18 mar 2019
A United Nations human rights investigator stressed that Israel is depriving millions of Palestinians of access to a regular supply of clean water while stripping their lands of minerals "in an apparent act of pillage,” on Monday.
Michael Lynk, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, said that Israel "continues full-steam with settlement expansion" in the occupied West Bank.
Lynk added, “There are some 20-25,000 new settlers a year.”
According to settlement watchdog Peace Now, under Netanyahu’s government, intensive activity to restore the widespread phenomenon of illegal outposts deep inside the West Bank has increased.
Since the occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 1967, between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis have moved into Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of international law.
The estimated 196 government recognized Israeli settlements scattered across the Palestinian territory are all considered illegal under international law.
Michael Lynk, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, said that Israel "continues full-steam with settlement expansion" in the occupied West Bank.
Lynk added, “There are some 20-25,000 new settlers a year.”
According to settlement watchdog Peace Now, under Netanyahu’s government, intensive activity to restore the widespread phenomenon of illegal outposts deep inside the West Bank has increased.
Since the occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in 1967, between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis have moved into Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, in violation of international law.
The estimated 196 government recognized Israeli settlements scattered across the Palestinian territory are all considered illegal under international law.
The Israeli occupation forces on Monday morning broke into a Palestinian shop owned by Abu Laila family in Biddya town in Salfit.
Local sources said that the Israeli forces blew up the door of a clothes shop owned by Mustafa Abu Laila during a raid on Biddya.
Hours later, the Israeli forces withdrew from the place after seizing the surveillance camera recordings of Abu Laila's shop, the sources added.
Local sources said that the Israeli forces blew up the door of a clothes shop owned by Mustafa Abu Laila during a raid on Biddya.
Hours later, the Israeli forces withdrew from the place after seizing the surveillance camera recordings of Abu Laila's shop, the sources added.
Israeli soldiers invaded, Monday, Khirbat Um Neer village, east of Yatta town, in the southern West Bank governorate of Hebron, and demolished a water well.
Rateb Jabour, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in southern Hebron, said the soldiers demolished the well, allegedly for being dug without a permit.
He added that the Palestinian who owned the well, identified as Farid Ahmad Jabour, used it to collect rain water for his home and farmland, amidst frequent water shortages in the area.
Jabour also said that the well is near the illegal Israeli Susya colony, which was built on private Palestinian lands, and stated that the army and the colonists carry out frequent violations against the villagers, their homes and lands, to force them to leave.
In related news, illegal Israeli colonists installed several mobile homes on Palestinian lands, in the southeastern area of Kufur Qaddoum town, east of Qalqilia, in northern West Bank.
The colonists installed the homes near Kedumim illegal colony, while dozens of soldiers were deployed in the area, and on roads between Qalqilia and Nablus.
Rateb Jabour, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in southern Hebron, said the soldiers demolished the well, allegedly for being dug without a permit.
He added that the Palestinian who owned the well, identified as Farid Ahmad Jabour, used it to collect rain water for his home and farmland, amidst frequent water shortages in the area.
Jabour also said that the well is near the illegal Israeli Susya colony, which was built on private Palestinian lands, and stated that the army and the colonists carry out frequent violations against the villagers, their homes and lands, to force them to leave.
In related news, illegal Israeli colonists installed several mobile homes on Palestinian lands, in the southeastern area of Kufur Qaddoum town, east of Qalqilia, in northern West Bank.
The colonists installed the homes near Kedumim illegal colony, while dozens of soldiers were deployed in the area, and on roads between Qalqilia and Nablus.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Monday evening kidnapped two Palestinian farmers from their land near Rummanah town, west of Jenin in the West Bank, on a charge of their presence near the Salem military base.
Local sources told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Israeli soldiers from the Salem base rounded up farmers Ameen Abdul-Raouf and Mohamed Abu Khattab as they were working their land near Rummanah town.
They added that the soldiers subdued the farmers and transferred them to the base.
Local sources told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Israeli soldiers from the Salem base rounded up farmers Ameen Abdul-Raouf and Mohamed Abu Khattab as they were working their land near Rummanah town.
They added that the soldiers subdued the farmers and transferred them to the base.
17 mar 2019
Israeli forces opened heavy fire towards Palestinian farmers and shepherds, on Sunday, in the southern besieged Gaza Strip.
A Ma'an reporter said that Israeli forces deployed in military watchtowers opened fire towards Palestinian agricultural lands east of Rafah, in southern Gaza, targeting farmers and shepherds.
No injuries were reported.
The Israeli army also regularly detains and opens fire on unarmed Palestinian fishermen, shepherds, and farmers along the border areas if they approach the buffer zone, as the authorities have not made clear the precise area of the designated zone.
The practice has in effect destroyed much of the agricultural and fishing sector of the blockaded coastal enclave, which has been under an Israeli air, land, and sea blockade for nearly 12 years.
A Ma'an reporter said that Israeli forces deployed in military watchtowers opened fire towards Palestinian agricultural lands east of Rafah, in southern Gaza, targeting farmers and shepherds.
No injuries were reported.
The Israeli army also regularly detains and opens fire on unarmed Palestinian fishermen, shepherds, and farmers along the border areas if they approach the buffer zone, as the authorities have not made clear the precise area of the designated zone.
The practice has in effect destroyed much of the agricultural and fishing sector of the blockaded coastal enclave, which has been under an Israeli air, land, and sea blockade for nearly 12 years.
14 mar 2019
The Government of Japan contributed a new assistance for 2019 of $32,983,034 to the Palestinian people for projects to be carried out through mainly United Nations organizations and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), on Thursday.
According to a press statement by the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine, in the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, the new contribution, which will be disbursed for all projects by the end of March, includes assistance for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (UNRWA) at the amount of over $17.7 million, most going for emergency response for humanitarian assistance in the besieged Gaza Strip at a total of $13.2 million.
A total of $3.3 million will towards the installation of solar energy panels to mitigate the energy crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, in addition to urgent support for health and protection needs through, information and communication technology sector development, as well as employability and technical skills for resilient Palestinian youth through.
In addition, other projects will also be implemented in partnership with various international organizations in collaboration with Japanese NGOs.
The statement said that the philosophy of the new assistance lies in strengthening humanitarian assistance for refugees and internally displaced people, supporting social stabilization and de-radicalization through education and job creation for the youth, and promoting women’s health, to name a few.
The statement added, "The Government of Japan is strongly committed to supporting the two-state solution through those humanitarian and developmental projects."
While the grand total for the occupied Palestinian territories amounts to $27,706,249, the Government of Japan would also provides UNRWA with an additional $5,276,784 to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon with $580,357 and Syria with $4,696,427, bringing the total amount of the budget including these supports to $32,983,034.
Since 1993, the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance amounting to approximately $1.9 billion to Palestine.
According to a press statement by the Representative Office of Japan to Palestine, in the central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, the new contribution, which will be disbursed for all projects by the end of March, includes assistance for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (UNRWA) at the amount of over $17.7 million, most going for emergency response for humanitarian assistance in the besieged Gaza Strip at a total of $13.2 million.
A total of $3.3 million will towards the installation of solar energy panels to mitigate the energy crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, in addition to urgent support for health and protection needs through, information and communication technology sector development, as well as employability and technical skills for resilient Palestinian youth through.
In addition, other projects will also be implemented in partnership with various international organizations in collaboration with Japanese NGOs.
The statement said that the philosophy of the new assistance lies in strengthening humanitarian assistance for refugees and internally displaced people, supporting social stabilization and de-radicalization through education and job creation for the youth, and promoting women’s health, to name a few.
The statement added, "The Government of Japan is strongly committed to supporting the two-state solution through those humanitarian and developmental projects."
While the grand total for the occupied Palestinian territories amounts to $27,706,249, the Government of Japan would also provides UNRWA with an additional $5,276,784 to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon with $580,357 and Syria with $4,696,427, bringing the total amount of the budget including these supports to $32,983,034.
Since 1993, the Government of Japan has extended its official development assistance amounting to approximately $1.9 billion to Palestine.
Heads of Cooperation from European missions in occupied Jerusalem and central occupied West Bank city of Ramallah met with a number of Palestinian businesses in East Jerusalem, on Thursday.
The European Union said, in a statement, that the delegation was briefed on the challenges faced by both large and small Palestinian enterprises, as well as on the efforts of Palestinian and international bodies to support them.
European Heads of Cooperation first visited Palestinian shops near New Gate, which have long suffered from low visitor numbers.
Representatives from the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), and the Custody of the Holy Land explained how they are supporting local business development as part of efforts to revitalize the area. Their support includes the provision of expertise in business sustainability and financial support to rehabilitate premises.
The statement added that the delegation showed its support to activities which sustain Palestinian cultural life in East Jerusalem by next visiting al-Mamal Foundation, an exhibition space for contemporary art where the group heard about the work of the Shafaq Network of cultural institutions in East Jerusalem in increasing the size of Palestinian audiences to cultural activities throughout East Jerusalem.
The European representatives then held talks with a number of Palestinian bodies which are each enabling economic activity in Jerusalem through investment: the Islamic Endowment (Waqf) welcomed international support to rehabilitate its properties, under the Productivity and Urban Renewal in East Jerusalem (PURE) program of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); the Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jerusalem described how it was responding to the legal, financial and planning needs of merchants, despite being banned from operating in Jerusalem by the Government of Israel since 2001; the Alquds Fund and Endowment highlighted its substantial contribution to empower residents and preserve the Palestinian character of East Jerusalem; and the Palestine for Development Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation founded by the Palestine Investment Fund, explained the rationale behind its grant financing to sustainable small businesses.
The statement pointed out that many of the above initiatives are funded by the EU and its Member States.
The European Union said, in a statement, that the delegation was briefed on the challenges faced by both large and small Palestinian enterprises, as well as on the efforts of Palestinian and international bodies to support them.
European Heads of Cooperation first visited Palestinian shops near New Gate, which have long suffered from low visitor numbers.
Representatives from the United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat), and the Custody of the Holy Land explained how they are supporting local business development as part of efforts to revitalize the area. Their support includes the provision of expertise in business sustainability and financial support to rehabilitate premises.
The statement added that the delegation showed its support to activities which sustain Palestinian cultural life in East Jerusalem by next visiting al-Mamal Foundation, an exhibition space for contemporary art where the group heard about the work of the Shafaq Network of cultural institutions in East Jerusalem in increasing the size of Palestinian audiences to cultural activities throughout East Jerusalem.
The European representatives then held talks with a number of Palestinian bodies which are each enabling economic activity in Jerusalem through investment: the Islamic Endowment (Waqf) welcomed international support to rehabilitate its properties, under the Productivity and Urban Renewal in East Jerusalem (PURE) program of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); the Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jerusalem described how it was responding to the legal, financial and planning needs of merchants, despite being banned from operating in Jerusalem by the Government of Israel since 2001; the Alquds Fund and Endowment highlighted its substantial contribution to empower residents and preserve the Palestinian character of East Jerusalem; and the Palestine for Development Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation founded by the Palestine Investment Fund, explained the rationale behind its grant financing to sustainable small businesses.
The statement pointed out that many of the above initiatives are funded by the EU and its Member States.
Israeli forces detained three Palestinian shepherds, on Wednesday afternoon, in the northern Jordan Valley.
Mutaz Bisharat, a Palestinian official who monitors settlement activity in the Jordan Valley/Tubas district, told Ma'an that Israeli forces detained three Palestinian shepherds in the Tel al Hema area.
Bisharat identified the detained shepherds as Hani Mhamoud Awad Abwab, Hassan Salem Abu Zahou along with his brother Ibrahim.
The shepherds were taken by Israeli forces to an unknown location.
Mutaz Bisharat, a Palestinian official who monitors settlement activity in the Jordan Valley/Tubas district, told Ma'an that Israeli forces detained three Palestinian shepherds in the Tel al Hema area.
Bisharat identified the detained shepherds as Hani Mhamoud Awad Abwab, Hassan Salem Abu Zahou along with his brother Ibrahim.
The shepherds were taken by Israeli forces to an unknown location.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Wednesday night warned Palestinian shepherds of grazing their cattle in al-Farisiya area in the northern Jordanian Valley.
Local activist Aref Daraghmeh said that Israeli soldiers stormed last night al-Farisiya tents and ordered the residents not to graze their sheep in the green areas near the settlements.
Palestinian shepherds in the northern Jordan Valley are exposed to daily violations and assaulted by the IOF and Jewish settlers.
Local activist Aref Daraghmeh said that Israeli soldiers stormed last night al-Farisiya tents and ordered the residents not to graze their sheep in the green areas near the settlements.
Palestinian shepherds in the northern Jordan Valley are exposed to daily violations and assaulted by the IOF and Jewish settlers.
13 mar 2019
Israeli soldiers invaded, Wednesday, the city of Beit Jala, west of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, and demolished a barn and an agricultural shed.
Media sources said the soldiers invaded Wadi al-Makhrour area, west of Beit Jala, and demolished a 120 square/meter barn, in addition to an agricultural shed.
They added that the demolished structures are owned by a Palestinian farmer, identified as Bassem Zeit, and were built nearly two years ago on his own land.
It is worth mentioning that Wadi al-Makhrour has recently witnessed serious Israeli violations and escalation, as the soldiers demolished many barns and sheds, and have been preventing the Palestinians from having any sort of construction in the area, for the benefit of Israel’s illegal construction and expansion of its colonies, in direct violation of International Law.
Media sources said the soldiers invaded Wadi al-Makhrour area, west of Beit Jala, and demolished a 120 square/meter barn, in addition to an agricultural shed.
They added that the demolished structures are owned by a Palestinian farmer, identified as Bassem Zeit, and were built nearly two years ago on his own land.
It is worth mentioning that Wadi al-Makhrour has recently witnessed serious Israeli violations and escalation, as the soldiers demolished many barns and sheds, and have been preventing the Palestinians from having any sort of construction in the area, for the benefit of Israel’s illegal construction and expansion of its colonies, in direct violation of International Law.
12 mar 2019
A group of Israeli settlers uprooted dozens of Palestinian-owned olive trees, on Tuesday, in an agricultural area near the Burin village, south of the northern occupied West Bank.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma'an that Israeli settlers from the illegal Yitzhar settlement stormed an agricultural area near the main road of the settlement.
Daghlas pointed out that about 33 olive trees were uprooted by Israeli forces and belong to Palestinian resident, Castro Mahmoud Qadrous.
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.
B'Tselem reported that "In just over two months, from the beginning of May to 7 July 2018, B'Tselem documented 10 instances in which settlers destroyed a total of more than 2,000 trees and grapevines and burned down a barley field and bales of hay."
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.
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.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma'an that Israeli settlers from the illegal Yitzhar settlement stormed an agricultural area near the main road of the settlement.
Daghlas pointed out that about 33 olive trees were uprooted by Israeli forces and belong to Palestinian resident, Castro Mahmoud Qadrous.
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.
B'Tselem reported that "In just over two months, from the beginning of May to 7 July 2018, B'Tselem documented 10 instances in which settlers destroyed a total of more than 2,000 trees and grapevines and burned down a barley field and bales of hay."
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.
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.
The Israeli authorities on Monday afternoon demolished a garage for used auto parts in ar-Rama town in the Galilee at the pretext that the place was unlicensed.
The owner received a demolition notice issued against his garage a few days ago, but Israeli bulldozers escorted by police forces came suddenly and razed the place to the ground.
According to Arab48 website, the owner had already been given 30 days to evacuate his garage and forced to pay financial penalties.
The owner received a demolition notice issued against his garage a few days ago, but Israeli bulldozers escorted by police forces came suddenly and razed the place to the ground.
According to Arab48 website, the owner had already been given 30 days to evacuate his garage and forced to pay financial penalties.
A horde of Jewish settlers on Monday afternoon attacked Palestinian farmers in Burin town, south of Nablus, as they were working their lands.
Burin mayor Yahiya Qadous said that more than 25 settlers from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar brutalized a group of farmers as they were plowing their plots of land in al-Mayadin area, south of the town, and tried to expel them from their own lands.
After obtaining a permit from the Israeli military authorities, the farmers had brought agricultural tractors to their lands in the morning to plow them.
They have been prevented many times by the Israeli army to reach their lands at the pretext they are located near Yitzhar settlement.
Burin mayor Yahiya Qadous said that more than 25 settlers from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar brutalized a group of farmers as they were plowing their plots of land in al-Mayadin area, south of the town, and tried to expel them from their own lands.
After obtaining a permit from the Israeli military authorities, the farmers had brought agricultural tractors to their lands in the morning to plow them.
They have been prevented many times by the Israeli army to reach their lands at the pretext they are located near Yitzhar settlement.
11 mar 2019
A Palestinian teenage fisherman on Monday afternoon suffered a rubber bullet injury when Israeli naval forces opened fire at him off the coast of the Gaza Strip.
According to the agricultural work committees in Gaza, 15-year-old Khalil Miqdad, a resident of ash-Shati refugee camp was wounded by a rubber bullet fired from an Israeli gunboat.
Miqdad was working aboard his boat within the permitted fishing area in the northern waters of Gaza, particularly off the shore of Beit Lahia.
Earlier in the morning, the Israeli navy kidnapped two fishermen and confiscated their boat.
In this regard, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said that Gaza fishermen had been assaulted five times during the last three days by Israeli naval forces.
The Center added that seven fishermen were arrested, two fishing boats were confiscated and three others sustained damage during those assaults.
The Center also noted that Israeli warplanes recently bombed two buildings belonging to the union of fishermen in central Gaza and Khan Younis.
According to the agricultural work committees in Gaza, 15-year-old Khalil Miqdad, a resident of ash-Shati refugee camp was wounded by a rubber bullet fired from an Israeli gunboat.
Miqdad was working aboard his boat within the permitted fishing area in the northern waters of Gaza, particularly off the shore of Beit Lahia.
Earlier in the morning, the Israeli navy kidnapped two fishermen and confiscated their boat.
In this regard, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights said that Gaza fishermen had been assaulted five times during the last three days by Israeli naval forces.
The Center added that seven fishermen were arrested, two fishing boats were confiscated and three others sustained damage during those assaults.
The Center also noted that Israeli warplanes recently bombed two buildings belonging to the union of fishermen in central Gaza and Khan Younis.
Israeli navy ships attacked, Monday, Palestinian fishing boats in the Waha Sea area, northwest of Gaza city, and abducted two fishermen.
Media sources said the navy fired many live rounds at the fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters, in addition to using water cannons, and surrounded one boat before abducting two fishermen, identified as Mohammad Adnan Sultan and Hasan Akram Zayed.
The attack is part of ongoing violations against the fishermen in the besieged Gaza Strip, in addition to constant violations targeting farmers and shepherds on Palestinian lands close to the perimeter fence, in the eastern parts of the coastal region.
Media sources said the navy fired many live rounds at the fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters, in addition to using water cannons, and surrounded one boat before abducting two fishermen, identified as Mohammad Adnan Sultan and Hasan Akram Zayed.
The attack is part of ongoing violations against the fishermen in the besieged Gaza Strip, in addition to constant violations targeting farmers and shepherds on Palestinian lands close to the perimeter fence, in the eastern parts of the coastal region.
The Israeli occupation police on Sunday confiscated two donkeys belonging to a Palestinian shepherd in Ein el-Hilweh area in the northern Jordan Valley, east of the West Bank.
Local official Omar Fuqha said that Israeli police officers appropriated two donkeys belonging to a shepherd called Qadri Zamel at the pretext they were grazing in a nature reserve.
The Israeli army and police had already confiscated several farm animals belonging to Palestinians in the West Bank under different pretexts.
Local official Omar Fuqha said that Israeli police officers appropriated two donkeys belonging to a shepherd called Qadri Zamel at the pretext they were grazing in a nature reserve.
The Israeli army and police had already confiscated several farm animals belonging to Palestinians in the West Bank under different pretexts.
