25 june 2019
Israeli forces seized construction equipment and an agricultural tractor from inside ‘al-Tahadi 17’ school, in the village of Thahr al-Maleh, to the southwest of the city of Jenin, in the north of the occupied West Bank, said a local official.
Omar al-Khatib, head of Thahr al-Maleh village council, told WAFA that Israeli forces, accompanied by staff from the Israeli planning and building committee, stormed the village of Thahr al-Maleh, and raided the school, where a new project for the construction of new health units and a fence for the school were underway.
Forces reportedly seized the tractor and construction equipment, including bricks, sand, cement and twisted wires, from inside the school, to prevent the completion of the project, citing unpermitted construction as a pretext.
Omar al-Khatib, head of Thahr al-Maleh village council, told WAFA that Israeli forces, accompanied by staff from the Israeli planning and building committee, stormed the village of Thahr al-Maleh, and raided the school, where a new project for the construction of new health units and a fence for the school were underway.
Forces reportedly seized the tractor and construction equipment, including bricks, sand, cement and twisted wires, from inside the school, to prevent the completion of the project, citing unpermitted construction as a pretext.
22 june 2019
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On Friday evening, Israeli soldiers, including undercover officers, invaded the Islamic Industrial School for Orphans, in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, and stopped an educational activity held by the General Union of Palestinians Writers.
Media sources said the school was about to hold a poetry festival, dubbed as “Yes To Peace, No To War,” and shut it down. The activity was organized by several Palestinian poets in occupied Jerusalem, and was meant to encourage the students to read and write, and to help them realize their potentials and talents. video The sources added that the soldiers, accompanied by undercover police officers, stormed the school just minutes before the festival was supposed to start, and shut it down. The Israeli Police said that it has a direct order, signed by the Israeli |
Minister of Public Security and Strategic Affairs, Gilad Erdan, preventing any activity, organized or linked in any way shape or form, with the Palestinian authority.
21 june 2019
The Israeli High Court has granted its approval for the demolition of 16 apartment buildings of 100 flats in Wadi al-Hummus neighborhood in Sur Baher village, south of occupied East Jerusalem, for “being built close to the Annexation Wall.”
The court upheld allegations by the military in which it claimed that the buildings are close to the Annexation Wall, and “pose a security threat,” due to their proximity to the illegal wall.
The Palestinians were ordered to demolish the apartments by July 18th, or face very high fines and fees, in addition to the demolition costs, should the Jerusalem City Council demolish their buildings.
Khalil Tafakji, the head of the Maps Department of the Arab Studies Society in occupied Jerusalem, said Wadi al-Hummus is in Area A of the West Bank, supposedly under the full control of the Palestinian Authority as per the Oslo Accords.
Tafakji added that when Israel started the construction of the illegal Annexation Wall in 2003, Sur Baher residents filed appeals against the planned route of the wall, as it passes right through the center of the village.
Israel then adjusted the route, keeping the entire neighborhood inside the boundaries of the wall, instead of being isolated from Jerusalem, or split in half.
He also stated that, since the neighborhood was considered to be in Area A, the Palestinians obtained construction permits from the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government.
In addition, Tafakji said that the Israeli High Court based its decision on an order, issued seven years ago by the military commander in the area, preventing the Palestinians from constructing in any area that is less than 250 meters from the Annexation Wall.
“What is happening in Sur Baher is similar to what Israel is trying to implement in the Shayyah area, in the al-Ezariyya town, and all other Palestinian communities around occupied Jerusalem,” Tafakji stated, “All these resolutions are demographic in nature, only aim at removing the Palestinians from Jerusalem.”
There are around 6000 Palestinians living in Wadi al-Hummus neighborhood, who now all face displacement, especially after the court only granted them one month to demolish their buildings.
On his part, Attorney Haitham Khatib, the head of the Legal Department of The Catholic Center for Human Rights, Sr. Yves, said the Israeli court completely adopted the allegation of the Israeli military in its ruling, which violates the basic rights of the Palestinian people.
Khatib added that this ruling is very serious, as it could also be implemented in all Palestinian areas, where the Wall was built near them, across the West Bank, and not only in Jerusalem.
He also said that, in 2011, the Military Commander in the occupied West Bank, issued an order denying the Palestinians the right to build in any area within 250 meters from the Wall, and added that, although the decision remained active, it was never implemented.
However, in the year 2018, the Israeli army decided to implement the ruling, and started by handing demolition orders targeting 16 apartment buildings in Wadi al-Hummus neighborhood.
“This is a very serious violation of the Palestinians rights; this ruling is a green light for the demolition of hundreds of homes in all Palestinian communities and neighborhoods where Israel built Annexation Wall close to them,” Khatib said.
On his part, the Palestinian Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Fadi al-Hadmi, said that the Ministry’s Legal Department is following this issue, in cooperation with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, especially since these orders are serious violations not only of basic Palestinian rights, but also of International Law, International Humanitarian Law and the Fourth Geneva Conventions.
“The International Community must end is silence and uphold its responsibilities in protecting the Palestinian people from the Israeli apartheid policies,” al-Hadmi stated, “We will continue to defend our people, our existence in Jerusalem, and we will counter these racist policies and rulings.”
A report by the “Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission” has revealed that, last year, Israel demolished 471 Palestinian buildings, and issued orders for the destruction of an additional 546 structures, including 50 schools.
The report said that, although the demotions were mainly carried out in and around occupied East Jerusalem, they also included many areas in other parts of the West Bank.
The court upheld allegations by the military in which it claimed that the buildings are close to the Annexation Wall, and “pose a security threat,” due to their proximity to the illegal wall.
The Palestinians were ordered to demolish the apartments by July 18th, or face very high fines and fees, in addition to the demolition costs, should the Jerusalem City Council demolish their buildings.
Khalil Tafakji, the head of the Maps Department of the Arab Studies Society in occupied Jerusalem, said Wadi al-Hummus is in Area A of the West Bank, supposedly under the full control of the Palestinian Authority as per the Oslo Accords.
Tafakji added that when Israel started the construction of the illegal Annexation Wall in 2003, Sur Baher residents filed appeals against the planned route of the wall, as it passes right through the center of the village.
Israel then adjusted the route, keeping the entire neighborhood inside the boundaries of the wall, instead of being isolated from Jerusalem, or split in half.
He also stated that, since the neighborhood was considered to be in Area A, the Palestinians obtained construction permits from the Palestinian Ministry of Local Government.
In addition, Tafakji said that the Israeli High Court based its decision on an order, issued seven years ago by the military commander in the area, preventing the Palestinians from constructing in any area that is less than 250 meters from the Annexation Wall.
“What is happening in Sur Baher is similar to what Israel is trying to implement in the Shayyah area, in the al-Ezariyya town, and all other Palestinian communities around occupied Jerusalem,” Tafakji stated, “All these resolutions are demographic in nature, only aim at removing the Palestinians from Jerusalem.”
There are around 6000 Palestinians living in Wadi al-Hummus neighborhood, who now all face displacement, especially after the court only granted them one month to demolish their buildings.
On his part, Attorney Haitham Khatib, the head of the Legal Department of The Catholic Center for Human Rights, Sr. Yves, said the Israeli court completely adopted the allegation of the Israeli military in its ruling, which violates the basic rights of the Palestinian people.
Khatib added that this ruling is very serious, as it could also be implemented in all Palestinian areas, where the Wall was built near them, across the West Bank, and not only in Jerusalem.
He also said that, in 2011, the Military Commander in the occupied West Bank, issued an order denying the Palestinians the right to build in any area within 250 meters from the Wall, and added that, although the decision remained active, it was never implemented.
However, in the year 2018, the Israeli army decided to implement the ruling, and started by handing demolition orders targeting 16 apartment buildings in Wadi al-Hummus neighborhood.
“This is a very serious violation of the Palestinians rights; this ruling is a green light for the demolition of hundreds of homes in all Palestinian communities and neighborhoods where Israel built Annexation Wall close to them,” Khatib said.
On his part, the Palestinian Minister for Jerusalem Affairs Fadi al-Hadmi, said that the Ministry’s Legal Department is following this issue, in cooperation with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, especially since these orders are serious violations not only of basic Palestinian rights, but also of International Law, International Humanitarian Law and the Fourth Geneva Conventions.
“The International Community must end is silence and uphold its responsibilities in protecting the Palestinian people from the Israeli apartheid policies,” al-Hadmi stated, “We will continue to defend our people, our existence in Jerusalem, and we will counter these racist policies and rulings.”
A report by the “Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission” has revealed that, last year, Israel demolished 471 Palestinian buildings, and issued orders for the destruction of an additional 546 structures, including 50 schools.
The report said that, although the demotions were mainly carried out in and around occupied East Jerusalem, they also included many areas in other parts of the West Bank.
5 june 2019
In an attack that took place, on Wednesday June 5th, illegal Israeli colonialist settlers were caught on surveillance recordings attacking a Palestinian school, and burning olive orchards, in Jaloud village, southeast of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The cameras show around 10 colonists throwing stones and invading a Palestinian school in the village, before smashing the windows of its small canteen. video
The children in the school are also seen running away for shelter, to protect themselves from the invading colonists.
It is wort mentioning that the school is located near Palestinian orchards, that separate it from an illegal Israeli colony.
The assailants attacked the school approximately at 10:30 in the morning, when they started throwing stones, before invading it and damaging the small canteen in the school, while the Palestinian children as seen trying to escape the assault.
Shortly after attacking the school, the colonists invaded nearby Palestinian lands, and set them ablaze. video
The fire spread fast before the Palestinian firefighters rushed to the area, and started extinguishing it. video
Resident Malek Mahmoud Fawzi, who is one of the family members who own the orchards, said the trees were planted 65 years ago, and that the area contained around 1500 trees; nearly500 of them were burnt.
He added that he filed a complaint with the District Coordination Office, but the Israeli army or police did not even come to the area to inspect the damage, and stated that this is the second time the colonists burn his trees.
Israel later sent a firefighting aircraft to aid in extinguishing the fire, especially since they spread to areas close to the illegal colonies of Shvut Rachel and Ahiya, which were built in private Palestinians. video
It is worth mentioning that Israeli colonists hurled stones at Palestinian cars in Yasuf village, southwest of Nablus, in addition to smashing the windows of a home while the family was inside, and also broke the windows of their cars and attempted to burn property.
The cameras show around 10 colonists throwing stones and invading a Palestinian school in the village, before smashing the windows of its small canteen. video
The children in the school are also seen running away for shelter, to protect themselves from the invading colonists.
It is wort mentioning that the school is located near Palestinian orchards, that separate it from an illegal Israeli colony.
The assailants attacked the school approximately at 10:30 in the morning, when they started throwing stones, before invading it and damaging the small canteen in the school, while the Palestinian children as seen trying to escape the assault.
Shortly after attacking the school, the colonists invaded nearby Palestinian lands, and set them ablaze. video
The fire spread fast before the Palestinian firefighters rushed to the area, and started extinguishing it. video
Resident Malek Mahmoud Fawzi, who is one of the family members who own the orchards, said the trees were planted 65 years ago, and that the area contained around 1500 trees; nearly500 of them were burnt.
He added that he filed a complaint with the District Coordination Office, but the Israeli army or police did not even come to the area to inspect the damage, and stated that this is the second time the colonists burn his trees.
Israel later sent a firefighting aircraft to aid in extinguishing the fire, especially since they spread to areas close to the illegal colonies of Shvut Rachel and Ahiya, which were built in private Palestinians. video
It is worth mentioning that Israeli colonists hurled stones at Palestinian cars in Yasuf village, southwest of Nablus, in addition to smashing the windows of a home while the family was inside, and also broke the windows of their cars and attempted to burn property.
1 june 2019
Palestinian students listen to a teacher inside a prefabricated classroom in the occupied West Bank
Israeli authorities are reportedly going to auction two prefabricated classrooms that were donated to Palestinian schoolchildren by the European Union.
According to a report published by the British daily The Guardian, the classrooms, which were torn down and confiscated by Israeli forces in October last year, will be put up for sale next week.
They had been intended for 49 Palestinian students of primary school age in the northern occupied West Bank village of Ibziq.
An advertisement published in the Israeli Hebrew-language daily Maariv said the sale would take place at the offices of the so-called Israeli Civil Administration across the West Bank.
When the classrooms were dismantled, the EU mission to Jerusalem al-Quds and Ramallah condemned the move, and called on Israeli authorities to rebuild the structures in the same place “without delay.”
“Every child has the right to access education and states have an obligation to protect, respect and fulfill this right, by ensuring that schools are inviolable safe spaces for children.
“[The] EU calls upon the Israeli authorities to halt demolitions and confiscations of Palestinian houses and property, in accordance with its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law,” it said at the time.
Israel argues that the schools had been constructed in Area C without obtaining a prior permission from the so-called Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit in Israel’s ministry of military affairs that oversees civil matters in the Palestinian territories.
Area C constitutes about 61 percent of the entire West Bank and it is directly controlled by COGAT, which demands permits for new building projects.
Nevertheless, the majority of planning requests are firmly denied, leaving international donors and Palestinians alike with no choice but to construct new schools anyway.
Late last August, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said Palestinian children in the occupied territories were simply being denied education as the Israeli regime kept on with the much-blamed policy of demolishing their newly constructed schools.
The NRC said some 55 schools in the West Bank, most of them built with funding from the EU member states and other donors, were threatened with demolition and stop-work orders by Israeli authorities.
The EU has already announced that some 100 structures, including homes, shelters, water networks and schools, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds have been destroyed or confiscated over the past years.
Many believe that the controversial demolition measures adopted by Tel Aviv are aimed at expelling more Palestinians from the West Bank.
Israel was created in 1948 after a Western-backed military seizure of vast expanses of Arab territories. In 1967, Israel occupied the entire West Bank, including East al-Quds, during full-frontal military operations. It later annexed the territories. Upon annexation, it also began propping up settlements, deemed as illegal by the international community due to their construction on occupied land.
More than 600,000 Israelis now live in over 230 settlements. Tel Aviv has defied calls to stop settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israeli authorities are reportedly going to auction two prefabricated classrooms that were donated to Palestinian schoolchildren by the European Union.
According to a report published by the British daily The Guardian, the classrooms, which were torn down and confiscated by Israeli forces in October last year, will be put up for sale next week.
They had been intended for 49 Palestinian students of primary school age in the northern occupied West Bank village of Ibziq.
An advertisement published in the Israeli Hebrew-language daily Maariv said the sale would take place at the offices of the so-called Israeli Civil Administration across the West Bank.
When the classrooms were dismantled, the EU mission to Jerusalem al-Quds and Ramallah condemned the move, and called on Israeli authorities to rebuild the structures in the same place “without delay.”
“Every child has the right to access education and states have an obligation to protect, respect and fulfill this right, by ensuring that schools are inviolable safe spaces for children.
“[The] EU calls upon the Israeli authorities to halt demolitions and confiscations of Palestinian houses and property, in accordance with its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law,” it said at the time.
Israel argues that the schools had been constructed in Area C without obtaining a prior permission from the so-called Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit in Israel’s ministry of military affairs that oversees civil matters in the Palestinian territories.
Area C constitutes about 61 percent of the entire West Bank and it is directly controlled by COGAT, which demands permits for new building projects.
Nevertheless, the majority of planning requests are firmly denied, leaving international donors and Palestinians alike with no choice but to construct new schools anyway.
Late last August, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said Palestinian children in the occupied territories were simply being denied education as the Israeli regime kept on with the much-blamed policy of demolishing their newly constructed schools.
The NRC said some 55 schools in the West Bank, most of them built with funding from the EU member states and other donors, were threatened with demolition and stop-work orders by Israeli authorities.
The EU has already announced that some 100 structures, including homes, shelters, water networks and schools, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds have been destroyed or confiscated over the past years.
Many believe that the controversial demolition measures adopted by Tel Aviv are aimed at expelling more Palestinians from the West Bank.
Israel was created in 1948 after a Western-backed military seizure of vast expanses of Arab territories. In 1967, Israel occupied the entire West Bank, including East al-Quds, during full-frontal military operations. It later annexed the territories. Upon annexation, it also began propping up settlements, deemed as illegal by the international community due to their construction on occupied land.
More than 600,000 Israelis now live in over 230 settlements. Tel Aviv has defied calls to stop settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.
20 may 2019
The Israeli authorities have issued a demolition order against a crude playground used by local children in the Bedouin village of al-Rakhma in the Negev.
The village is one of the Palestinian Bedouin communities in the Negev that are not recognized by Israel.
Lawyer Talab Abu Arar denounced the Israeli decision to demolish the playground as persistence in violating human rights and the rights of children.
Abu Arar, a former Knesset member, pointed out that the Israeli authorities reneged on a pledge to build a school in the village.
“The village of Rakhma is targeted by the extremist pro-setter Regavim society and the Bedouin areas development authority,” he said.
“Minister Ariel also denied the intention to recognize the village, although the district planning and building committee agreed to recognize it,” the former MK added.
“There is no doubt that the Negev people are living in a very dangerous stage, especially in light of the presence of an extremist right-wing government that has many displacement plans,” he said.
The village is one of the Palestinian Bedouin communities in the Negev that are not recognized by Israel.
Lawyer Talab Abu Arar denounced the Israeli decision to demolish the playground as persistence in violating human rights and the rights of children.
Abu Arar, a former Knesset member, pointed out that the Israeli authorities reneged on a pledge to build a school in the village.
“The village of Rakhma is targeted by the extremist pro-setter Regavim society and the Bedouin areas development authority,” he said.
“Minister Ariel also denied the intention to recognize the village, although the district planning and building committee agreed to recognize it,” the former MK added.
“There is no doubt that the Negev people are living in a very dangerous stage, especially in light of the presence of an extremist right-wing government that has many displacement plans,” he said.
