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.
19 june 2019
The Israeli high court of justice has given the green light to demolish 13 large apartment buildings in Sur Baher town, southeast Jerusalem, an area which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.
The buildings threatened with demolition consist of about 100 housing units
This court ruling sets a precedent that will enable the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) to demolish thousands of buildings in the West Bank.
The Wadi Hummus neighborhood is located on the edge of Sur Baher, in southeast Jerusalem. Unlike the rest of the village, this neighborhood lies beyond the city’s municipal boundaries, in the West Bank. Most of the area it occupies is designated as part of Area A, which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.
But after local residents submitted a petition while the separation fence was being built, beginning in 2003, the location of the wall was moved so that it would not pass through the heart of Sur Baher. Thus Wadi Hummus ended up on the Israeli side of the barrier, although legally it is considered to be part of the West Bank and under the PA’s control, according to Haaretz newspaper.
Haaretz quoted Sur Baher residents as saying that “Wadi Hummus is the only area that remains for future expansion of the village, which is surrounded by the fence and Jewish neighborhoods. Many buildings were erected in the neighborhood over the last decade or so, most occupied by young couples and families from the village. The buildings set for demolition have some 100 apartments, 20 of which are tenanted and the rest are under construction.
Building permits for the construction were issued by the PA's planning ministry. However, seven years ago, the Israel army’s central command issued an injunction banning construction of buildings within 250 meters of the separation barrier. Locals say the order was not publicized and they had no knowledge of it, and that in any case, it is the PA that has planning authorization in the area.
Two years ago, the army issued demolition orders for 13 new buildings constructed in the area mentioned in the injunction. Residents appealed to the Israeli high court, reiterating that the army does not have the authority to demolish buildings that received building permits from the PA, that the order was not publicized and that they built their homes without knowing that the Israeli army had prohibited it.
The buildings threatened with demolition consist of about 100 housing units
This court ruling sets a precedent that will enable the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) to demolish thousands of buildings in the West Bank.
The Wadi Hummus neighborhood is located on the edge of Sur Baher, in southeast Jerusalem. Unlike the rest of the village, this neighborhood lies beyond the city’s municipal boundaries, in the West Bank. Most of the area it occupies is designated as part of Area A, which is under the control of the Palestinian Authority.
But after local residents submitted a petition while the separation fence was being built, beginning in 2003, the location of the wall was moved so that it would not pass through the heart of Sur Baher. Thus Wadi Hummus ended up on the Israeli side of the barrier, although legally it is considered to be part of the West Bank and under the PA’s control, according to Haaretz newspaper.
Haaretz quoted Sur Baher residents as saying that “Wadi Hummus is the only area that remains for future expansion of the village, which is surrounded by the fence and Jewish neighborhoods. Many buildings were erected in the neighborhood over the last decade or so, most occupied by young couples and families from the village. The buildings set for demolition have some 100 apartments, 20 of which are tenanted and the rest are under construction.
Building permits for the construction were issued by the PA's planning ministry. However, seven years ago, the Israel army’s central command issued an injunction banning construction of buildings within 250 meters of the separation barrier. Locals say the order was not publicized and they had no knowledge of it, and that in any case, it is the PA that has planning authorization in the area.
Two years ago, the army issued demolition orders for 13 new buildings constructed in the area mentioned in the injunction. Residents appealed to the Israeli high court, reiterating that the army does not have the authority to demolish buildings that received building permits from the PA, that the order was not publicized and that they built their homes without knowing that the Israeli army had prohibited it.
11 june 2019
Israeli soldiers demolished, Tuesday, an under-construction building in Sur Baher village, south of occupied East Jerusalem, and forced another family to demolish its home, the Palestinian News & Info Agency (WAFA) has reported.
WAFA said dozens of soldiers invaded the village, surrounded an under-construction building, owned by Wisam Jabour, and prevented the Palestinians from entering the area, before demolishing the building. video video
They added that, two days ago, the soldiers invaded Sur Baher, and verbally ordered Jabour to halt the construction of his building, but did not hand him a demolition order.
In addition, the soldiers forced the family of Hasan Abu Kaf to self-demolish their home in Sur Baher.
Whenever the military demolishes homes, especially in and around occupied Jerusalem, the Palestinians are ordered to pay excessively high fines and fees, including the exaggerated costs of destroying their homes, and some families chose to demolish their homes to avoid these penalties.
While the Palestinians continue to be denied construction permits on their own lands, Israel continues to construct and expand its illegal colonies, built on Palestinian lands in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, in direct violation of International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and various United Nations and Security Council resolutions.
WAFA said dozens of soldiers invaded the village, surrounded an under-construction building, owned by Wisam Jabour, and prevented the Palestinians from entering the area, before demolishing the building. video video
They added that, two days ago, the soldiers invaded Sur Baher, and verbally ordered Jabour to halt the construction of his building, but did not hand him a demolition order.
In addition, the soldiers forced the family of Hasan Abu Kaf to self-demolish their home in Sur Baher.
Whenever the military demolishes homes, especially in and around occupied Jerusalem, the Palestinians are ordered to pay excessively high fines and fees, including the exaggerated costs of destroying their homes, and some families chose to demolish their homes to avoid these penalties.
While the Palestinians continue to be denied construction permits on their own lands, Israel continues to construct and expand its illegal colonies, built on Palestinian lands in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, in direct violation of International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and various United Nations and Security Council resolutions.
9 june 2019
A group of illegal Israeli colonialist settlers attempted, Sunday, to stop the workers of the Wataniya Palestine Mobile Telecommunication Public Shareholding Company from installing a cellular tower, east of Hebron city, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.
Media sources said approximately 50 Israeli colonists from the illegal Havat Gal outpost and Keryat Arba’ colony, accompanied by many soldiers, tried to stop the installation of the tower on the rooftop of a Palestinian home in the al-Kassara area, east of Hebron city.
Despite the attack, and an ensuing argument, the workers proceeded to install the tower, and the colonists left the scene.
The attack, and the attempt to stop the work, took place while many Israeli companies have been installing cellular towers in the same area, in the occupied city.
Media sources said approximately 50 Israeli colonists from the illegal Havat Gal outpost and Keryat Arba’ colony, accompanied by many soldiers, tried to stop the installation of the tower on the rooftop of a Palestinian home in the al-Kassara area, east of Hebron city.
Despite the attack, and an ensuing argument, the workers proceeded to install the tower, and the colonists left the scene.
The attack, and the attempt to stop the work, took place while many Israeli companies have been installing cellular towers in the same area, in the occupied city.
6 june 2019
The Israeli occupation army on Wednesday prohibited the local authorities in the north of Yatta city from setting up high-voltage power lines in Berin area to supply Palestinian residents with electricity.
According to local official Rateb Jabour, Israeli troops stormed Berin area and delivered a stop-work notice ordering the local authorities to stop carrying out the electricity project.
The notice also said the foundations to be used for the project would be seized by the Israeli military authority in the region.
Jabour said that such measure was part of Israel’s efforts to force West Bank residents to leave their areas in order to appropriate more Palestinian lands and expand settlement activities.
According to local official Rateb Jabour, Israeli troops stormed Berin area and delivered a stop-work notice ordering the local authorities to stop carrying out the electricity project.
The notice also said the foundations to be used for the project would be seized by the Israeli military authority in the region.
Jabour said that such measure was part of Israel’s efforts to force West Bank residents to leave their areas in order to appropriate more Palestinian lands and expand settlement activities.
30 may 2019
Takeshi Okubo, Ambassador for the Palestinian Affairs and Representative of Japan to Palestine, visited Khan Younis Refugee Camp, in the Gaza Strip, to celebrate the completion of the project funded by the Government of Japan through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP), a press release said on Thursday.
A grant of $88,665 was extended to the “Never Stop Dreaming” association, and used to build four safe green areas inside Khan Younis camp, and to rehabilitate these areas for children’s use by installing games, seats and planting grass and trees. About 10,000 residents benefit from the green areas.
WAFA further reports that, in his speech, Okubo 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 to approximately USD 1.86 billion, to the Palestinians.
GGP projects have been formulated in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority, through the Ministry of Finance and Planning, since 2010.
A grant of $88,665 was extended to the “Never Stop Dreaming” association, and used to build four safe green areas inside Khan Younis camp, and to rehabilitate these areas for children’s use by installing games, seats and planting grass and trees. About 10,000 residents benefit from the green areas.
WAFA further reports that, in his speech, Okubo 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 to approximately USD 1.86 billion, to the Palestinians.
GGP projects have been formulated in collaboration with the Palestinian Authority, through the Ministry of Finance and Planning, since 2010.
23 may 2019
Noor Jericho Solar Park with its 20,000 panels is the first to start producing electricity in the Noor Palestine solar energy project. (Photo courtesy of PIF)
Palestine’s first ever solar power station is getting ready to produce 7.5 megawatt (MW) of electricity setting the ground for the construction of many other solar power stations throughout Palestine.
The Noor (light) Jericho Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Park, the largest so far solar park in Palestine built on a 100-dunum plot of land in the wilderness of Nuwimeh, Jericho, was established by Massader, a company of Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) at a cost of $10 million. It is only a fraction of the much larger Noor Palestine project, which when completed in eight years will produce 200 MW of electricity from solar energy, equivalent to 17 percent of Palestine’s power needs, said Mohammad Mustafa, PIF Chairman of the Board.
PIF established Massader to lead its investment portfolio in natural resources and infrastructure through leading a number of mega investment projects in traditional and renewable energy and industrial zones, including Noor Palestine solar program.
Investment in Noor Palestine solar program is expected to reach $200 million with a target capacity of 200 MW of electricity generated from solar energy in the next eight years.
The present program includes the establishment of three solar parks: Noor Jericho, the largest, and the much smaller Noor Tubas solar park with a capacity of 4 MW and Noor Jenin project with a capacity of 5 MW, as well as the installing of thousands of solar panels on the rooftops of 500 public schools throughout Palestine to generate 35 MW, the largest amount of power to be generated in this program.
The Ministry of Education gave Massader the right to use the rooftops of the public schools to build solar panels on them mainly due to shortage of open land in light of the Israeli military control over two thirds of the Palestinian land in the West Bank, referred to as Area C. Israel does not allow Palestinian construction or to benefit from the land in Area C. This has made it difficult for the PIF and Massader to find suitable lands for the thousands of solar panels that need to be installed on that land and as a result, vertical stations may be one alternative solution to this problem, said Mustafa.
Work on the Noor Jericho Solar Park started six months ago by local Palestinian contracting companies and supervised by the Jordan based E-RES, an energy advisory company. Work is expected to be completed in June. The power to be generated from its 20,000 solar panels installed in two stations – one 4000 panels and the other 3500 panels – will be distributed by the Jerusalem-based Palestinian electricity company, Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO), which provides power to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho and their area villages and towns.
PIF signed an agreement with JDECO for the connection and distribution of the produced electricity through the JDECO power network.
However, the final beneficiaries of the power generated from the solar panels are going to be commercial and public service establishments within JDECO’s area of operation.
In the case of Noor Jericho supply, the 7.5 MW power has already been purchased by three Palestinian companies – the Istishari Hospital in the new Rihan suburb of Ramallah, and the Ramallah-based Birzeit Pharmaceutical Company and The National Bank.
According to Mustafa, the power generated from the solar parks is going to reduce Palestinian dependence on Israeli power, which provides Palestine with 98 percent of its power needs of 1000 MW annually.
The Noor Jericho Solar Park is expected to reduce the import of electricity by around $1.25 million annually, with an estimated total of $31 million during the 25 years expected lifetime of the park as the production of electricity will be enough to cover the consumption needs of 36000 homes annually.
This money, said Mustafa, will be invested in developing the alternative energy program, according to WAFA.
“The whole idea here is to diversify the sources of energy without doing away with the current sources, mainly diesel fuel, which so far remains a main source of energy in Palestine,” he said.
As Palestine moves toward diversification of its energy resources, it is expected to generate enough power in the future to meet most of its needs and to lower dependency on energy from foreign sources, at the same time lower the overall energy bill.
Palestine’s first ever solar power station is getting ready to produce 7.5 megawatt (MW) of electricity setting the ground for the construction of many other solar power stations throughout Palestine.
The Noor (light) Jericho Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Park, the largest so far solar park in Palestine built on a 100-dunum plot of land in the wilderness of Nuwimeh, Jericho, was established by Massader, a company of Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) at a cost of $10 million. It is only a fraction of the much larger Noor Palestine project, which when completed in eight years will produce 200 MW of electricity from solar energy, equivalent to 17 percent of Palestine’s power needs, said Mohammad Mustafa, PIF Chairman of the Board.
PIF established Massader to lead its investment portfolio in natural resources and infrastructure through leading a number of mega investment projects in traditional and renewable energy and industrial zones, including Noor Palestine solar program.
Investment in Noor Palestine solar program is expected to reach $200 million with a target capacity of 200 MW of electricity generated from solar energy in the next eight years.
The present program includes the establishment of three solar parks: Noor Jericho, the largest, and the much smaller Noor Tubas solar park with a capacity of 4 MW and Noor Jenin project with a capacity of 5 MW, as well as the installing of thousands of solar panels on the rooftops of 500 public schools throughout Palestine to generate 35 MW, the largest amount of power to be generated in this program.
The Ministry of Education gave Massader the right to use the rooftops of the public schools to build solar panels on them mainly due to shortage of open land in light of the Israeli military control over two thirds of the Palestinian land in the West Bank, referred to as Area C. Israel does not allow Palestinian construction or to benefit from the land in Area C. This has made it difficult for the PIF and Massader to find suitable lands for the thousands of solar panels that need to be installed on that land and as a result, vertical stations may be one alternative solution to this problem, said Mustafa.
Work on the Noor Jericho Solar Park started six months ago by local Palestinian contracting companies and supervised by the Jordan based E-RES, an energy advisory company. Work is expected to be completed in June. The power to be generated from its 20,000 solar panels installed in two stations – one 4000 panels and the other 3500 panels – will be distributed by the Jerusalem-based Palestinian electricity company, Jerusalem District Electricity Company (JDECO), which provides power to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jericho and their area villages and towns.
PIF signed an agreement with JDECO for the connection and distribution of the produced electricity through the JDECO power network.
However, the final beneficiaries of the power generated from the solar panels are going to be commercial and public service establishments within JDECO’s area of operation.
In the case of Noor Jericho supply, the 7.5 MW power has already been purchased by three Palestinian companies – the Istishari Hospital in the new Rihan suburb of Ramallah, and the Ramallah-based Birzeit Pharmaceutical Company and The National Bank.
According to Mustafa, the power generated from the solar parks is going to reduce Palestinian dependence on Israeli power, which provides Palestine with 98 percent of its power needs of 1000 MW annually.
The Noor Jericho Solar Park is expected to reduce the import of electricity by around $1.25 million annually, with an estimated total of $31 million during the 25 years expected lifetime of the park as the production of electricity will be enough to cover the consumption needs of 36000 homes annually.
This money, said Mustafa, will be invested in developing the alternative energy program, according to WAFA.
“The whole idea here is to diversify the sources of energy without doing away with the current sources, mainly diesel fuel, which so far remains a main source of energy in Palestine,” he said.
As Palestine moves toward diversification of its energy resources, it is expected to generate enough power in the future to meet most of its needs and to lower dependency on energy from foreign sources, at the same time lower the overall energy bill.
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday morning, Khalaya al-Louz area, southeast of Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank, and demolished an under-construction home.
Hasan Breijiyya, the head of the “Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission,” stated that several army jeeps invaded the area, after surrounding it.
He added that the soldiers then proceeded to demolish an under-construction home, owned by a Palestinian from Sur Baher village, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem, allegedly for being built without a permit from the Israeli “Civil Administration Office.”
Hasan Breijiyya, the head of the “Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission,” stated that several army jeeps invaded the area, after surrounding it.
He added that the soldiers then proceeded to demolish an under-construction home, owned by a Palestinian from Sur Baher village, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem, allegedly for being built without a permit from the Israeli “Civil Administration Office.”
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Wednesday evening, north of Burin village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, and handed a Palestinian an order halting the construction of his home, in addition to confiscating construction materials.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the soldiers handed the order to Abdul-Hakim Najjar, who was building his home on his own land.
Daghlas added that the army stopped the construction because the home, although on private land is “less than 150 meters away from a bypass road,” which Israel intends to pave on stolen Palestinian lands, for the benefit of the illegal colonialist settlers.
Israel prevents the Palestinians from building, and in many cases, even accessing their lands, due to their proximity to the illegal colonies, built on confiscated lands in direct violation of International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the soldiers handed the order to Abdul-Hakim Najjar, who was building his home on his own land.
Daghlas added that the army stopped the construction because the home, although on private land is “less than 150 meters away from a bypass road,” which Israel intends to pave on stolen Palestinian lands, for the benefit of the illegal colonialist settlers.
Israel prevents the Palestinians from building, and in many cases, even accessing their lands, due to their proximity to the illegal colonies, built on confiscated lands in direct violation of International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
