial settlement with another nearby colonial settlement, called Shelo.
In the area, where the bulldozing took place, there are a number of illegal colonial settlements, including Shelo, Aadi Aad, Codeish, Keda and Ahya.
Israeli colonial settlements on Palestinian-owned lands has been Israeli systematic policy, initially announced in late 1970’s for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Over the past decade, Israel has accelerated settlement building in a way that has strangulated Palestinian-populated cities, towns and villages in the West Bank which includes occupied East Jerusalem.
Back in 2005, Israel unilaterally dismantled 17 Israeli colonial settlements in the tiny coastal Gaza Strip and two years later, it enforced a crippling blockade on the territory, in place now, for 13 years.
Israeli colonial settlement construction is deemed illegal by international law and United Nations Security Council’s resolutions, 242 and 338, given the fact that Gaza Strip and the West Bank are Arab-Palestinian lands, which Israel occupied by force, back in 1967.
Local media outlets said that the lands razed, are located near the illegal Israeli colonial settlement of Shefout Rahel.
The sources confirmed that today’s bulldozing caused widespread harm to tens of olive trees, owned by local Palestinian farmers from Nablus city.
Previously, Israeli defense minister, Naftali Bennett, announced his government’s plan to expand the Shefout Rahel colonial settlement with another nearby colonial settlement, called Shelo.
In the area, where the bulldozing took place, there are a number of illegal colonial settlements, including Shelo, Aadi Aad, Codeish, Keda and Ahya.
Israeli colonial settlements on Palestinian-owned lands has been Israeli systematic policy, initially announced in late 1970’s for the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Over the past decade, Israel has accelerated settlement building in a way that has strangulated Palestinian-populated cities, towns and villages in the West Bank which includes occupied East Jerusalem.
Back in 2005, Israel unilaterally dismantled 17 Israeli colonial settlements in the tiny coastal Gaza Strip and two years later, it enforced a crippling blockade on the territory, in place now, for 13 years.
Israeli colonial settlement construction is deemed illegal by international law and United Nations Security Council’s resolutions, 242 and 338, given the fact that Gaza Strip and the West Bank are Arab-Palestinian lands, which Israel occupied by force, back in 1967.
29 mar 2020
A Palestinian fisherman was injured today after he was shot by Israeli navy off the shore of the northern Gaza Strip, according to WAFA correspondent.
Witnesses told WAFA correspondent that a fisherman was injured after he was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet by Israeli navy while he was sailing in the said area.
He was moved to hospital for treatment, where his condition was described as medium.
Israeli navy targets Palestinian fishermen almost on daily basis and prevent them from fishing in the fishing zone allocated for the Gaza Strip.
Witnesses told WAFA correspondent that a fisherman was injured after he was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet by Israeli navy while he was sailing in the said area.
He was moved to hospital for treatment, where his condition was described as medium.
Israeli navy targets Palestinian fishermen almost on daily basis and prevent them from fishing in the fishing zone allocated for the Gaza Strip.