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 authorities delivered stop-construction orders to three Palestinian-owned buildings in the Rafat village west of the northern occupied West Bank city of Salfit, on Monday, under the pretext that the structures are located in Area C.
Head of the Rafat village council, Abed al-Jawad Ayyash, told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided the village and delivered stop-construction orders to three Palestinian homes.
He identified owners of the three homes as Maen Farah Ayyash, Abed al-Razeq Sadeq Ayyash and Ihab Odeh Abu Zreiq.
Ayyash pointed out that the owners of the three homes were allowed until March 25th to object the orders.
Maen Ayyash told Ma'an that the Israeli authorities had not delivered him any notices during the construction of his home, pointing out that he has been living in the house for one year and is currently only doing construction work inside the house.
Ayyash stressed that he has documents proving that the land and building belong to him, and would head to specialized institutions to file a case at Israeli courts.
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.
Head of the Rafat village council, Abed al-Jawad Ayyash, told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided the village and delivered stop-construction orders to three Palestinian homes.
He identified owners of the three homes as Maen Farah Ayyash, Abed al-Razeq Sadeq Ayyash and Ihab Odeh Abu Zreiq.
Ayyash pointed out that the owners of the three homes were allowed until March 25th to object the orders.
Maen Ayyash told Ma'an that the Israeli authorities had not delivered him any notices during the construction of his home, pointing out that he has been living in the house for one year and is currently only doing construction work inside the house.
Ayyash stressed that he has documents proving that the land and building belong to him, and would head to specialized institutions to file a case at Israeli courts.
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.
19 feb 2019
Israeli Human Rights group B’Tselem recently released a report, examining the rulings of Israel’s High Court of Justice (HCJ) to restrict Palestinian building, and demolish Palestinian homes, while authorizing illegal Israeli Settlements in the occupied West Bank.
One example is the village of Khan Al-Ahmar, 2 kilometres south of the settlement of Kafr Adumim, east of Jerusalem, in the southern West Bank. The justices of Israel’s HCJ concluded that it is “unlawful” for Palestinians to build on the compound, therefore there was “no legal obstacle to demolishing the structures in the community of Khan Al-Ahmar”.
The report states that “Israeli authorities consider the demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank as no more than a matter of illegal construction, as if Israel does not have long-term goals in the West Bank”, that “this policy imposes a virtually blanket prohibition on Palestinian construction”.
The report further states Israeli “justices have regarded the Israeli policy as lawful and legitimate, nearly always focusing only on the technical issue of whether the petitioners had building permits”.
“The planning apparatus Israel has instituted in the West Bank serves its policy of promoting and expanding Israeli takeover of land across the West Bank”.
From “January 2000 to mid-2016, Palestinians filed 5,475 applications for building permits. Only 226 (about 4%) were granted”. From the year 2006 through 2018, “Israel demolished 1,401 Palestinian residential units in the West Bank (not including east Jerusalem)”.
“Particularly blatant is the justices’ disregard of the fact that implementation of the Israeli planning policy involves violating the absolute prohibition on forcible transfer”. “Since occupying the West Bank over fifty years ago, Israel has built 250 new settlements – whose very establishment is prohibited under international law”.
“It stands to reason that the judges are well aware, or ought to be, of the judicial foundations they are cementing in their rulings, and the devastating implications of these rulings, including the violation of the IHL (International Humanitarian law) prohibition on forcible transfer.
Therefore, they too, – along with the prime minister, senior ministers, the chief of staff and other military officers – bear personal liability for the commission of such crimes”
One example is the village of Khan Al-Ahmar, 2 kilometres south of the settlement of Kafr Adumim, east of Jerusalem, in the southern West Bank. The justices of Israel’s HCJ concluded that it is “unlawful” for Palestinians to build on the compound, therefore there was “no legal obstacle to demolishing the structures in the community of Khan Al-Ahmar”.
The report states that “Israeli authorities consider the demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank as no more than a matter of illegal construction, as if Israel does not have long-term goals in the West Bank”, that “this policy imposes a virtually blanket prohibition on Palestinian construction”.
The report further states Israeli “justices have regarded the Israeli policy as lawful and legitimate, nearly always focusing only on the technical issue of whether the petitioners had building permits”.
“The planning apparatus Israel has instituted in the West Bank serves its policy of promoting and expanding Israeli takeover of land across the West Bank”.
From “January 2000 to mid-2016, Palestinians filed 5,475 applications for building permits. Only 226 (about 4%) were granted”. From the year 2006 through 2018, “Israel demolished 1,401 Palestinian residential units in the West Bank (not including east Jerusalem)”.
“Particularly blatant is the justices’ disregard of the fact that implementation of the Israeli planning policy involves violating the absolute prohibition on forcible transfer”. “Since occupying the West Bank over fifty years ago, Israel has built 250 new settlements – whose very establishment is prohibited under international law”.
“It stands to reason that the judges are well aware, or ought to be, of the judicial foundations they are cementing in their rulings, and the devastating implications of these rulings, including the violation of the IHL (International Humanitarian law) prohibition on forcible transfer.
Therefore, they too, – along with the prime minister, senior ministers, the chief of staff and other military officers – bear personal liability for the commission of such crimes”
16 feb 2019
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, on Thursday, held a press conference to announce the opening of the first and only Pediatric Cancer Department in the Gaza Strip, which is due to be officially opened on 19 February, according to the PNN.
The 24,000 square meter department, named Dr. Musa & Suhaila Nasir Gaza Pediatric Cancer Department, will provide daily health care with 15 beds, 16 rooms for overnight stays, 3 children’s examination rooms, a dental clinic, medical stations, a pharmacy and nursing stations.
The department will also provide a family gathering room and children’s play rooms with TVs, computers, books and toys. In addition, a full kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator, washing machine and dryer.
As part of its commitment to ensuring and sustaining services and support for children and their families, PCRF has served as a social worker and project manager in the new section in Gaza.
This is the second department to be opened in Palestine by PCRF, the first being the Huda Al-Masri section for child cancer patients at the Beit Jala Hospital in the West Bank, which was named after a founding member of the organization who died of cancer in 2009.
Huda Al-Masri was married to the Executive Director and co-founder of PCRF, who continued to lead the organization and oversaw the process of building this section to treat children in Palestine in honor of his wife’s human heritage.
According to a statement by PCRF, 100% of children with cancer in Gaza are referred for treatment in hospitals outside the Gaza Strip. In most cases, they can not travel with their loved ones because of the Israeli procedures for granting exit permits from the Gaza Strip. In addition to that the treatment of children is intermittent and may be delayed due to delays in granting permits or not re-issued for follow-up treatment, which leads to the cessation of treatment and affects the health of children.
PCRF was able to raise more than $3 million to build the department and to fully equip it with materials as well as high-quality design, with the help of hundreds of people around the world.
The PCRF is a US NGO with more than 26 years of experience in providing medical services and care for sick and wounded children in the Middle East, regardless of their political status and nationality. The department has been named d. Musa and Suhaila Nasser for children with cancer in Gaza in this name in honor of Dr. Musa and Sahila Nasser, who helped establish the Society in 1991 and in recognition of their humanitarian and leadership efforts.
It was established in 1991 in the United States of America to identify the needs of Arab children in the Middle East. For 26 years, the association has provided medical services and treatments that have saved the lives of thousands of children in the Middle East. In addition to direct medical services for children, the Society is making continuous efforts to find sustainable solutions to medical challenges by training local doctors and providing basic medical infrastructure for local hospitals.
The 24,000 square meter department, named Dr. Musa & Suhaila Nasir Gaza Pediatric Cancer Department, will provide daily health care with 15 beds, 16 rooms for overnight stays, 3 children’s examination rooms, a dental clinic, medical stations, a pharmacy and nursing stations.
The department will also provide a family gathering room and children’s play rooms with TVs, computers, books and toys. In addition, a full kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator, washing machine and dryer.
As part of its commitment to ensuring and sustaining services and support for children and their families, PCRF has served as a social worker and project manager in the new section in Gaza.
This is the second department to be opened in Palestine by PCRF, the first being the Huda Al-Masri section for child cancer patients at the Beit Jala Hospital in the West Bank, which was named after a founding member of the organization who died of cancer in 2009.
Huda Al-Masri was married to the Executive Director and co-founder of PCRF, who continued to lead the organization and oversaw the process of building this section to treat children in Palestine in honor of his wife’s human heritage.
According to a statement by PCRF, 100% of children with cancer in Gaza are referred for treatment in hospitals outside the Gaza Strip. In most cases, they can not travel with their loved ones because of the Israeli procedures for granting exit permits from the Gaza Strip. In addition to that the treatment of children is intermittent and may be delayed due to delays in granting permits or not re-issued for follow-up treatment, which leads to the cessation of treatment and affects the health of children.
PCRF was able to raise more than $3 million to build the department and to fully equip it with materials as well as high-quality design, with the help of hundreds of people around the world.
The PCRF is a US NGO with more than 26 years of experience in providing medical services and care for sick and wounded children in the Middle East, regardless of their political status and nationality. The department has been named d. Musa and Suhaila Nasser for children with cancer in Gaza in this name in honor of Dr. Musa and Sahila Nasser, who helped establish the Society in 1991 and in recognition of their humanitarian and leadership efforts.
It was established in 1991 in the United States of America to identify the needs of Arab children in the Middle East. For 26 years, the association has provided medical services and treatments that have saved the lives of thousands of children in the Middle East. In addition to direct medical services for children, the Society is making continuous efforts to find sustainable solutions to medical challenges by training local doctors and providing basic medical infrastructure for local hospitals.
12 feb 2019
Israeli forces destroyed a recently-rehabilitated road that connected Khirbet Shaab al-Butum to Masafer Yatta, in the south of the West Bank, said a local activist.
Coordinator of the Anti-Wall and Anti-Settlement Committees in southern Hebron Rateb al-Jabour told WAFA that Israeli forces provided protection to a military bulldozer as it proceeded to destroy the road, which was used to facilitate Palestinian farmers’ access to their farmlands and residential areas.
He said the Israeli military act aims to displace Palestinians from the area to in order to build a settlement.
Khirbet Shaab al-Butum is among dozens of small communities located in the Masafer Yatta area, which rely heavily on animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood.
Masafer Yatta is classified as Area C, which is under full Israeli military control. Area C makes up around 60 percent of the area of the occupied West Bank, which Israel plans to annex after expelling its Palestinian population.
It has been designated as a closed Israeli military zone for training since the 1980s, and accordingly referred to as Firing Zone 918.
Israeli violations against the area include demolition of animal barns, homes and residential structures. Issuance of construction permits by Israel to local Palestinians in the area is non-existent.
Coordinator of the Anti-Wall and Anti-Settlement Committees in southern Hebron Rateb al-Jabour told WAFA that Israeli forces provided protection to a military bulldozer as it proceeded to destroy the road, which was used to facilitate Palestinian farmers’ access to their farmlands and residential areas.
He said the Israeli military act aims to displace Palestinians from the area to in order to build a settlement.
Khirbet Shaab al-Butum is among dozens of small communities located in the Masafer Yatta area, which rely heavily on animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood.
Masafer Yatta is classified as Area C, which is under full Israeli military control. Area C makes up around 60 percent of the area of the occupied West Bank, which Israel plans to annex after expelling its Palestinian population.
It has been designated as a closed Israeli military zone for training since the 1980s, and accordingly referred to as Firing Zone 918.
Israeli violations against the area include demolition of animal barns, homes and residential structures. Issuance of construction permits by Israel to local Palestinians in the area is non-existent.
30 jan 2019
Israeli authorities delivered demolition notices and halt of construction orders to several homes and schools in Masafer Yatta in the southern occupied West Bank district of Hebron, on Wednesday.
Coordinator of a local popular committee against the separation wall and settlements, Rateb al-Jbour, said Israeli authorities stormed the Masafer Yatta area and delivered halt of construction orders to several homes belonging to al-Dababseh family.
Al-Jbour also said that Israeli authorities delivered a demolition notice to a local mixed elementary school that had been previously demolished about four months ago by Israeli forces, however, was rebuilt in the meantime.
Israeli authorities seek to displace Masafer Yatta residents, in order to seize their lands, as part of an Israeli settlement expansion plan in the West Bank.
Around 3,000 Israeli settlers live in illegal Jewish-only settlements in the Yatta region, according to the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem.
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.
Coordinator of a local popular committee against the separation wall and settlements, Rateb al-Jbour, said Israeli authorities stormed the Masafer Yatta area and delivered halt of construction orders to several homes belonging to al-Dababseh family.
Al-Jbour also said that Israeli authorities delivered a demolition notice to a local mixed elementary school that had been previously demolished about four months ago by Israeli forces, however, was rebuilt in the meantime.
Israeli authorities seek to displace Masafer Yatta residents, in order to seize their lands, as part of an Israeli settlement expansion plan in the West Bank.
Around 3,000 Israeli settlers live in illegal Jewish-only settlements in the Yatta region, according to the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem.
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.
Israeli bulldozers demolished an under-construction house in the Huwwara village, south of the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma'an that Israeli forces arrived to the Huwwara village with several bulldozers and began to demolish the under-construction house.
Daghlas confirmed that the demolished house belonged to Muhammad Hassan Damidi and measured 175-square-meters.
The demolition was carried out under the pretext under the pretext of being built without the difficult-to-obtain Israeli permit.
Following the 1995 accords, 38% of Huwwara land is defined as Area B, however, the remaining 62% is defined as Area C.
About 282 dunams (69.6 acres) of Huwwara land was seized by Israel for the expansion of the nearby illegal settlement of Yitzhar.
Israel uses the pretext of building without a permit to carry out demolitions of Palestinian-owned homes on a regular basis.
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.
Ghassan Daghlas, an official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, told Ma'an that Israeli forces arrived to the Huwwara village with several bulldozers and began to demolish the under-construction house.
Daghlas confirmed that the demolished house belonged to Muhammad Hassan Damidi and measured 175-square-meters.
The demolition was carried out under the pretext under the pretext of being built without the difficult-to-obtain Israeli permit.
Following the 1995 accords, 38% of Huwwara land is defined as Area B, however, the remaining 62% is defined as Area C.
About 282 dunams (69.6 acres) of Huwwara land was seized by Israel for the expansion of the nearby illegal settlement of Yitzhar.
Israel uses the pretext of building without a permit to carry out demolitions of Palestinian-owned homes on a regular basis.
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.
14 jan 2019
Israeli soldiers invaded, Monday, Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and ordered two families to halt the construction of their home, shed and water well.
Rateb Jabour, the coordinator of the Popular and National Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in southern Hebron, said the soldiers invaded the al-Jawaya village, east of Yatta, and handed the orders to Abdul-Mottaleb Hammad Nawaj’a and Mousa Hasan Shawaheen.
He added that the properties in question are being built on private Palestinian lands, but the military has been denying the residents the right to build on their property.
Jabour voiced an appeal to local and international human rights groups to intervene, and stop the illegal Israeli colonialist policies, aiming at forcing the Palestinians out of their lands to replace them with colonialist setters, and to use their properties for military purposes.
Rateb Jabour, the coordinator of the Popular and National Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in southern Hebron, said the soldiers invaded the al-Jawaya village, east of Yatta, and handed the orders to Abdul-Mottaleb Hammad Nawaj’a and Mousa Hasan Shawaheen.
He added that the properties in question are being built on private Palestinian lands, but the military has been denying the residents the right to build on their property.
Jabour voiced an appeal to local and international human rights groups to intervene, and stop the illegal Israeli colonialist policies, aiming at forcing the Palestinians out of their lands to replace them with colonialist setters, and to use their properties for military purposes.
3 jan 2019
Israeli authorities ordered a halt on the construction of a Palestinian home and a green house in the southern West Bank town of Nahhalin, in the Bethlehem district, on Wednesday.
Deputy Mayor of Nahhalin,Hani Fanoun, told WAFA that Israeli forces delivered a halt on construction notice to Samer Shakarneh, regarding his house.
Shakarneh’s house is of a 13-square meter space.
Israeli forces also handed local resident Sharif Najajreh a halt on construction notice, ordering him to stop the construction of a greenhouse.
According to Ma’an News Agency, Israel almost never gives Palestinians permission to build in land classified as Area C — the more than 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli civilian and security control — leaving residents no choice but to build their homes without permits.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have advanced construction plans for illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank at an alarming rate.
Deputy Mayor of Nahhalin,Hani Fanoun, told WAFA that Israeli forces delivered a halt on construction notice to Samer Shakarneh, regarding his house.
Shakarneh’s house is of a 13-square meter space.
Israeli forces also handed local resident Sharif Najajreh a halt on construction notice, ordering him to stop the construction of a greenhouse.
According to Ma’an News Agency, Israel almost never gives Palestinians permission to build in land classified as Area C — the more than 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli civilian and security control — leaving residents no choice but to build their homes without permits.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have advanced construction plans for illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank at an alarming rate.
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