Ethnic Cleansing in East Jerusalem

Ethnic Cleansing in East Jerusalem

New UN report urges Israel to tackle Palestinian housing crisis in East Jerusalem
1 May 2009 – The United Nations humanitarian wing has urged Israel to address the housing crisis in East Jerusalem, where current building policies and house demolitions have left Palestinians with a serious housing shortage.

The crisis is due to the failure of Israel to provide Palestinian residents with adequate planning, together with the expropriation of about one third of annexed East Jerusalem lands for the construction of settlements, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says in its latest report regarding the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory.

While about 190,000 Israel settlers currently live in East Jerusalem, Palestinians face significant obstacles to building and are confronted with a serious housing shortage, according to the report, entitled “The Planning Crisis in East Jerusalem: Understanding the Phenomenon of ‘Illegal’ Construction.”

Excessive delays, high fees and the uncertainty associated with the application process push many Palestinians to build without permits. According to OCHA’s conservative estimate, as many as 60,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem are now exposed to the risk of house demolition.

The report notes with concern the accelerating pace of demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures in East Jerusalem and their consequences for Palestinian populations.

Families displaced as a result of these demolitions, OCHA says, are left in psychological distress and in situations of increased vulnerability due to the loss of their primary asset, debts, legal fees and heavy fines imposed by the Jerusalem municipality.

The Office underlines that Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure that the basic needs of the Palestinian population of the occupied territory are met.

The report recommends that the Israeli authorities freeze pending demolition orders, as well as undertake planning that will address the Palestinian housing crisis in East Jerusalem.

Ethnic Cleansing in East Jerusalem
by LunaticEclipse-Palestine

B'Tselem - East Jerusalem - Discrimination in Planning, Building, and Land Expropriation: "Policy of discrimination in planning, building and land expropriation

The planning policy in East Jerusalem since its annexation in 1967 is affected by political considerations and infected by systematic discrimination against the Palestinians living there. While extensive building and enormous budget allocations have been the rule in Jewish neighborhoods, the Israeli government has choked development and building for the Palestinian population.

In June 1967, Israel annexed 70,500 dunams [4 dunams = 1 acre] of East Jerusalem and the West Bank and incorporated them within Jerusalem’s borders. From this annexed territory, Israel has expropriated about one-third of the annexed territory – 24,000 dunams – most of it privately-owned Arab property. Israel used this expropriated land for residential construction. By the end of 2001, 46,978 housing units had been built for Jews on this land, but not one unit for Palestinians who constitute one-third of the city’s population.

At the same time, Israel choked construction in Palestinian neighborhoods and restricted new construction. Immediately upon annexation of East Jerusalem, and contrary to its actions in the rest of the West Bank, the Jordanian outline plans were nullified, thus creating a planning void that took a long time to fill. In the first decade following annexation, construction was only allowed ad hoc in a few areas in East Jerusalem.
Much land surrounding Palestinian villages and neighborhoods was expropriated to build Jewish neighborhoods, leaving no room for Palestinian construction. The Jerusalem Municipality did not establish outline plans for the Palestinian areas. The few plans that were approved were primarily intended to prevent new construction by declaring broad expanses of land as “green areas,” restricting the building percentages on the lots, and setting narrow borders.

In the early 1980s, the Jerusalem Municipality began to prepare outline plans for all the Palestinian neighborhoods. Most of the plans are complete, and others are in the process of planning and approval. The most conspicuous feature of these outline plans is the vast amount (some 40 percent) of area that is designated as “open landscape areas,” on which building is forbidden. In the plans that were approved prior to the end of 1999, only some 5,100 dunams (constituting 11 percent of the land in East Jerusalem, after the expropriation of 24,000 dunams mentioned above) were available for construction for the Palestinian population. As is the case with the demarcation plans existing in the West Bank, construction is allowed primarily in built-up areas.

The consequences of this policy are evident in Palestinian neighborhoods. For example, at the end of 2002, housing density in Arab neighborhoods was almost twice that of Jewish neighborhoods, 11.9 square meters per person compared to 23.8 square meters per person. The existing situation has forced many Palestinians to build homes without first obtaining a building permit. The Jerusalem Municipality enforces the building laws on Palestinians much more stringently than on the Jewish population, even though the number of violations is much higher in the Jewish neighborhoods.

Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

HolyLand Trust Home Rebuilding Summer Camp

HolyLand Film:

The Holyland Trust invites you to join in its home rebuilding summer camp.



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

House Demoliton in East Jerusalem

House Demoliton in Sur Bahir (East Jerusalem):

"Israeli soldiers and demolition team destroy the Dwayat family house in Sur Bahir. Husam Taysir Dwayat was the first Jerusalem bulldozer attacker and was shot dead on the scene. His family recieved an eviction and demolition order last month."

Comment: Demolishing the family home is a form of collective punishment prohibited under international law.





16 April 2009: Security forces demolish house of family of perpetrator of attack in Jerusalem
Source: B'Tselem

On 7 April, security forces demolished the apartment, in Zur Baher, East Jerusalem, of the family of Husam Dwiyat, who carried out a bulldozer attack in the center of Jerusalem in July of last year. The demolition took place after the High Court of Justice denied, on 18 March, the family’s petition opposing the action.

As in previous cases of this kind, the justices (Levy, Grunis, and Na’or) accepted the state’s argument that demolition of the family home will deter others from carrying out similar acts. The justices approved the demolition, even though the state never contended that Dwiyat’s family assisted him or knew of his plans.
From 1967 to 2005, Israel maintained a policy to demolish or seal houses in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as a means to punish the families of Palestinians who had harmed Israelis. The policy was based on the claim that, out of concern for their families, Palestinians would be deterred from carrying out attacks. In implementing this policy, from October 2001 to the end of January 2005, Israel demolished 664 houses, leaving 4,182 persons homeless.

This practice is forbidden under international humanitarian law. The declared objective is to harm innocent persons – relatives of suspects – whom nobody contends were involved in any offense. As such, it constitutes collective punishment, which violates the principle that a person is not to be punished for the acts of another.

In February 2005, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon accepted the recommendations of a team headed by Maj. Gen. Udi Shani, and decided that houses would no longer be demolished as punishment. The change in policy had a few causes, among them the determination that it is was impossible to state without reservation that house demolitions were effective in preventing terrorist attacks. In addition, evidence was presented to the Shani team indicating that house demolitions as punishment created immense hatred, which increased motivation to carry out terrorist attacks. In addition, it was determined by the committee that house demolitions adversely affected Israel’s public image around the world, and its legality under international law was unclear.

The judge advocate general, Brig. Gen. Avichai Mandelblit, explained at a meeting of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset that the decision to cease house demolitions as punishment did not relate only to periods of calm, and that it would remain in effect also if terrorist attacks resumed. The JAG emphasized that the decision was sweeping, and that the subject would be reconsidered only in the event of a drastic change in circumstances.

Despite this, on 19 January 2009, without giving a convincing explanation, Israel renewed its policy and sealed two of four floors in the house of the family of the perpetrator of the attack at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem, ‘Alaa Abu Dahim, in which his parents and one of his brothers lived. In that case as well, the High Court approved the state’s action.

Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

East Jerusalem House Demolition (Old City)

East Jerusalem House Demolition (Old City):

"Children clean up rubble after a house demolition in the Old City of East Jerusalem after their home was destroyed by Israeli military. If the rubble is not cleaned up the family will be charged $600 a day along with paying for the house demolition itself."



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

A Beit Safafa Demolition

A Beit Safafa Demolition:

"On March 17, 2009, the Israeli authorities demolished a portion of a house in the Bait Safafa neighborhood of Jerusalem. The Arab residents were outraged when the house where they had been living for the past 7 years was destroyed without any prior notice."



EAST JERUSALEM
Policy of discrimination in planning, building and land expropriation
Source: B'Tselem

The planning policy in East Jerusalem since its annexation in 1967 is affected by political considerations and infected by systematic discrimination against the Palestinians living there. While extensive building and enormous budget allocations have been the rule in Jewish neighborhoods, the Israeli government has choked development and building for the Palestinian population.

In June 1967, Israel annexed 70,500 dunams [4 dunams = 1 acre] of East Jerusalem and the West Bank and incorporated them within Jerusalem’s borders. From this annexed territory, Israel has expropriated about one-third of the annexed territory – 24,000 dunams – most of it privately-owned Arab property. Israel used this expropriated land for residential construction. By the end of 2001, 46,978 housing units had been built for Jews on this land, but not one unit for Palestinians who constitute one-third of the city’s population.

At the same time, Israel choked construction in Palestinian neighborhoods and restricted new construction. Immediately upon annexation of East Jerusalem, and contrary to its actions in the rest of the West Bank, the Jordanian outline plans were nullified, thus creating a planning void that took a long time to fill. In the first decade following annexation, construction was only allowed ad hoc in a few areas in East Jerusalem.
Much land surrounding Palestinian villages and neighborhoods was expropriated to build Jewish neighborhoods, leaving no room for Palestinian construction. The Jerusalem Municipality did not establish outline plans for the Palestinian areas. The few plans that were approved were primarily intended to prevent new construction by declaring broad expanses of land as “green areas,” restricting the building percentages on the lots, and setting narrow borders.

In the early 1980s, the Jerusalem Municipality began to prepare outline plans for all the Palestinian neighborhoods. Most of the plans are complete, and others are in the process of planning and approval. The most conspicuous feature of these outline plans is the vast amount (some 40 percent) of area that is designated as “open landscape areas,” on which building is forbidden. In the plans that were approved prior to the end of 1999, only some 5,100 dunams (constituting 11 percent of the land in East Jerusalem, after the expropriation of 24,000 dunams mentioned above) were available for construction for the Palestinian population. As is the case with the demarcation plans existing in the West Bank, construction is allowed primarily in built-up areas.

The consequences of this policy are evident in Palestinian neighborhoods. For example, at the end of 2002, housing density in Arab neighborhoods was almost twice that of Jewish neighborhoods, 11.9 square meters per person compared to 23.8 square meters per person. The existing situation has forced many Palestinians to build homes without first obtaining a building permit. The Jerusalem Municipality enforces the building laws on Palestinians much more stringently than on the Jewish population, even though the number of violations is much higher in the Jewish neighborhoods.

Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Jerusalem municipality demolishes houses

Jerusalem municipality demolishes houses:

"http://www.btselem.org/english/Video/

Israel's discriminatory policy in East Jerusalem extends to many aspects of life, including planning and building. On 28 July '08, the municipality demolished a residential building in the Beit-Hanina neighborhood, claiming part of it was built without a permit."

Policy of discrimination in planning, building and land expropriation
Source: B'Tselem

The planning policy in East Jerusalem since its annexation in 1967 is affected by political considerations and infected by systematic discrimination against the Palestinians living there. While extensive building and enormous budget allocations have been the rule in Jewish neighborhoods, the Israeli government has choked development and building for the Palestinian population.

In June 1967, Israel annexed 70,500 dunams [4 dunams = 1 acre] of East Jerusalem and the West Bank and incorporated them within Jerusalem’s borders. From this annexed territory, Israel has expropriated about one-third of the annexed territory – 24,000 dunams – most of it privately-owned Arab property. Israel used this expropriated land for residential construction. By the end of 2001, 46,978 housing units had been built for Jews on this land, but not one unit for Palestinians who constitute one-third of the city’s population.

At the same time, Israel choked construction in Palestinian neighborhoods and restricted new construction. Immediately upon annexation of East Jerusalem, and contrary to its actions in the rest of the West Bank, the Jordanian outline plans were nullified, thus creating a planning void that took a long time to fill. In the first decade following annexation, construction was only allowed ad hoc in a few areas in East Jerusalem.
Much land surrounding Palestinian villages and neighborhoods was expropriated to build Jewish neighborhoods, leaving no room for Palestinian construction. The Jerusalem Municipality did not establish outline plans for the Palestinian areas. The few plans that were approved were primarily intended to prevent new construction by declaring broad expanses of land as “green areas,” restricting the building percentages on the lots, and setting narrow borders.

In the early 1980s, the Jerusalem Municipality began to prepare outline plans for all the Palestinian neighborhoods. Most of the plans are complete, and others are in the process of planning and approval. The most conspicuous feature of these outline plans is the vast amount (some 40 percent) of area that is designated as “open landscape areas,” on which building is forbidden. In the plans that were approved prior to the end of 1999, only some 5,100 dunams (constituting 11 percent of the land in East Jerusalem, after the expropriation of 24,000 dunams mentioned above) were available for construction for the Palestinian population. As is the case with the demarcation plans existing in the West Bank, construction is allowed primarily in built-up areas.

The consequences of this policy are evident in Palestinian neighborhoods. For example, at the end of 2002, housing density in Arab neighborhoods was almost twice that of Jewish neighborhoods, 11.9 square meters per person compared to 23.8 square meters per person. The existing situation has forced many Palestinians to build homes without first obtaining a building permit. The Jerusalem Municipality enforces the building laws on Palestinians much more stringently than on the Jewish population, even though the number of violations is much higher in the Jewish neighborhoods.

Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Israeli Police Officer Headbutting Palestinian Woman.

Policeman Head-butts Palestinians in Jerusalem:

http://www.btselem.org/English/Video/...


On Wednesday, 5 November 2008, in the Bustan section of the Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Municipality demolished one house and an addition that had been built onto another house. In the course of removing the occupants of the structures, a helmeted policeman head-butted two Palestinians, a man and a woman. A researcher from B'Tselem filmed the incident on video, and the organization handed over the ta[e to the Department for the Investigation of Police in the Ministry of Justice, which opened an investigation. The Bustan section contains some 90 houses, which are home to about 1,000 persons. In recent years, the Municipality has issued demolition orders for most of these houses.

More on the Topic:

12 Nov. '08: House demolitions in Silwan, East Jerusalem
Source: B'Tselem

Last Wednesday [5 November], the Jerusalem Municipality demolished one house and an addition to another house, both in the Bustan section in the center of Silwan, a neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Dozens of local residents protested the action, some of them throwing stones at police and Border Police forces, who responded by firing tear gas and in one case, fired a shot of live ammunition at a balcony on which stone-throwers were standing. During the course of removing the occupants of the houses intended for destruction, one policeman assaulted two residents of the neighborhood. That same day, the Municipality demolished an events hall in Beit Hanina and a residential dwelling Shua’fat.

The Bustan section of Silwan contains some ninety houses, which are home to about one thousand persons. Most of the houses were built in the 1980s and 1990s. A few were built prior to Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem, in 1967. In the 1990s, the Municipality demolished four homes in the neighborhood. In November 2004, the city engineer at the time, Uri Shitreet, directed the head of the Municipality’s building supervision department to demolish all houses in the neighborhood to enable expansion of the King’s Valley archeological park, which surrounds the Old City. In early 2005, the Municipality began to carry out the directive, and residents of the neighborhood began to receive demolition orders and charges were filed against them for building without a permit. At the time, the Municipality demolished two houses in al-Bustan.

Local residents requested the attorney general to prevent the destruction of the neighborhood. Also, international pressure was brought to cancel the plan. Subsequently, Mayor Uri Lupoliansky stated, in 2005, that he retracted the plan and that the residents would be allowed to propose a plan that meets their development needs. In August 2008, the residents presented their plan. The city engineer, Shlomo Eshkol, informed them that the plan would not be considered in the immediate future, and that the Municipality was proceeding with the plan to build a national park on the site.

If the Municipality carries out its plan to demolish the houses in al-Bustan, it would be the most massive demolition action carried out by the Municipality since the demolition of the Mugrabi section of the Old City, in 1967, to build the expanse in front of the Western Wall.
The Municipality’s outline plan for the Old City, drafted in 1977, marked the existing structures in al-Bustan, while classifying the neighborhood open, public space. Although more than thirty years have passed since then, the Municipality has refused to issue building permits or approve existing construction, except in isolated cases. Indeed, choking development of the neighborhood is characteristic of the Municipality’s planning and building policy in East Jerusalem since 1967.

This policy is especially problematic in that, in Silwan, plans are being advanced to develop the compound run by the settler non-profit societies Elad and Ateret Cohanim, and build the City of David National Park, operated by Elad, which is being constructed between Palestinian houses surrounding al-Bustan. In addition, these societies are building institutions and parking lots, and archeological excavations are being conducted, close to Palestinian houses in Silwan. The Municipality also refrains from demolishing a large structure that Ateret Cohanim built without a permit in Silwan.

Destruction of the neighborhood denies its residents the right to housing, which is derived from the right to an adequate standard of living as it is defined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. In addition, the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the occupying state to destroy the property of residents of occupied territory, who benefit from the status of protected persons, “except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military actions.” The Convention further states that “extensive destruction . . . of property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly” constitutes a grave breach of the Convention.

B'Tselem calls on the Jerusalem Municipality to cancel its plan to demolish houses in al-Bustan, to change its discriminatory and illegal policy, and to cooperate with residents of the neighborhood to develop an outline plan that will meet their needs.



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Jerusalem Diaries: Home Demolitions in the Palestinian Village of Umm Tuba

Jerusalem Diaries: Home Demolitions in the Palestinian Villag:

"On Wednesday, 6 November 2008, the Alternative Information Center went to the Palestinian village of Umm Tuba in East Jerusalem to interview the Palestinian engineer, Aziz Abu Teir, about his problems obtaining building permits from the Israeli government and the subsequent demolition of his family home."



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

The Struggle: Rebuilding a Home

The Struggle: Rebuilding a Home: - 29 min - Sep 19, 2008
TSVN - www.TheStruggle.org


"Video from 2007 in Anata, Jerusalem of volunteers from the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitons as the rebuild a home. Also interview with Uri Davis on housing apartheid within Israel."



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Tony Blair's Sister-in-Law on Arrest of a Gaza Activist

Tony Blair's Sister-in-Law on Arrest of a Gaza Activist:

"Afshin Rattansi talks to Lauren Booth, broadcaster and journalist after the arrest of Professor Jeff Halper.

Minnesota-born Halper, an Anthropology lecturer from Ben Gurion University who also chairs the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, was among dozens of international activists who sailed from Cyprus over the weekend in an attempt to break an Israeli naval blockade of the coastal enclave.

Related Article:
Jeff Halper, an Israeli activist on the "Free Gaza" boats arrested when leaving Gaza
by Palestine Monitor
Jeff Halper, an Israeli left wing activist who sailed as a member of the ‘Free Gaza' ship to challenge Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip was arrested by the Israeli police at the Erez Crossing this Tuesday, on his way to leave Gaza and return to Jerusalem.

According to the Maariv newspaper, the police decided after deliberations to arrest the Professor who will be submitted to Ashkelon Court tomorrow morning to consider his case. The Israeli authorities accuse Halper of violating a decree banning any Israeli citizens from entering the Gaza Strip, although Jeff Halper is also holder of American citizenship.

The professor spent three days in the Gaza strip after the arrival of the boat before trying to enter Israel through the Erez crossing, where the police arrested him and took him to Sderot for further interrogations. As the only Israeli citizen on board, Halper told newspapers he was expecting to be arrested and interrogated for his act of civil disobedience upon re-entering Israel.

Born in Minnesota, Professor Jeff Halper is a famous Israeli peace activist, anthropology lecturer from Ben Gourion University and chairman of ICAHD – The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, an organization that works to block the IDF's activities in the Palestinian territories and the demolition of Palestinian homes. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his longtime commitment to anti-occupation and pro-peace activities.

The Professor was the only Israeli among the 44 activists from 17 nations who took part in the blockade-busting project ‘Free Gaza'. The two boats ‘SS Free Gaza' and ‘SS Liberty' sailed last week from Cyprus to the Gaza Strip and reached the Palestinian coast on Saturday. By defying the Israeli blockade, the crewmembers are the first foreigners to reach the closed territory by sea since the complete closure of the Strip one year ago.
Once. And again?

Although the achievement of the ‘Free Gaza' project was uncertain due to the harsh restrictions carried out by the Israeli government, Israel finally allowed the activists to dock on the Gaza strip on the 25th of August. But what looks like a softening gesture, has more to do with avoiding public confrontation and bad media coverage for Israel, which the government recognized when allowing the ship to dock. Indeed, the international activists' project enjoyed great international coverage. “They wanted a provocation at sea, but they won't get it”, explained Foreign Ministry spokesman Aviv Sharon.

To Halper, whatever was the outcome, the resistance was always worth it: "the beauty of a non-violent activity is that we win, no matter what. If we break the siege, we win, and even if they arrest us, we win, because this will expose the face of the occupation and prove that Israel is still an occupier in Gaza", he said, while interviewed early August about its expectations for that trip.

Contacted after his arrival on the Palestinian prohibited ground, Harper told Haaretz: “I feel like we're fresh air entering a prison where a million and half people are living”. And when expressing his views about the Israeli public opinion -mostly unaware of the real situation on the ground in Gaza- the peace activist emphasized: "Our impression that Gaza is Hamas, that there is only hatred there, is mistaken," adding that he learned that "we are more of an obstacle to peace than the Palestinians."

As the only Israeli Jew who participated in the journey, Harper holds, as a consequence, a great symbolic value for the Israeli authorities. As a matter of fact, even if Tzipi Livni, the Israeli minister of foreign affairs, allowed those specific ships to dock in Gaza, it is still certain that Israel doesn't want a copy-cat of this action in the future. The Israeli government was quoted in the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Aharonot as confirming that, “This was a one time thing,” in order to discourage any other activists from carrying out such an action. This might also be the reason why Jeff Halper has been arrested and questioned, as the Israeli authorities would like to make an example of him.

In place since 2007, the Israeli blockade of Gaza has totally isolated the 1.5 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip from the outside world, barring all but a minimum of Humanitarian aid, worsening the Gazan economy, heath and humanitarian situation as neither goods nor people are free to enter and leave the Strip.

But above this, by preventing any foreigners, and moreover any Israelis to enter the Strip, Israel is also carrying a ‘blackout' policy, ensuring that Israelis will not enter the territory and will not discover the Gazan reality on the ground. By doing so, Israeli is securing its occupation policy, making sure that any Israelis will protest against it and that their journalists cannot report on it.

Still, by having broken the siege once, ‘ordinary citizens' have shown that they can do something and succeed. However, it cannot yet be taken for granted that breaking the siege via sea will work again, without the kind of media attention that the Free Gaza Movement received last Saturday.

Today, on the edge of the departure, the rest of the crew plans to sail back to Cyprus on Thursday, taking several Palestinians with them, including Fulbright students prevented by Israel from leaving Gaza to study abroad, and a young woman wishing to be reunited with her husband.

Atta Jaber: Ten years after demolition

Atta Jaber: Ten years after demolition:

"In mid-August 2008 Atta harvests tomatoes and reflects on the day ten years ago when the Israeli military demolished his home and tried to make him leave the land where he was born. Even on the day CPT visited him the Israeli military demanded he remove the tarp structure that sheltered the tomatoes he hoped to sell by the roadside."

Beit Hanina, East Jerusalem - house demolition on 28-07-08

Beit Hanina, East Jerusalem - house demolition on 28-07-08:

"Israel Occupation Forces (IOF) demolished a house in Beit Hanina, East Jerusalem (Palestine) on the pretext that it was built without a permit. 5 families, including more than 50 people, were expelled violently from their homes, without even having the chance to take out their staff before. For a Jerusalem palestinian family is extremely difficult to obtain a building permit from the Israeli authorities, as a result of the judaisation policy in the city. Therefore, there's no other chance than building 'ilegally'."

According to the Peace Now Movement, Israel rejects 94% of Palestinian Building permits.

Where Can This Baby Sleep?

Where Can This Baby Sleep?:



Read Amnesty International Report on the Israeli threat against Al-Aqabah Village

Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Under Threat: The West Bank Village of 'Aqaba

via Download Documents from Amnesty International by Amnesty International on 7/13/08

The future of a small village, ‘Aqaba is under threat. The Israeli army considers the homes and virtually every structure in the village as ‘illegal’. In this document Amnesty International calls on the Israeli government to: rescind all demolition orders in ‘Aqaba and of unlicensed houses in Area C

UN Report: 3,000 Palestinian homes under threat of demolition
May 28, 2008
Source: IMEMC
A report by the United Nations released on Wednesday revealed that 3,000 homes in the West Bank are under the imminent threat of destruction by Israeli forces. The homes in question were built by indigenous Palestinians without Israeli permits – according to the UN report, 94% of permit applications by Palestinians since 2000 have been denied.

Palestinians, indigenous to the land now occupied by Israel, have to apply for permits in order to build on their own land. This situation has become increasingly difficult since 1967, when the state of Israel began to occupy all parts of what was once Palestine, and move hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants to settle on land seized from Palestinians.

The most recent count by the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs shows that the Israeli government’s plan to take over more than 60% of the West Bank (one of two Palestinian territories, where most Palestinians now live) is well underway. Since 1990, more than 500,000 Israelis have been transferred to live on illegally-seized Palestinian land.

According to the new report, the 3,000 homes to be demolished include ten whole villages which will be completely displaced from their ancestral land and turned into refugees, as Israeli settlements are constructed on their land.

The homes in question are located in ‘Area C’, which was left under Israeli control during the Oslo Peace Agreement of 1993, to be renegotiated within five years. The Palestinian Authority agreed to the conditions of the Oslo Agreement under the presumption that the land, which constitutes 60% of the West Bank, would be returned to Palestinian control after five years. This re-negotiation never happened, and the areas remain under total Israeli control. Most Israeli settlements that have been constructed on Palestinian land in the last ten years have been constructed on ‘Area C’ land.

The UN Report stated that in the first quarter of 2008, Israeli authorities demolished 124 structures as compared with 107 for the whole of 2007, leading to the displacement of 435 Palestinians, 135 of them children. The Agency voiced concern that the upcoming 3,000 demolitions would disproportionately impact children, who make up more than 15% of the Palestinian population in the West Bank.

"A man from the village of Al-Aqabah in the West Bank contemplates the injustice of the Israeli Supreme Court ruling that his home should be destroyed. There are just 45 buildings in his village. 35 have demolition orders.
For more details go to The Rebuilding Alliance"



A woman from the village of Al-Aqabah in the West Bank wonders why the Israeli army wants to demolish her meagre, one-room shack. There are just 45 buildings in her village. 35 have demolition orders. For more details go to The Rebuilding Alliance



House Demolition Video by B'Tselem


“The Kindergarten in Al Aqabah” — a 14 min film by Amir Terkel

“.. After the army base was removed from the village a few months, we started helping the people to return to their homes. The first thing we did was to start fixing the kindergarten... Through the work of the Rebuilding Alliance, the kindergarten opened in May 2004, with an enrollment of 80 children. ”

Demolition of the Recreational Center in Azun

Demolition of the Recreational Center in Azun:

"Azun is in the seam-line: despite being 10 km east of the green line, it is west of the Separation Wall. The area is therefore under full Israeli control. The Israeli authorities do not provide any building permits for Palestinians in the region, so any new building is under threat of being demolished because it is 'illegal'. In 2006 the residence of Azon and the nearby villages received a donation to build a recreational center for children. A playground, swimming pools and additional facilities were build inside the municipal area of Azon. As expected, the Israeli army completely demolished the swimming pools and other facilities. Now the playground is under the threat of demolition as well.

Filmed by Dalia Golomb during a tour to the Palestinian Occupied Territories by Machsom Watch.

http://www.machsomwatch.org"

George Galloway Interviews Jeff Halper

Israelis Against House Demolitions & George Galloway Pt1:

"George Galloway talking with Jeff Halper, head of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) - a non-violent, direct-action group established to oppose and resist Israeli demolition of Palestinian houses in the Occupied Territories.

ICAHD's activities have extended to: resistance and protest actions in the Occupied Territories; efforts to bring the reality of the Occupation to Israeli society; and mobilizing the international community for a just peace.

ICAHD is comprised of members of Israeli peace and human rights organizations. Their work in the Occupied Territories is closely coordinated with local Palestinian organizations.

ICAHD: http://www.icahd.org/

Recorded 30 May 2008 from George Galloway's live talkshow on Talksport radio.

Listen to George Galloway live online every Friday and Saturday night, 10pm - 1am GMT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtFg_F..."

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

IOF demolishes Palestinian homes, South Hebron Hills

Video from Tayyush, uploaded by ISM Israeli Occupation Forces demolish Palestinian homes in the South Hebron Hills, West Bank. Palestinian, Israeli, and international solidarity activists aid in the attempt to halt the illegal demolitions. What Ezra, in the green jacket says, towards the end of the video: (to the arresting soldier) Don't hit me... Why are you tying it so hard? (to the cameraman) Bring me some water from the car... (to the soldiers) I hear you're from Russia, save your Russian passports, you're going to need them... Never mind, the last thing that's going to be left here is hatred, the only thing that's going to be left here is hatred... It's very funny, huh soldier, when you hear that these children are going to sleep outside (simultaneous - under the dome of the sky), it's very funny, huh?
also see this shorter, but translated video http://palestinevideo.blogspot.com/2009/05/help-israeli-human-rights-activist-ezra.html

House Demolition in West Bank

House Demolition in West Bank:

"On 31 January 2008, the Civil Administration delivered to two homeowners in Far'un, a village south of Tulkarm, notice that orders had been issued to demolish their houses, which lie close to the Separation Barrier. In 2007, the Civil Administration demolished seven houses in the village that were situated near the route of the barrier. The authorities claimed that the houses were constructed without a building permit.

B'Tselem is an Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories."

http://www.btselem.org/english/Video/

Jeff Halper detained during house demolition in Anata.

Jeff Halper detained during house demolition in Anata.:

"Jeff Halper (director of ICAHD)is detained while tries to reach the buldozer during the demolition done by the Israeli municipality of the Hamdan family in Anata, Jerusalem."

Humiliation and House Demolition in West Bank

Humiliation and House Demolition in West Bank:

"http://www.btselem.org/english/Video/

In January 2007, B'Tselem launched 'Shooting Back', a video advocacy project focusing on the Occupied Territories. We provide Palestinians living in high-conflict areas with video cameras, with the goal of bringing the reality of their lives under occupation to the attention of the Israeli and international public, exposing and seeking redress for violations of human rights. During a search for wanted persons in Qalqilya on August 29, 2007, soldiers destroyed seven housing units and forced male residents of the neighborhood to strip in front of their families and neighbors -- one of whom captured the incident on tape. www.btselem.org

B'Tselem is an Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories."



Palestine Video - A Palestine Vlog

Israel Demolishes Palestinian Home

Israel Demolishes Palestinian Home:

"The home of Muluk Abdallah in A-Tur/Al Issawiya was destroyed bu Israeli Authorities in early February 2007 because it had no building permit. According to the Israeli Peace Now Movement, Israeli Authorities reject 95% of Palestinian construction-permit applications forcing Palestinians to construct without permits out of dire necessities. This video was taken with a camera phone by one of Mulak Abdallah's children"