A visit to the Wadi Hilweh Information Center - Silwan brings forth numerous videos of home demolitions, for instance this horrible scene, as well as reports about the Municipality of Jerusalem accompanying Israeli forces raiding houses and handing out demolition warrants.
The same pattern was evident weeks before in Isawiya in north Jerusalem. And as we've reported earlier, sometimes residents are given just 10 minutes to evacuate.
The Palestinian News Network reported the Palestinian Council of Ministers met on February 5th to discuss land confiscation as part of a "campaign of incitement and provocation" surrounding East Jerusalem, Southern Jerusalem and Hebron. Among the provocations: an Israeli plan to build a new university campus near Jerusalem and 346 new housing units in Hebron.
The Arab League has accused Israel of systematic land grab and said that the conduct "requires intervention by the world community."
Middle East Monitor:
The Arab League has accused Israel of pursuing a systematic policy to control most of the West Bank for future annexation and settlements. The lands in question belong mainly to Palestinian villagers and are used for agricultural purposes and grazing.
A statement by the Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories Section at the Arab League said that Israel is confiscating this land by force, using the maximum level of violence against the Palestinian owners. By way of example, the League noted the incident within the past few days in Yatta, near Hebron. Israeli forces destroyed wells and houses as well as replacement tents put up by the residents as they fought to stay on their land. The Israelis used "skunk" water cannons, with polluted water, and physical violence to remove the villagers.
Stressing that Israeli laws passed in order to justify the land grab policy contravene international law, the Arab League said that the issue requires intervention by the world community. It called specifically on the permanent members of the UN Security Council, the Middle East Quartet and human rights organisations to put an end to Israel's criminal actions which threaten international peace and security. The League also noted that such acts by Israel are on the increase and intensify whenever there are moves to put the peace process back on track by ending settlement activity and determining a time frame for progress. Clearly, it says, Israel is trying to forestall any attempts to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict. A firm stand is needed to save the two-state solution, it added.
Haaretz cites "changes in Jerusalem police brass" as responsible for an "enforcement/punishment operation" resulting in sweeps of arrests, home demolitions and demolition orders as part of the operation. According to Haaretz:
Palestinian residents in East Jerusalem have complained that the police, under New district commander Maj. Gen. Yossi Prienti, have been implementing an almost declared policy of collective punishment against neighborhoods considered too disruptive.
Two weeks ago such an enforcement/punishment operation ended in Isawiya in north Jerusalem, and a week ago a new operation started in Silwan. The operations included numerous arrests, roadblocks to inspect vehicles, tax collection, house demolitions, shutting off water, various fines, searches and random checks of identification, and more. Residents said police officers and commanders have admitted to them that in practice it is punishment in response to rock-throwing and other disturbances.
........“The new commander set us back five years,” said Nasrin Alian, an attorney with the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.....
Other authorities are also taking part in the enforcement actions, including the Jerusalem municipality, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the Israel Tax Authority, National Insurance Institute, Traffic Police and the Jerusalem municipal water corporation. All of these bodies have united under the auspices of the police to make residents’ lives miserable, in their words.
The article suggests these actions are the result of the new district commanders' response to "rock throwing and other disturbances." In the last week alone the demolitions include historical Islamic structures dating back to the Mamluk and Ottoman eras, preparations for building new settler-only roads, and the construction of a highway in the East Jerusalem's Beit Safafa neighborhood to shorten the commute for Gush Etzion bloc settlers (a road that will divide the neighborhood and cut some Palestinian residents off from their mosque, bakery and primary school).
Let's take a look at the Israeli Parks Authority's participation on the morning of Jan. 28th in Silwan before moving on to other recent Israeli expansions in the West Bank.
This "unity," per Haaretz, appears to extends beyond the Jerusalem municipality to include the Israeli military command's enforcement of occupation, including home demolitions and arrests throughout the West Bank.
The Israeli army served over 120 demolition notices in Hebron within the last couple of weeks. They've seized land for an extension of the wall in the Cremisan Valley on the outskirts of Beit Jala, cutting the Monastery off from the village. On February 9th, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved 869 Units In West Bank Settlements, 90 in the illegal settlement of Beit El near Ramallah according Peace Now director Hagit Ofran. Two days later there were demolitions in Beit Awwa, Hebron, with plans to build yet another settlers-only road being built along side of it. ISM:
In recent days there have been regular flights over the village and officials have been seen surveying the land. On the 10th of February two black hawk Apache helicopter gunships circled the village. When this new road is built the village will be completely isolated from the rest of the West Bank.
Ma‘an reported February 12 that land was seized in Jenin to use as a military post. And we are not focusing here on the Jordan Valley.
The cumulative impact over last couple of months has been dramatic. And for Palestinians, it's nightmarish-- whether it stems from the government of Israel carrying through on its threat to escalate settlement growth in retaliation for Palestinians seeking the UN upgrade or undertaking political annexation by another name or seeking to "prevent simmering civil unrest."
No wonder Secretary of State John Kerry is ducking questions about settlements.
Thanks Annie, great post!
thank you kathleen. that means a lot to me. it came from my heart, i’m very worried. i hope people are listening.
An especially well-researched and fact-filled post — and almost unbelievable, despite everything we have learned about the settlements program for decades now.
If the Arab league meant what it says, it would take time to draft a resolution for the UNSC and put it to a vote. Sure, the USA and UK could shoot it down, but to stand mute in the world’s only “court” is sheer cowardice. who are they waiting for? and if determined to wait, why speak out at all? Who were they speaking to? Were they merely seeking to plactate their own “street”? Will it work?
Of course, the whole world is guilty of the same silence. I do not mean to single out the Arab League for opprobrium. Indonesia could draft the resolution. The PLO could draft the resolution — and should — and submit it to friendly nations seeking a consortium of nations to introduce the draft resolution.
If the Arab league meant what it says, it would take time to draft a resolution for the UNSC and put it to a vote. Sure, the USA and UK could shoot it down
Well, then the US and UK have a legal obligation to repeal the existing UN Security Council resolution 1515 which said that going forward all UN member states are on “the same page” regarding the subject of putting an immediate end to these flagrantly illegal home demolitions under Phase 1 of “A Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; April 30, 2003″
Here is a link to the resolution:
– link to un.org (2003)
Here is a link to the Road Map:
– link to un.org
It doesn’t do a damned bit of good to bad mouth Norman Finklestein when he points out the simple fact that international law doesn’t call for a one state solution yet.
You can bump your gums till they’re bruised about the two state solution being dead, but the very next day the UN, the US, and the EU will still refuse to recognize any Palestinian government or organization (including the PLO) that includes Hamas – unless it accepts the Road Map framework. For obvious and flagrantly discriminatory reasons, they do not hold Jewish governments and organizations to that same high legal standard.
That’s why I was so shocked to read the remarks of US Special Envoy Mitchell (of all people) begging the Palestinians to drop any discussion of the Road Map terms of reference in favor of “language that both sides can agree to.” link to transparency.aljazeera.net
That was a violation of the clearly stated and standing policy announced by the UN Security Council in every resolution on the subject since 2003. Ironically the Road Map was based upon the conclusions of international law and the recommendations contained in the Sharm El-Sheikh Fact-Finding Committee Report chaired by Mitchell himself!
In short, if the Security Council refuses to abide by the terms of its own resolution 1515 on home demolitions, then it has to repeal it and drop the Road Map framework for the two state solution, since the members remain bound by that decision.
Seeing as both sides signed the Road Map, I was under the impression Borg sides had already agreed to the language.
And seriously, when it comes to Fink jumping up and down about international law not acini dating a 1ss, it rings extremely hollow, given that he is lecturing to the Palestinisn cause when the Israelis are indeed violating it.
Does Fibk suggest the Palestiniand simply accept their doomed fright, seeing as any other option is not legal?
And seriously, when it comes to Fink jumping up and down about international law not acini dating a 1ss, given that he is lecturing to the Palestinisn cause when the Israelis are indeed violating it.
Finkelstein is merely suggesting that the BDS leadership exploit the existing international consensus of opinion more effectively. FYI, he wasn’t delivering lectures to Palestinians. He was talking to Phil Weiss, Frank Barat, and Amy Goodman about BDS leaders who undoubtedly carry US, Jordanian, or Israeli passports, not Palestinian ones.
Does Fibk suggest the Palestiniand simply accept their doomed fright, seeing as any other option is not legal?
No he suggested that everyone should try to enforce existing international laws and that Palestinians should propose a settlement in line with that and the existing international consensus.
Here’s an example where an Oslo City Court sent a janitor to jail for life because of his role in the Rwandan genocide. That’s an example of international law and consensus in action. link to jurist.org
Of course, Palestinians can always try to gain mass acceptance for a single state solution, while Israel continues to oppress the hell out of them and create facts on the ground. My point was that the UN member states have an existing treaty obligation to accept the decisions of the Security Council regarding the Quartet Road Map for a permanent two state solution and carry them out. That’s a good thing, because they can clearly prosecute Israelis for demolishing homes and committing other crimes in the State Palestine easier than they can intervene in an internal matter that only effects a single state.
“No wonder Secretary of State John Kerry is ducking questions about settlements.”
Did you not see the video I posted here a couple of times when everyone here was gungho over his nomination???
link to youtube.com
Great piece!
RE: “Ma‘an reported February 12 that land was seized in Jenin to use as a military post.” ~ Annie Robbins
MY COMMENT: Land seized by Israel to use as a “military post” might one day be turned over to settlers.
SEE: “Rewarding the lawbreakers: New settlement homes on confiscated lands”, By Yesh Din, written by Yossi Gurvitz, +972blog, 2/13/13
Israel approves 90 new settlement homes in Beit El to reward evacuees from the evacuated settlement neighborhood of Givat Ha’Ulpana. The problem? The homes are to be built on lands confiscated for security purposes, a practice the High Court ruled against decades ago.
ENTIRE POST – link to 972mag.com
LINK -
Look at the links. These human rights crimes that Israel continues to commit have become normalized. Hell US media never touched these stories. Human rights crimes. Palestinians can not take Israel to the ICC soon enough. Share the link to this story
Great post Annie as is always the case
kathleen, the majority of these links are abuses from the beginning of the month, many just in the last few days. i noticed an acceleration of incidences and started the draft on the 6th. since then, that top video came out and many more examples….i have not been the only one to notice. and haaretz headline, framing it as a change in the police commander, which doesn’t explain why it’s happening elsewhere. this is not one commander…that’s for sure. this is a coordinated land grab. exactly what they said they were going to do in the ‘threat to escalate’ link in the last paragraph.
thanks. Just running towards the one state solution as they roll over Palestinian homes and steal their land
I’m telling ya, Israel isn’t going to stop, it’s a country run by psychopaths and they will keep getting worse.
I am pretty sure I’ll be around to say I told you so cause they are esculating to the final finish line.
If they look like fascists, talk like fascists, act like fascists…
The Arab league call for action from the UNSC to end Israel’s impunity, knowing full well the US veto will come into play and will never even censure Israel. The Arab league meanwhile, as pabelmont says above, waits around seemingly helpless to do anything, the truth is it could do plenty, like turning off the oil spigot, tabling resolutions at the UN, encouraging the Palestinians leaders to demand answers at the ICC and generally to throw its weight about, will it do any of these things? No, the Arab leagues master will not allow it, and if they try, the master will withdraw his protection. The kings and princes of the GCC are spineless, corrupt and fearful of losing their crowns, more concerned with plotting and financing regime changes in fellow Arab countries and putting down popular resistance to their sectarian agenda than to worry about war crimes and crimes of humanity being carried out against a defenceless fellow Arab league member. I long for the day they these perverts are all hanging from lamp posts.
Clearly the two state solution is over. One state, one person, one vote!