Intermediary Report for the “Monitoring Israeli Colonizing Activities” Project

Intermediary Report for the “Monitoring Israeli Colonizing  Activities” Project

 

This report highlights the events concerning colonizing activities  in the West Bank and Gaza that occurred between the months of September and November.  The report describes and evaluates those events and their effects on the Palestinian  community. The report also tries to predict the repercussions expected in the  future as a result of those events.

Contents:

  1.  Background
  2. West Bank
  3. Jerusalem
  4. Gaza
  5. In Depth Analysis of Key Events 

Background:

The Madrid Peace Conference of October 29, 1991 was a major  turning point in the status of the West Bank and Gaza after the 1967 war. For  the first time, the Palestinian Territories were invited to a meeting addressing  the Middle East conflict. Although it was not on an equal basis, it was a start.  This conference provided the legitimacy and the framework for future rounds of  peace negotiations and agreements. The direct outcome of the Madrid Conference  was the birth of two separate negotiating tracks: the bilateral and multilateral  talks. Soon after, separate bilateral negotiations were initiated between Israel  from one side and the Palestinians, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria on the other. Multilateral  talks on key regional issues have been frequently held as well. Negotiations between  Israel and the Palestinians on the interim period started in Washington, D.C.  The composition of the Palestinian negotiating team was restricted at this time  to members who were residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  

The lack of progress in the bilateral negotiations led to secret  meetings arranged and hosted by the Norwegians. These meetings led to the adoption  of a two-stage solution. The first stage was an interim period of five years during  which Palestinians would be permitted limited autonomy in the West Bank and Gaza  Strip. The critical issues of water allocation control over resources, East Jerusalem  refugees, and the Israeli settlements were to be negotiated during the permanent  status negotiations, which were scheduled to start on May 1, 1996. The behind-the-scenes  negotiations, which took place in Oslo, Norway, achieved a major breakthrough  in the Palestinian-Israeli relations, and brought the PLO and Israel to sign the  'Declaration of Principles' (DOP) in September, 1993. 

The DOP contained mutually agreed upon general principles for  the interim period. It requested Israel to turn its authority over civil issues  in the West Bank to the Palestinian Authority. During the interim period, Israel  would continue to control security of borders and Israeli colonists in the West  Bank and Gaza Strip. In order to elaborate on the practical application of the  DOP, the 'Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area', was signed in May  1994. That agreement, which later became known as Oslo I, resulted in the withdrawal  of the Israeli forces from approximately 78% of the Gaza Strip and 6,130 hectares  in the Jericho area. The 22% of the Gaza Strip which remained under Israeli control  included 'yellow areas,' Israeli colonies, and an Israeli security zone.  

The Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank  and the Gaza Strip (commonly known as 'Oslo II') was initiated in Washington,  D.C. on the 28th of September 1995. Oslo II set out a policy for election  of the Palestinian Council and defined its authority, established Palestinian  self-government in the West Bank, and set a schedule for redeployment of the Israeli  army from populated Palestinian areas. The agreement also focused on security  arrangements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. As of today, Israel  has not fulfilled a large segment of the Oslo II Agreement. 

The Interim agreements have divided the lands of the West Bank  into three classifications: areas A, B, and C. The Israeli military withdrew from  lands classified as area A, and complete autonomy over administrative and security  issues was assumed by the Palestinian Authority. Area A, according to the Oslo  II agreement, covered the main cities of the West Bank, except for Hebron which  had a special agreement. The city of Hebron was divided into areas of different  control called H1 and H2. Area H1 is defined as area A and area H2, which houses  400 colonists, remains under Israeli control.  

In areas B, the Palestinians have full control over civil affairs  while Israel continues to have overriding responsibility for security. These areas  comprise most of the Palestinian towns and villages. Areas C, covering almost  74.3% of the West Bank, are under Israeli control. Areas C covers the area, which  falls outside areas A and B. In this area, the Palestinian Authority provides  civil services; however, Israel retains full control over land, security, people,  and natural resources. The majority of Palestinian agricultural land lies in these  areas.  

In the summer of 1996, there was a change of government in  Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Likud party leader, rose to power. His agenda  concerning the occupied territories diverged from that of his predecessors and  the peace process plunged into a series of crises. Not only that but there was  also an upsurge in the colonizing activities to the extent that Israeli officials  publicly called upon the colonists to grab as many hilltops as they can. That  land grab policy resulted in the establishment of over 40 outposts during the  three years that Likud held power. 

Furthermore, Netanyahu was reluctant to honor the agreements  signed by predecessors thus he placed the peace talks in a stalemate. Consequently,  on the 23rd of October 1998 the Wye River Memorandum was signed to  'facilitate implementation' of the Interim agreement between the Palestinians  and Israel. The memorandum stipulated further redeployments that would give the  Palestinians control over about 40% of the West Bank (Table 1). The redeployments  were to be conducted in three stages and it was projected that after completion  of the third stage, area A would be approximately 18.2% of the West Bank, area  B would be 21.8%, and the remaining areas would continue to be area C (Wye River  Memorandum, 1998). The first stage was put into effect on November 20, 1998,  two weeks after the agreed timeline and the following two stages were stalled.  On December 15, 1998, the Israeli government announced its decision to stop further  redeployment, and froze the implementation of the Wye agreement indefinitely.  

Table 1: The redeployments as mentioned in the Wye River Memorandum

 

Total Area A

Total Area B

Total Area C

Stage I

10.1%

18.9%

71.0%

Stage II (not implemented)

10.1%

23.9%

66.0%

Stage II (not implemented)

18.2%

21.8%

60.0%

Source: adapted from The Wye River Memorandum, October  23, 1998 

 

Since the Wye River Memo encountered obstacles in implementation,  it needed a new agreement in order to see it through. So on the fourth of September  1999, the Sharm El-Sheikh Memorandum was signed. In general, this memo reiterated  each party's commitment to uphold its previous obligations yet with a bit of detailing  on certain issues. The Permanent Status talks were to resume in an accelerated  manner and a deadline was set (September 2000) for their conclusion. The memo  also contained clauses detailing the release of prisoners, the operation of the  Gaza Port, the Safe Passage Route, and modifications in the stages of redeployment.  The first and second stages were implemented (albeit after delays) while the third  stage, which was scheduled for the 20th of January 2000, has not been  implemented (Table 2).  

Table 2: The redeployments as mentioned in the Sharm El-Sheikh  Memorandum.

 

Total Area A

Total Area B

Total Area C

Stage I

10.1%

25.9%

64.0%

Stage II (implemented in delay)

12.1%

26.9%

61.0%

Stage II (not implemented)

18.2%

21.8%

60.0%

 

Source: adapted from The Sharm El-SheikhMemorandum,  September 4, 1999. 

The final status negotiations, which were supposed to commence  in May 1996 and end by 1999, were officially started in early September 1999.  In the meantime, the Israeli government has not stopped its unilateral practices  in the West Bank and Gaza strip by which it created de farealities on the ground.  These de facto realities are clearly prejudicing the outcome of negotiations on  the final status of the Occupied Territories to Israel's favor. Such activities  are in total violation of United Nations' resolutions, particularly 298 and 242,  as well as standing Palestinian-Israeli agreements. 

The West Bank

The West Bank is a landlocked geographic entity created as  a consequence of the 1948 war (see map). The borders demarcating the West Bank  are those appearing in the maps of the 1949 Armistice agreement signed by the  Arab states and Israel. In 1967 Israel occupied the West Bank annexing East Jerusalem  while treating the rest of it as 'Administered Territories'. The international  community, however, does not recognize Israel's annexation and refers to the West  Bank (including East Jerusalem) as the Occupied Territories. The area of the West  Bank is 5822 km2 and its Palestinian population in 1997 was 1,873,476  (PCBS, 1998). It includes 642 Palestinian built-up areas comprising 359 km2 (GIS database, ARIJ, 1998). In addition, there are eighteen refugee camps scattered  throughout.

 

However there are over 250 Israeli built up areas (civilian  and military) in the West Bank covering an area of 147 km2 (GIS database,  ARIJ, 1998). Yet, Israel recognizes only 124 as independent municipal bodies.  Currently the colonists number around 340,000 of which 170,000 are in East Jerusalem  alone.
As is apparent from the map, the Jewish colonies in the West  Bank are scattered all over (see map). However successive Israeli governments  have encouraged the development of specific blocks more than others. Notably,  the focus has been on the following areas:

  • the Jerusalem area to create demographic barricades in front of any Arab claims  to it,
  • Along the West Bank's western edges so as to make the return to the 1967 borders  practically impossible.
  • The Jordan valley for its presumed importance to Israel's security as well  as for its agricultural resources (abundant water and fertile soil). 

 

Furthermore, the growth of colonies is mainly geared to the  formation of blocks; i.e. they grow outwards and towards each other. The end  result of such a growth is the grouping of Palestinian towns and villages into  three or four cantons. Indeed, the Israeli intention is to make the contiguity  of any Palestinian State in the future practically unattainable.

In addition, Israel builds by-pass roads to link colonies with  each other and with Israel proper (see map). This designation came with the advent  of the Oslo Accords and was not present before. In the agreements they are called  'Lateral Roads' but people usually call them 'bypass' roads because they are meant  to circumvent (i.e. bypass) Palestinian built up areas. These roads are of course  under Israeli control and entail a 50 to 75 meter buffer zone on each side of  the road in which no construction is allowed. In effect, these roads carve up  the Palestinian areas into isolated ghettos and deprive Palestinians of vital  agricultural land. Moreover, these roads become political boundaries since most  of them are inaccessible to Palestinians from the West Bank (photo 1, Photo2).

 

 

To achieve its schemes of colony expansion and by-pass road  construction Israel utilizes a variety of policies. From issuing military orders,  to land confiscation, to house demolition, and uprooting trees, Israel continues  to transform the West Bank every day. The Israeli violations that were reported  between the months of September till November are discussed in the following section.

  Table 3: Israeli Violations in the West Bank from September to  November 1999

Date

Violation

Location

Violators

Notes

05-Sep-1999

Expanding of Kaddim /Gannim colonies

Jenin

Israeli authorities

Area of expansion 250 dunums

06-Sep-1999

Closing the Ibrahimi Mosque for Muslim worshippers for six days  during the Jewish holidays

Hebron

The Israeli military forces

Access will only be granted to colonists and Orthodox Jews

12-Sep-1999

Seizure a piece of land, in order to open a new road, 400 meters  in length

Hebron – Halhul

Colonists of Karmei Zur

 

17-Sep-1999

Plans to build 88 housing units in Kedar colony

Jerusalem

A private contractor

The plan doubles the size of Kedar.

17-Sep-1999

Endorsement of a plan to construct a huge Israeli tourist colony

Bethlehem – Etzion Bloc

The Israeli Housing Ministry

 

18-Sep-1999

Expansion of Susiya boundaries northwards and eastwards, in addition  to the installation of 10 caravans on 4 dunums of land

Hebron – Susiya colony

Colonists of Susiya

The land has lost 150 dunums to the colony.

20-Sep-1999

Planning of building a new checkpoint which will run parallel  to the existing one and will be used by Palestinians only

Between Bethlehem & Jerusalem

The Israeli authorities

more

21-Sep-1999

Prohibition of the villagers from cultivating their 80-dunum land

Bethlehem – Kh. Beit Skariya

The Israeli authorities

 

23-Sep-1999

Attempt to block an internationally funded project to help Palestinian  agriculture

Bethlehem – Etzion enclave

Jewish colony leaders

 

23-Sep-1999

Fencing around 40 dunums of land, endeavoring to construct additional  housing units

Hebron – Tarqumia

The colonists of Telem

 

24-Sep-1999

Military post near Homesh/Sa Nur colonies

Nablus–
Funduqawmieh

Israeli authorities

The post lies on a one-dunum area.

26-Sep-1999

2,600 new tenders have been issued for house constructions in  the colonies

West Bank

Israel's Housing and Construction Ministry

 

26-Sep-1999

Closing off 23,000 dunums of land

Hebron – Beit Ula & Edna

The Israeli military forces

 

27-Sep-1999

Tender issued for a new by-pass road connecting Shaked and Katzir  colonies.

Jenin

Israeli authorities

 

27-Sep-1999

Tender issued for a new by-pass road connecting Kiryat Arba and  Ramat Mamre colonies.

Hebron

Israeli authorities

 

27-Sep-1999

Attendance of the ceremony of opening a large Jewish school

Hebron – Otniel colony

Israeli officials

Click to see photo

29-Sep-1999

16 military orders have been issued to seal off large areas of  fertile agricultural land

West Bank

Israeli authorities

 

also see in depth analysis below.

01-Oct-1999

Marketing 600 housing units in Har Homa colony.

Bethlehem – Jabal Abu Ghneim

Israeli authorities

 

01-Oct-1999

Construction of 500 housing units in Maale Adumim colony.

Jerusalem

Israeli authorities

 

04-Oct-1999

Sealing agricultural plots of land to be used as Israeli training  fields

Hebron – Sa'ir, Bani Na'im, Yatta

The Israeli army

The sealed area is estimated at over 80 km2.

06-Oct-1999

Erecting two mobile homes

Ramallah – Talmon colony

Jewish colonists

 

06-Oct-1999

Setting up two mobile houses

Hebron – Susiya colony

Jewish colonists

Click to see photo.

12-Oct-1999

3,000 colony housing units are in the process of building

Ramallah – Kokhav Yaacov colony

The Israeli Housing Ministry

Click to see photo.

15-Oct-1999

Approving the establishment of 35 colonies

West Bank

PM Barak

see in depth analysis below

18-Oct-1999

A military order has been issued to prohibit the renovation of  Palestinian houses

Hebron – close to Ibrahimi Mosque

The Israeli occupation authorities

 

20-Oct-1999

Expansion of Maale Shomron colony.

Qalqilieh-Azzun

Israeli authorities

Area of expansion is 5 dunums

20-Oct-1999

Erecting a mobile synagogue in an illegal outpost

Hebron – Havat Maon colony

Ultra-orthodox Jews

Click to see photo

22-Oct-1999

The land of the evacuated colonies' outposts will remain under  the Jewish colonists' control

West Bank

Barak & the colonists

see in depth analysis below

02-Nov-1999

Expansion of Karne Shomron colony.

Qalqilieh-Kufer Laqif

Israeli authorities

The area of expansion is 14 dunums.

02-Nov-1999

A plan was ratified to build 37,000 housing units to bring in  185,400 colonists

Bethlehem – Etzion Bloc

The Israeli government

It was first proposed by the so-called 'Higher Council of  Planning'

03-Nov-1999

Uprooting dozens of olive trees

Ramallah – El Midya

troop of Israeli soldiers

 

07-Nov-1999

Expansion of Itamar colony's Master plan from 700 to 7000 dunums

Nablus- Awarta and Kafr Qallil

The Israeli government (PM Barak)

Click to see map and photo

15-Nov-1999

New tenders have been published to build 2,703 new colony housing  units

West Bank

The Israeli government (PM Barak)

 

15-Nov-1999

Demolition of six houses and evicting hundreds of Palestinian  Bedouins from caves and stone shacks

Hebron – Yatta

Israeli troops

 

23-Nov-1999

Setting up an illegal outpost

Bethlehem – Etzion Bloc

The members of Dor Hahemshech

Click to see map and photo

24-Nov-1999

Demolition orders for 30 cistern wells used for irrigation

Bethlehem – El Khader

The Israeli Civil Administration

 

26-Nov-1999

Approving the constructing of 1,026 new housing units on 26,000  square meter of land

Bethlehem – El Khader & Artas

The Israeli government

 

28-Nov-1999

Moving of five Jewish families (Yeshiva) into an Isreali army  unit base

Hebron – Old city

Isreali military forces

 

29-Nov-1999

Demolishing of 7 stores and stone shacks and 3 cistern wells

Bethlehem – El Khader

The Israeli forces

 

Source: compiled from local newspapers, interviews and field survey.

 

Table 4: Direct colonizing activities by Jewish colonists in the  West Bank throughout the months of Sep-Nov, 1999.

Name of Colony

Name of Arabic location

Area in dunums

No. of housing units

Nature of Activity

Immanuel

Deir Istia, Salfit, Jensafut,

451

Confiscating the land and illegally registering it

Shilo

Ra'as Musa, Qaryut, Nablus

1200

5

Annexing the land without prior notice and building on it

Rachelim

Talama, Sawieh, Nablus

80

14

Annexing the land without prior notice and building on it

Shvut Rahel

Khafafish, Jalud, Nablus

1026

7

Annexing the land without prior notice and building on it

Karne Shomron

Ra'as Amer, Jensafut, Qalqilieh

42

Annexing the land without prior notice and building on it

Total

 

2799

26

 

Source: compiled from interviews and field survey. 

Table 5: Tenders for construction in colonies in the West Bank  published by the Israeli government during the months of Sep-Nov, 1999:

Date

Name of colony

District

No. of housing units to be built

14.9.1999

Ramat Mamre

Hebron

12

1.11.1999

Asfar (Metzad)

Hebron

9

4.11.1999

Sa Nur & Gannim

Jenin

14

15.11.1999

Arial

Salfit

54

Total

 

 

89

 Source: compiled from Publication Of Tenders For Construction  In The Settlements By The Barak Administration, Peace Now. 

Planning schemes projects for expanding Israeli colonies on  Palestinian land in West Bank:

A.  Bidding for planning schemes 

  1. A planning scheme was prepared for the colony of Elkana in Qalqilieh district  and was sent for bidding on 1.11.1999 under the number of1/15/125.
  2.  A new planning scheme for Jadu'nim colony built on land belonging to the village  of Beit Furik, Nablus was sent for bidding on 8.11.1999 under the number of 3/163.  According to this scheme, 30 housing units will be built on a total area of 4285  dunums.
  3. A project to build a new colonialist road was sent for bidding on 22.10.1999.  The project whose number is 2/8/115 will be build on land belonging to the villages  of Azzun and Kufer Thuluth in Tulkarm district.
  4.  Issuing and approving 4 planning schemes in the Hebron district affecting  1860 dunums.

B.  Commencement of a number of planning schemes: 

1.     A final approval was given to a scheme aimed at enlarging Salit colony. According  to this scheme whose number is 2/1/112, about 175 housing units will be built  on 847 dunums. The date of commencement for this project is 22.9.99. 

2.     A scheme to enlarge the colony of Revava situated on Deir Istia and Haris  villages in Salfit district entered into force on 12.11.1999.  

3.     Erecting the first structure (300 m2) in the Israeli industrial  zone south of Al-Thahiriya town in Hebron district (see Photo).  
 

 

Jerusalem 

The state of the Palestinians' human rights in Jerusalem is  deteriorating at an accelerating rate. The Israeli occupation is trying to build  more facts on the ground to Israelize the Holy City; to make it, as they claim,  the eternal capital of Israel. As a result of the Israeli policies:  

  • Palestinian Jerusalemites are prevented from using more than 86% of their  land upon which Israeli occupation built more than 15 colonies. The remaining  land is kept as a strategic reserve for the expansion of the colonies.  

  • The number of Jewish colonists in occupied Jerusalem is about 170,000 colonists.  Their number in 1967 was zero.  

  • More than 2000 houses were demolished since 1967, more than 350 of which were  demolished under the pretext of building without permit.  

  • More than 100 homes were seized in addition to two neighborhoods inside and  outside the Old City.  

  • The military closure of the city since the 30th of March 1993  has caused devastation on the economical, social, and political levels.  

Since the beginning of September 1999, field workers based  in Jerusalem documented the following violations in the Jerusalem area: 

Table 6: House Demolitions

Name of victim

Date of demolition

Location

Area in m2

No. of rooms

No. of family members

No. of children

Ihab Yusif Nasser.

Photo

26/10/1999

Eisawieh

100

4

6

0

Faizeh Fuad Khalil

25/10/1999

Beit Hanina

60

4

8

5

Sarah Fuad Khalil

25/10/1999

Beit Hanina

60

3

9

4

Najwa Fuad Khalil

25/10/1999

Beit Hanina

60

3

8

6

Walid Al-Ja'bari.

Photo

15/11/1999

Al-Sawahreh Al-Gharbiyeh

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

280

14

31

15

 

Source: compiled from interviews and field surveying on the sites. 

  • The continuation of the Israeli colonialist construction in Ras Al-Amud Palestinian  quarter.  

  • A military order was issued closing 300 dunums of Nabi Samual village in preparation  for total confiscation for the exclusive use of Jews. 

  • The Israeli army issued a number of orders to evacuate 17 families who have  been living in Nabi Samual village since 1954. 

  • The Israeli authorities continue to build road No. 1 in Jerusalem that connects  Pisgat Zeev colony with the western side of Jerusalem. This road is being built  on land confiscated from Palestinians of Shu'fat village. As part of the road  construction, an historical old mosque was destroyed. 

  • The Israeli authorities started groundwork without prior notification on a  large stretch of land for the construction of the East Ring Road next to Sur Baher  village, south of Jerusalem (click to see photo).

  •  On the other hand, works are still under way to build road No. 45 in the lands  of the Palestinian areas of Qalandia, Judeira, Bir Nabala, Jib (Click to see photo1, photo2).  This road will meet the tunnel road No. 60 that crosses the city from south to  north. 

  • Mr. Khader Budran was killed after being shot at by Israeli Police on the  1st of October 1999. The incident took place in Ramot colony under  the pretext that he did not stop as the Police asked to. In addition, Mr. Ayman  Al Sheikh, whose was sitting next to Khader, was also killed after the dead driver  lost control of the car and it hit the pavement violently before it came to a  complete stop.   

The Gaza Strip 

Gaza is a narrow strip of land located across the southern  western side of Palestine (see map).

 

The Strip is 45 km long and it is between  6 to 12 km wide. The total area of the Strip is 363.8 km squared. The population  of Gaza is about 1 million. With such data, Gaza is considered one of the most  over crowded areas in the world with a rate of 3018 person per km squared (in  the case of discounting the area under Israeli occupation). Finally, the percentage  of young people under the age of 15 is about 50%. Agriculture is the main economic  activity in the Strip. Main agricultural products include palm and citrus trees  in addition to the different types of vegetables. The Strip also has a large labor  force. Yet, the Israeli occupation has deployed a number of policies that has  affected the economic activity in the Strip in a negative way. Such policies include:  

  • The confiscation and seizure of agricultural lands,  

  • The seizure of water sources and the over pumping of it to supply it to the  Israeli colonies. This action has led to the increase of both the pollution and  the salt concenof the water.  

  • The isolation of the Strip from other markets which caused a great damage  to the agricultural environment. 

  • The increase of the number of the unemployment in Gaza.  

Despite the small area of the Strip and the fact that there  exists a great number of Palestinian refugee camps (their total area is about  110,000 dunums), we find that Israeli colonizing activity led to the seizure of  about 59,000 dunumsof Palestinian land in the Strip. That is about 16.3%  of the total area of the Strip. The usage of these dunumsis divided as  follows:  

  • 43,000 dunums were used to build 20 colonies atop of them,  

  • 775 dunumswere declared closed military areas and used exclusively  for the usage of the Israeli occupation forces.  

  • 15,000 dunums used as security zones for the protection of Israeli colonists.  

The geographical distribution of the Israeli colonies in Gaza  was designed to accomplish two goals:

1.     To isolate, as much as possible, Palestinian centers from reaching the Mediterranean  Sea. This goal has been achieved through the establishment of 16 colonies parallel  to the Mediterranean Sea in the south of the Strip.

2.     To control the main road that divides the Strip into three distinct areas,  which allows for their easy isolation. This goal has been achieved through the  establishment of the 3 colonies of Erez in the north, Kfar Darom in the middle  of the Strip, and Morag in the south.  

Moreover, the Israeli occupation established colonies in Gaza  Strip with functional objectives with the aim of serving the occupation. These  colonies include military ones that aim at achieving complete military and security  control over the Strip and its coastal area in addition to the Egyptian borders.  They also include agricultural colonies to which vast areas of land were annexed  and used as farms by the colonists in order to achieve three goals:

1.      Controlling vast areas of Palestinian land; 

2.     Controlling sources of underground water in the Strip; 

3.     Using the Gaza Strip land and water for cultivating special kinds of vegetation  like flowers and citrus fruits (economic reason). 

The Israeli occupation authorities also set up a number of  industrial colonies with the aim of utilizing cheap labor in Gaza Strip to produce  Israeli products for local and international markets. 

A large network of roads was built to serve Israeli colonies.  It comprises two categories: 

1.     Internal roads connecting colonies to each other and connecting colonies with  main roads; 

2.     Main roads that connect the three colonist blocks in the south, north and  center of the occupied land with Israel proper. 

Although a number of these roads pass by areas under the Palestinian  sovereignty according to Oslo accords, the Israelis are still having security  control over these roads supported by permanent and random checkpoints. Often,  the Israeli army and colonists prevent Palestinian from using these roads, especially  those roads leading to Netzarim and Kfar Darom colonies where Palestinians face  arbitrary checks and are not allowed to travel on these roads individually, but  in commune (more than one person in a car). 

Table 7: Israeli Violations from September to November 1999  in the Gaza Strip 

Date

Violation

Location

Violators

Notes

16-Sep-1999

Leveling off the land in order to annex it to the nearby colony  of Gush Katif

Rafah -Al Mallahat farm

Colonists from Gush

Katif

Area of expansion 20 dunums

28-Sep-1999

Establishment of a military point next to Kfar Darom colony

Khan Younis -Road in Deir Al Balah

Colonists form Kfar

Darom

The area is 0.15 dunums

30- Sep-1999

The annexation of a land owned by the family of Abu Shaloof to  connect between the colonies of Pe'at Sadeh and Mizp `Azmona.

Rafah – Piece 2370 – Parcel 1

Colonists from the two colonies.

Area of annexation is 70 dunums

01-Oct-1999

The construction of a sandy road connecting the colony of Neve  Dekalim with a 200-dunum piece of land that the colonists took over a year  earlier. Plastic houses were constructed on the land ever since.

Rafah – Tul Jinan South of the colony of Neve Dekalim

Colonists from Neve Dekalim

Area of construction 250 dunums

10- Oct -1999

Eviction order under the pretext that the land is a State Land.

Rafah -Tul Jinan Block 92 Parcel5

State Guardian

Area of the land is 12 dunums.

13- Oct -1999

Surrounded by an electronic fence in order to annex it to the  colonies of Gadid, Gan Or, Bedolah, Mizp `Azmona

Khan Younis

The colonists of these colonies

Area of expansion 2000 dunums

14-Oct-1999

Leveling off and planting the land for the benefit of the colonies  of Katif and Netzar Hazzani

Khan Younis – Mawasi Al Qirara

Block 89

The colonists of Katif and Netzar Hazzani

 

Area of the land is 1500 dunums

03-Oct-1999

Leveling off the lands with the intention of annexing it to the  colony of Gannei Tal

Khan Younis – Al Amal neighborhood

The colonists of Gannei Tal

Area of the land is 100 dunums

14-Oct-1999

Prevention of completing a house.

Khan Younis – beach

The State Guardian

The house gave shelter to a 10-member family.

01-Nov-1999

The construction of two additional housing units in the colony  of Pe'at Sadeh

Rafah

The colonists of Pe'at Sadeh

 

05-Nov-1999

The construction of an 800-meter sandy road in order to annex  a 160-dunum land to the colony of Pe'at Sadeh

Rafah

The colonists of Pe'at Sadeh

Area affected is 5 dunums.

14-Nov-1999

Leveling off the land in preparation to annex it to Pe'at Sadeh

Rafah –

south of Pe'at Sadeh colony

The colonists of Pe'at Sadeh.

Area of the land is 10 dunums

 Source: compiled from interviews and field surveying on the sites. 

 

House Demolition:

Location: Khan Younis Camp

Date: 23-11-1999

Demolishing Pretext: Building on State Land

No. of Houses: Six houses under construction

Names of House Owners: 1) Ayesh Mohamed Abu Sahlool (50 years)

2) Sami Hussein Abu Kharees (33 years)

3) Muneer Salman Abu Sahlool (35 years)

4) Ahmad and Hani Ali Al A'araj (24 & 27 years)

5) Ahmad and Ayman Abu Sahlool (25 year) 
 

In Depth Analysis of Key Events 

The Sharm El-Sheikh Memorandum
The Sharm El-Sheikh Memorandum had two important modifications  in the clauses addressing the redeployments. First, the two stages that remained  unimplemented in Wye were further split into three. Second, the redeployments  where scheduled to be concurrent with the final status talks and not precede them;  that puts the Palestinian negotiators at a disadvantage

Unlike Oslo II, Wye River Memorandum and Sharm El-Sheikh Memorandum  mention percentages of redeployments without describing where those  redeployments are planned. The Wye River Memo states that 3% should be 'Nature  Reserves' and that 'Israeli officials acquaint their Palestinian counterparts  as required with areas…,' while Sharm El-Sheikh Memo doesn't mention the Nature  Reserves and succinctly talks of percentage 'transfers.' This meant that Israeli  officials would supply maps of the withdrawals only after the signing of the agreement.  Moreover, the area of the West Bank according to which the percentages are calculated  is not specified. The area of the West Bank is 5854 km2 and the total  area of the transfers from Area C to Area B is 384 km2. Dividing this  number by the former gives a percentage transfer of 6.56% and not 7% as the Sharm  El-Sheikh Memo claims. However, when one excludes East Jerusalem, the No Man's  land, and the territorial waters of the Dead Sea, the area of the West Bank becomes  5538 km2 and the percentage of the withdrawal dilates to 6.93%. Thus,  quite to the convenience of the Israeli authorities, the percentage transfers  (calculated over a smaller patch of land) appear larger than what they really  are. This distribution (as evident from the map) works well with Israel's plans  of cantonizing the West Bank. It totally avoids Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley,  it minimizes the transfers in Ramallah that has a sizable array of colonies, and  allocates the bulk of the withdrawals in arid areas of Hebron.

On the other hand, the new transfers have made Area B more  contiguous. For example, B and A areas south and west of Nablus have become connected.  However numerous Palestinian hamlets remscattered islands in a sea of 'C' areas  along the western parts of the Nablus and Ramallah districts. The Palestinian  villages of Nahalin and Skarya remain surrounded by Israeli colonies that continue  to encroach on them. It is important to note that, to the Israeli forces, transfers  from Area C to Area B do not form a significant change since security in 'B' areas  is still in Israeli hands. Yet to the colonists, these transferscomplicate their ability to create facts on the ground. For example, colonist  stopped a Palestinian land reclamation project in al-Khader village on the grounds  that it was located on an area designated as C. 

However, what is most noteworthy in the new maps is the modification  of 'Area B'. Two regions that were designated as 'Area B' in The Wye River Memo  appear as 'Area C' in the Sharm El-Sheikh Memo maps. In the village of Walajeh  as well as in Abu Dis, areas that were previously designated as 'Area B' appeared  as 'Area C' in the new maps.

New Military Orders In the Wake Of Sharm El-Sheikh Memo

Just after the signing of the Sharm El-Sheikh Memo, 16 military  orders where distributed closing vast areas of the West Bank (See map). On the  5th of May 1999, 16 Israeli military orders were approved by the Israeli  military command sealing off large areas of land in the West Bank as closed training  grounds. However, the villagers were not informed of these orders until the 6th  of September 1999 (i.e. after the signing of the Sharm El Sheikh Memorandum which  was on the 4th of September 1999). Yet the closures overlap areas designated as  'Area B' in Sharm El-Sheikh Memo. In fact, it was only after a massive public  uproar that the Israeli authorities issued new orders correcting the overlap in  areas designated as Area B.

 

 

Moreover, a number of Palestinian houses are threatened with  demolition despite the fact that they lie in 'Area B' . In addition, the  military orders specifically state that the closure does not apply to persons  living within the designated area. Nevertheless, several people living within  the closure area were ordered to leave. Usually, the closing of an area for military  training is limited by a specific time period; these 16 orders are open-ended.  Thus, claiming that these orders are administrative and routine (i.e. independent  of political developments) is invalid.

Since most of the land is agricultural, these live-fire-training  grounds affect Palestinian families that make their living from agriculture and  livestock. Moreover, the proximity of the closures to Palestinian built up areas  impedes their development and natural growth.

Table 8: The military orders issued after the Sharm El-Sheikh  Memorandum.

No. of military order

Area in dunum

Location

Notes

1/S/99

.

Al-Sawahreh, Nabi Musa, Khan Al-Ahmar, Abu Dis, Al-Ezzariya,  Al-Obeidieh, Arab Al-Taamre, Arab Al-Rashaideh, Sair, Bani Naim, Yatta, Arab Al-Jahalin.

Map not available.

2/S/99

 

 

missing

3/S/99

 

Ne'ma, Al-Auja.

Map not available.

4/S/99

.

Duma, Al-Mugheir, Al-Auja, Kufr Malek, Deir Jarir, Al-Taiba.

Map not available.

5/S/99

 

Al-Mugheir, Raba, Tubas, Bardala, Tayaseer.

Map not available.

6/S/99

>472000

 

Yatta, Bani Naim.

The map does not show all the closed area. The area appearing  in the incomplete map is over 472000 dunums.

7/S/99

 

Aqraba, Beit Furik, Beit Dajan, Yanun, Majdal Bani Fadel, Fasayel,  Ghor Al-Far'a.

Map not available.

8/S/99

 

Talouza, Beit Dajan, Beit Furik, Yanun, Aqraba.

Map not available.

9/S/99

 

Tubas, Tammoun, Beit Dajan, Ghor Al-Far'a.

Map not available.

10/S/99

 

Tubas.

Map not available.

11/S/99

 

Tayaseer, Tubas, Tammoun.

Map not available.

12/S/99

29000

Iskaka, Salfit, Libban Al-Sharkiya, Ammouriya, Khirbet Qeis,  Arura, Abwein.

This order is a reaffirmation of the previous order no. 2/S/83.  The area was obtained from the Palestinian authorities.

13/S/99

 

Deir Ibzi', Saffa, Kufr Ne'ma, Beit Or

Map not available.

14/S/99

7900

Edna, Khirbet Jamrura

. The area was calculated by the GIS unit ARIJ,  1999.

15/S/99

19000

Tel, Imatin, Zita, Asira Qiblieh, Jama'in, Dir Istia

This order is a reaffirmation of the previous order no. 4/S/82.

The area was obtained from the Palestinian authorities.

16/S/99

14500

Beit Ula, Nuba, Haras, Khirbet Jamrura

 

This order is a reaffirmation of the previous order no. 1/S/95.  

The area was calculated by the GIS unit ARIJ, 1999.

Source: The military orders received by the District Coordination  Offices (DCOs). 

 

 

The 'Illegal' Outposts

In a bid to show that its policy is different from that of  the preceding government, Barak's government revised the status of 42 (independent  sources report 45) colonial outposts established after the signing of the Wye  River Memo. The military establishment had advised Barak to dismantle 15 of the  42 outposts since they had legal problems:

  • 8 outposts had proper permits,

  • 27 had improper or incomplete permits,

  • 7 had no permits at all.

Nevertheless, on October 13th a compromise was  reached between the government and the Yesha council (speaking on behalf of the  colonists) over the fate of those outposts. The number of outposts slated for  removal were narrowed down to ten of which:

  • 5 were empty or unmanned sites (i.e. containers or water tanks),

  • 3 relocated to nearby sites,

  • 2 to be evacuated at a later time.

  • Thus 32 outposts remained. 

Table 9: Survey of Colony Outposts 1996 – 1999

#

Mother Colony

Outpost

Structures on Site

1

Avnei Hefetz

(Eastern Caravans)

18

2

Itamar

Gidonim

29

3

 

Gidonim A (Hill 851)

23

4

 

Gvaot Olamn (Avri Ran's Farm)

8

5

 

Hil Neighborhood (Hill 777)

7

6

 

Hill 782

5

7

Elkana

Magen Dan

18

8

Elon More

Har Kabir

2

9

Allon Shevut

Givat Ha'hish

7

10

Bracha

Bracha A

19

11

 

Sneh Ya'akov

3

12

Bet Ain

Bet Ain B

20

13

Halamish

Zofit Farm

25

14

Talmon South

(Eastern Caravans)

38

15

Talmon North

Horesh Yaron

20

16

 

Haresha

17

17

 

Zayit Ra'anan

1

18

Yizhar

Eastern Hill

14

19

 

Ahuzat Shalhevet

4

20

Kokhav haShahar

Mizpe Keramim

11

21

El David

Sdeh Bar Farm

16

22

Maon

Misgav Dov Neighborhood

6

23

 

Maon Farm

6

24

Maale Mikhmas

Mizpe Dani

15

25

 

Mizpe Hagit

7

26

 

Neve Erez

8

27

Ma'ale Amos

Ivei Ha'nachal

29

28

Susiya

Magen David Farm

4

29

Mezadot Yehuda

Nof Nesher

6

30

Tene Omarim

(South Eastern Caravans)

7

31

 

(Northern Caravans)

9

32

Eli

Nof Harim

41

33

 

Ha'yovel Neighborhood

12

34

 

Mizpe Shuna

2

35

Ofra

Amona

17

36

Kedumim

Har Hemed

18

37

Karne Shomron

Nof Kane Farm

11

38

Shevut Rachel

Ahiya (Hill D)

15

39

 

Adi Ad (Hill F, Hill 799)

11

40

Shilo

Givat Harel (Hill 740)

12

41

Kfar Tapuah

Hill 660

1

42

Shevut Rachel

Hill 804

N/A

43

 

Hill 827

N/A

44

Kiryat Arba

Site 26

N/A

45

 

Site 5152

N/A

 Source: Data compiled from Survey of Illegal Outposts 1996-1999,  Peace Now, October 1999 and Colony Outposts Established During The Likud Party ,  Arab Studies Society, 1999. 

 

Conclusion

The Barak government came to power with the promise of achieving  peace. At first glance the actions of that government give the impression of working  for peace. However, the government's policies were not whole-hearted nor were  they free of any illusions. Just after signing the Sharm El-Sheikh Memo, 16 military  orders were issued closing off large areas of land. The government announced  a revision of the status of 42 outposts built under the previous government only  to fix 32 of them while the media's attention is diverted to the removal of one.  The rate of housing units approved was faster than that of the previous governments.

Israel continues to violate Palestinian rights (be it political,  financial, civil, or human) as the last thirty-three years of killing, arrest,  colonizing, and house demolishing stand witness to. Up to today, Palestinians  in the West Bank are suffering from the discriminatory and brutal policies practiced  by the successive Israeli governments. This is the situation despite the fact  that it has been almost seven years since the start of the peace process in Madrid  and six years since the signing of the Declaration of Principals. 

 

 

Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem

 

 The Land Research Center
LRC
 

Categories: Reports