1 mar 2019
Israeli settlers on Friday attacked Palestinians in al-Mughayyir village in Ramallah.
Local sources said that as a group of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers working in their lands, residents from the village confronted the attack and managed to force the settlers to withdraw.
They added that al-Mughayyir village is constantly attacked by Israeli settlers backed and protected by the Israeli army.
These attacks fall in line with a larger plan to take over the village in favor of settlement projects, they confirmed.
Local sources said that as a group of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers working in their lands, residents from the village confronted the attack and managed to force the settlers to withdraw.
They added that al-Mughayyir village is constantly attacked by Israeli settlers backed and protected by the Israeli army.
These attacks fall in line with a larger plan to take over the village in favor of settlement projects, they confirmed.
Israeli authorities shut down a Palestinian restaurant in Salah al-Din Street in occupied East Jerusalem, on Friday, under the pretext of hiring a West Bank resident as an employee.
Local sources said that Israeli authorities hung up an order closing Abu Ali Hummus and Falafel Restaurant for ten days under the pretext of employing a West Bank resident, who did not obtain an Israeli entry permit to enter Jerusalem.
Sources added that Rashdi Ishti, the owner of the restaurant, was summoned for interrogation by Israeli police forces and was informed regarding the order to shut down his business.
The owner did not receive prior notice concerning the Israeli decision.
Under Israel's permit regime, Palestinian residents of the West Bank are not allowed to access occupied East Jerusalem or Israel without an Israeli-issued permit, and many risk being shot and injured while trying to cross into Israel to work.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian workers are forced to seek a living by working in Israel due to crippling unemployment in the West Bank, as the growth of an independent Palestinian economy has been stifled under the ongoing Israeli military occupation, according to rights groups.
Workers who hold Israeli entry permits, however, must endure long waits either at the Checkpoint 300 or the Qalandiya Checkpoint, the only two access points Palestinians from the southern and central West Bank have to Jerusalem and Israel.
Additionally, the rules only allow Palestinians with blue identity card -- either those who are Israeli citizens of East Jerusalem residents -- from entering, meaning even Palestinians over the age of 45 who are from the West Bank or elsewhere are unable to enter.
Local sources said that Israeli authorities hung up an order closing Abu Ali Hummus and Falafel Restaurant for ten days under the pretext of employing a West Bank resident, who did not obtain an Israeli entry permit to enter Jerusalem.
Sources added that Rashdi Ishti, the owner of the restaurant, was summoned for interrogation by Israeli police forces and was informed regarding the order to shut down his business.
The owner did not receive prior notice concerning the Israeli decision.
Under Israel's permit regime, Palestinian residents of the West Bank are not allowed to access occupied East Jerusalem or Israel without an Israeli-issued permit, and many risk being shot and injured while trying to cross into Israel to work.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian workers are forced to seek a living by working in Israel due to crippling unemployment in the West Bank, as the growth of an independent Palestinian economy has been stifled under the ongoing Israeli military occupation, according to rights groups.
Workers who hold Israeli entry permits, however, must endure long waits either at the Checkpoint 300 or the Qalandiya Checkpoint, the only two access points Palestinians from the southern and central West Bank have to Jerusalem and Israel.
Additionally, the rules only allow Palestinians with blue identity card -- either those who are Israeli citizens of East Jerusalem residents -- from entering, meaning even Palestinians over the age of 45 who are from the West Bank or elsewhere are unable to enter.
UN special coordinator Nickolay Mladenov has announced the launch of efforts to provide 10,000 unemployed citizens in Gaza with temporary job opportunities.
“UN is moving forward on establishing 10,000 temporary jobs for youth and long-term unemployed Palestinians in Gaza,” Mladenov said in Twitter remarks on Thursday.
He affirmed that such step was part of ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation in Gaza, saying he is “glad to see agreements have been finalized.”
“UN is moving forward on establishing 10,000 temporary jobs for youth and long-term unemployed Palestinians in Gaza,” Mladenov said in Twitter remarks on Thursday.
He affirmed that such step was part of ongoing efforts to de-escalate the situation in Gaza, saying he is “glad to see agreements have been finalized.”
28 feb 2019
Israeli forces, today, uprooted some 350 olive saplings and razed lands in Khillet al-Dabe’, Masafer Yatta, in the Hebron area of the southern occupied West Bank, according to Rateb Jabour, coordinator of the National and Popular Committee in southern Hebron.
Jabour told WAFA that Israeli bulldozers razed lands and uprooted saplings planted by local residents and anti-settlement activists in the area, in order to reclaim the land and protect it from Israeli takeover.
The South Hebron Hills, known locally as Masafer Yatta, lie almost entirely in Area C, the 62 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli civil and security control since the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Masafer Yatta residents were expelled at the time of the establishment of a firing zone, in the 1970s, and were eventually allowed back, following a long court battle, but are under the constant threat of being expelled or seeing their homes demolished.
02/12/19 Army Uproots Over 500 Olive Trees in Jordan Valley
Jabour told WAFA that Israeli bulldozers razed lands and uprooted saplings planted by local residents and anti-settlement activists in the area, in order to reclaim the land and protect it from Israeli takeover.
The South Hebron Hills, known locally as Masafer Yatta, lie almost entirely in Area C, the 62 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli civil and security control since the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Masafer Yatta residents were expelled at the time of the establishment of a firing zone, in the 1970s, and were eventually allowed back, following a long court battle, but are under the constant threat of being expelled or seeing their homes demolished.
02/12/19 Army Uproots Over 500 Olive Trees in Jordan Valley
27 feb 2019
Israeli forces, today, prevented Palestinians from farming their lands in Jaloud village, to the south of Nablus, in the north of the West Bank, said a local official.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activities in the northern West Bank, said that Israeli soldiers prevented farmers of Jaloud from cultivating their own lands, located within Area B, which is administered by the Palestinian Authority but under Israeli military security, and adjacent to the illegal Ahiya settlement outpost.
He added, according to WAFA, that Israeli troops have repeatedly prevented Jaloud farmers from accessing this tract of farmland, which occupies tens of dunams.
Israeli forces and settlers from the settlement outposts of Yesh Kodesh and Ahiya, near the Adi Ad settlement, have regularly attacked Palestinians from nearby villages, including Jaloud, targeting their farmlands.
The attacks are intended to make life difficult for Palestinian villagers, to force them to leave and allow settlers to expand their settlements.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activities in the northern West Bank, said that Israeli soldiers prevented farmers of Jaloud from cultivating their own lands, located within Area B, which is administered by the Palestinian Authority but under Israeli military security, and adjacent to the illegal Ahiya settlement outpost.
He added, according to WAFA, that Israeli troops have repeatedly prevented Jaloud farmers from accessing this tract of farmland, which occupies tens of dunams.
Israeli forces and settlers from the settlement outposts of Yesh Kodesh and Ahiya, near the Adi Ad settlement, have regularly attacked Palestinians from nearby villages, including Jaloud, targeting their farmlands.
The attacks are intended to make life difficult for Palestinian villagers, to force them to leave and allow settlers to expand their settlements.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law.
26 feb 2019
Israeli forces delivered a halt-of-construction notice to an agricultural road in the Ithna town, west of the southern occupied West Bank city of Hebron, on Tuesday.
Abed al-Rahman Tmeizi, head of the Public Relations Department at the municipality of Ithna, reported that Israel has ordered the stop of construction on a 500-meter long road in western Ithna.
He pointed out that the road is located in an area of the village that is under full Israeli military control.
Tmeizi added that the road was being constructed to facilitate the movement of Palestinian farmers to their agricultural lands in the area.
Additionally, Israeli forces also delivered demolition and stop-construction notices to several Palestinian homes in the Shuyoukh town, northeast of Hebron.
Activist Ahmad al-Halayqa said that owners of these homes have the necessary papers and documents proving their ownership of the land.
Israel rarely grants Palestinians permits to build in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, although the estimated 550,000 Jewish Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory are more easily given building permits and allowed to expand their homes and properties.
Nearly all Palestinian applications for building permits in Area C are denied by the Israeli authorities, forcing communities to build illegally.
According to Palestinians and rights groups, Israel’s overall goal, both in its policies in Area C and Israel’s settlement enterprise, is to depopulate the land of its Palestinian residents and replace them with Jewish Israeli communities in order to manipulate population demographics in all of historic Palestine.
Abed al-Rahman Tmeizi, head of the Public Relations Department at the municipality of Ithna, reported that Israel has ordered the stop of construction on a 500-meter long road in western Ithna.
He pointed out that the road is located in an area of the village that is under full Israeli military control.
Tmeizi added that the road was being constructed to facilitate the movement of Palestinian farmers to their agricultural lands in the area.
Additionally, Israeli forces also delivered demolition and stop-construction notices to several Palestinian homes in the Shuyoukh town, northeast of Hebron.
Activist Ahmad al-Halayqa said that owners of these homes have the necessary papers and documents proving their ownership of the land.
Israel rarely grants Palestinians permits to build in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, although the estimated 550,000 Jewish Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory are more easily given building permits and allowed to expand their homes and properties.
Nearly all Palestinian applications for building permits in Area C are denied by the Israeli authorities, forcing communities to build illegally.
According to Palestinians and rights groups, Israel’s overall goal, both in its policies in Area C and Israel’s settlement enterprise, is to depopulate the land of its Palestinian residents and replace them with Jewish Israeli communities in order to manipulate population demographics in all of historic Palestine.
The Israeli occupation army on Tuesday morning launched a limited military incursion into Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip.
Several Israeli military bulldozers rolled a few hundred meters into Palestinian farmlands east of Beit Hanoun, local sources said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli forces fired tear gas bombs at Palestinian farmers working in their lands east of Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army on almost a daily basis carry out military incursions into blockaded Gaza and raze Palestinian farmlands in violation of the Egypt-sponsored ceasefire agreement signed by Israel and Palestinian resistance groups in 2014.
Several Israeli military bulldozers rolled a few hundred meters into Palestinian farmlands east of Beit Hanoun, local sources said.
Meanwhile, the Israeli forces fired tear gas bombs at Palestinian farmers working in their lands east of Khan Younis city in the southern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army on almost a daily basis carry out military incursions into blockaded Gaza and raze Palestinian farmlands in violation of the Egypt-sponsored ceasefire agreement signed by Israel and Palestinian resistance groups in 2014.
Japan’s Ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to Palestine, Takeshi Okubo. on Sunday, signed grant contracts for three electricity and water rehabilitation projects across the West Bank.
The Representative Office of Japan to Palestine said, in a press release, that Okubo signed grant contracts for two Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) with representatives of Ateel Municipality, Fahmeh village council, and Qarawat Bani Hassan Municipality, for a total amount of $262,804, at the Representative Office in Ramallah.
The Ateel Municipality, in the Tulkarem district, will use a fund of $84,675 to improve water supply for 350 households in 7 locations, at Ateel village, by replacing 16,000 m of old damaged water pipelines.
Fahmeh village council, in the Jenin district, will use a fund of $89,129 to solve the problem of electricity shortage and danger of non-isolated electricity wires by installing 8,000 m of isolated cables, a step that would directly benefit 2,000 residents.
Qarawat Bani Hassan Municipality in the Salfit district will also use a fund of $89,000 to rehabilitate 2,000 meters of water network in the town to improve tap water supply and enhance the water quantity and quality for 335 households and for 67 houses as direct beneficiaries.
Okubo congratulated Ateel Municipality, Fahmeh village council and Qarawat Bani Hassan Municipality, and wished them success in their project.
He emphasized Japan’s firm commitment of supporting Palestinian people from human security perspective as well as the importance of implementing social and economic development projects needed for Palestinian communities.
Since 1993 the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance amounting to approximately $1.86 billion to the Palestinians, WAFA reports.
The Representative Office of Japan to Palestine said, in a press release, that Okubo signed grant contracts for two Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) with representatives of Ateel Municipality, Fahmeh village council, and Qarawat Bani Hassan Municipality, for a total amount of $262,804, at the Representative Office in Ramallah.
The Ateel Municipality, in the Tulkarem district, will use a fund of $84,675 to improve water supply for 350 households in 7 locations, at Ateel village, by replacing 16,000 m of old damaged water pipelines.
Fahmeh village council, in the Jenin district, will use a fund of $89,129 to solve the problem of electricity shortage and danger of non-isolated electricity wires by installing 8,000 m of isolated cables, a step that would directly benefit 2,000 residents.
Qarawat Bani Hassan Municipality in the Salfit district will also use a fund of $89,000 to rehabilitate 2,000 meters of water network in the town to improve tap water supply and enhance the water quantity and quality for 335 households and for 67 houses as direct beneficiaries.
Okubo congratulated Ateel Municipality, Fahmeh village council and Qarawat Bani Hassan Municipality, and wished them success in their project.
He emphasized Japan’s firm commitment of supporting Palestinian people from human security perspective as well as the importance of implementing social and economic development projects needed for Palestinian communities.
Since 1993 the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance amounting to approximately $1.86 billion to the Palestinians, WAFA reports.
25 feb 2019
Israeli forces detained a Palestinian and confiscated his road roller as he was working in the Deir Ballout village in western Salfit in the northern occupied West Bank, on Monday.
Engineer Ibrahim al-Hamad, Head of the Agriculture Department in Salfit, told Ma'an that the Israeli Civil Administration, escorted by Israeli forces, confiscated a road roller that is used for rehabilitating an agricultural road, claiming that the road is in Areas B and C.
Al-Hamad added that the road is being rehabilitated in order to connect Palestinian agricultural lands in the area.
Additionally, Mayor of Deir Ballout Yahiya Mustafa, told Ma'an that the agricultural road was opened 10 years ago, pointing out that the Israeli authorities detained the owner of the road roller, Wassim al-Azzam, without delivering a stop-construction order or notice.
The 1995 Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israeli authorities divided the West Bank into Area A, B, and C.
Area A, comprising the populated Palestinian cities and making up 18 percent of the West Bank, would be controlled by the newly formed PA, while Area B remained under Israeli army control with the PA controlling civil affairs. Area C, the majority of the West Bank, however, was placed under full Israeli military control and contains the majority of natural resources and open spaces in the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli-controlled land was expected to be gradually transferred to the PA over a five-year period, according to the Oslo agreements. Yet, almost two decades later, the land has remained under Israeli control.
Area C, along with East Jerusalem, has been the site of rapid Israeli settlement expansions in contravention of international law, while Israel’s separation wall has further divided Palestinian communities and has restricted Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza from even visiting what was intended to be their capital.
Engineer Ibrahim al-Hamad, Head of the Agriculture Department in Salfit, told Ma'an that the Israeli Civil Administration, escorted by Israeli forces, confiscated a road roller that is used for rehabilitating an agricultural road, claiming that the road is in Areas B and C.
Al-Hamad added that the road is being rehabilitated in order to connect Palestinian agricultural lands in the area.
Additionally, Mayor of Deir Ballout Yahiya Mustafa, told Ma'an that the agricultural road was opened 10 years ago, pointing out that the Israeli authorities detained the owner of the road roller, Wassim al-Azzam, without delivering a stop-construction order or notice.
The 1995 Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israeli authorities divided the West Bank into Area A, B, and C.
Area A, comprising the populated Palestinian cities and making up 18 percent of the West Bank, would be controlled by the newly formed PA, while Area B remained under Israeli army control with the PA controlling civil affairs. Area C, the majority of the West Bank, however, was placed under full Israeli military control and contains the majority of natural resources and open spaces in the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli-controlled land was expected to be gradually transferred to the PA over a five-year period, according to the Oslo agreements. Yet, almost two decades later, the land has remained under Israeli control.
Area C, along with East Jerusalem, has been the site of rapid Israeli settlement expansions in contravention of international law, while Israel’s separation wall has further divided Palestinian communities and has restricted Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza from even visiting what was intended to be their capital.
Israeli bulldozers razed dozens of dunams and uprooted hundreds of Palestinian-owned trees, on Monday afternoon, on lands belonging to residents from the Bartaa village, southwest of the northern occupied West Bank district of Jenin.
According to local sources, Israeli forces along with bulldozers stormed the area and began to raze about 28 dunams (6.9 acres) of land. In addition, bulldozers uprooted 300 almond and olive trees.
Sources added that the razed land belonged to Jamal Sharif Amarneh.
According to Palestinians and rights groups, Israel's main goal, both in its policies in Area C, in which more than 60% of Palestinian land is under full Israeli control, and Israel's illegal settlement enterprise, is to depopulate the land of its Palestinian residents and to replace them with Jewish Israeli communities, in order to manipulate population demographics in all of historic Palestine.
The movement of Israeli settlers taking over Palestinian land, and further displacing the local Palestinian population has been a "stable" Israeli policy since the takeover of the West Bank and Jerusalem in 1967, B'Tselem said, underscoring that all "Israeli legislative, legal, planning, funding, and defense bodies" have played an active role in the dispossession of Palestinians from their lands.
B’Tselem also argued that under the guise of a "temporary military occupation," Israel has been "using the land as its own: robbing land, exploiting the area's natural resources for its own benefit and establishing permanent settlements," estimating that Israel had dispossessed Palestinians from some 200,000 hectares (494,211 acres) of lands in the occupied Palestinian territory over the years.
According to local sources, Israeli forces along with bulldozers stormed the area and began to raze about 28 dunams (6.9 acres) of land. In addition, bulldozers uprooted 300 almond and olive trees.
Sources added that the razed land belonged to Jamal Sharif Amarneh.
According to Palestinians and rights groups, Israel's main goal, both in its policies in Area C, in which more than 60% of Palestinian land is under full Israeli control, and Israel's illegal settlement enterprise, is to depopulate the land of its Palestinian residents and to replace them with Jewish Israeli communities, in order to manipulate population demographics in all of historic Palestine.
The movement of Israeli settlers taking over Palestinian land, and further displacing the local Palestinian population has been a "stable" Israeli policy since the takeover of the West Bank and Jerusalem in 1967, B'Tselem said, underscoring that all "Israeli legislative, legal, planning, funding, and defense bodies" have played an active role in the dispossession of Palestinians from their lands.
B’Tselem also argued that under the guise of a "temporary military occupation," Israel has been "using the land as its own: robbing land, exploiting the area's natural resources for its own benefit and establishing permanent settlements," estimating that Israel had dispossessed Palestinians from some 200,000 hectares (494,211 acres) of lands in the occupied Palestinian territory over the years.
Israeli naval forces opened heavy fire, on Monday, towards Palestinian fishing boats off the coast of Beit Lahiya, in the northern besieged Gaza Strip.
A Ma'an reporter said that Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinians fishing boats within the permitted fishing zone, forcing the fishermen to head back to shore in fear for their lives.
No injuries were reported.
According to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israel’s blockade of the coastal enclave has seriously undermined the ability for Gazan fishermen to make a living at sea.
The Israeli army regularly detains and opens fire on unarmed Palestinian fishermen, shepherds, and farmers along the border areas if they approach the unilaterally declared buffer zone.
Israeli human rights group B'Tselem recently concluded that Israel's Gaza closure and "harassment of fishermen" have been "destroying Gaza's fishing sector," with 95% of fishermen living below the poverty line.
Additionally, Local rights organization, Al-Haq, has documented many cases of Israeli aggression toward Palestinian fishermen off the Gazan coast, calling the Israel's action against the fishermen "collective punishment" that imposes "difficult economic and social conditions."
A Ma'an reporter said that Israeli naval forces opened fire at Palestinians fishing boats within the permitted fishing zone, forcing the fishermen to head back to shore in fear for their lives.
No injuries were reported.
According to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Israel’s blockade of the coastal enclave has seriously undermined the ability for Gazan fishermen to make a living at sea.
The Israeli army regularly detains and opens fire on unarmed Palestinian fishermen, shepherds, and farmers along the border areas if they approach the unilaterally declared buffer zone.
Israeli human rights group B'Tselem recently concluded that Israel's Gaza closure and "harassment of fishermen" have been "destroying Gaza's fishing sector," with 95% of fishermen living below the poverty line.
Additionally, Local rights organization, Al-Haq, has documented many cases of Israeli aggression toward Palestinian fishermen off the Gazan coast, calling the Israel's action against the fishermen "collective punishment" that imposes "difficult economic and social conditions."
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Israeli forces destroyed two solar panels used for providing electricity to two homes in Wadi Sair area in southeastern Hebron of the southern occupied West Bank, on Sunday.
Locals reported that Israeli soldiers escorting Israeli settlers into the area and destroyed two solar panels providing electricity to two homes in Jorat al-Khayl area in Wadi Sair. Israeli soldiers destroyed the contents of three homes and confiscated surveillance camera recordings. The homes belong to locals Ibrahim Khalil Shalaldeh and Abdullah Ibrahim Shalaldeh, in addition to the home of Ahmad Shalaldeh; that was raided and damaged by Israeli settlers. |
Between 500,000 and 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.
According to a report by Israeli NGO B'Tselem, Israeli settlers' vandalism in the occupied West Bank is a daily routine and is fully backed by Israeli authorities.
According to a report by Israeli NGO B'Tselem, Israeli settlers' vandalism in the occupied West Bank is a daily routine and is fully backed by Israeli authorities.
