The Israeli violations against Palestinians increased during the month of March 2016, where the Israeli bulldozers demolished tens of Palestinian houses leaving hundreds of Palestinians homeless. In addition, the Israeli Authorities issued dozens of demolition and confiscation orders, to serve the Israeli colonial projects in the occupied West Bank, included the Jerusalem city. Also, the Israeli settlers carried out a number of attacks against Palestinians, their properties , and Holy sites. Moreover, the sounds of racism rise calling to  continue the construction of the Segregation Wall around Jerusalem city, to separate between Palestinians and the Israelis inside the city.

 “State Land declaration” was the Israeli pretext to confiscate around 3000 dunums of Palestinians lands for the Israeli expansions projects

During the month of March, the Israeli Civil Administration issued orders to confiscate in total 2938 dunums of Palestinian lands under the claim that the targeted land classified as “State Land”.

Where on the 16th of March 2016, the military orders was issued by the so-called “The Custodian of Absentee property & Israel Land Authority in Judea and Samaria” attached to the Israeli Ministry of Defense/Civil Administration, Yousi Sigal, under the title “ Order about Government properties  (Judea and Samira) No. (59-1967)”. According to this order, the Israeli Authorities expropriated 2342 dunums of Palestinian land located south of Jericho city.

Later on and  on the 24th of March 2016, another military order was issued by the so-called “The Custodian of Absentee property & Israel Land Authority of Judea and Samaria, under the title “Declaration of State Land” , stated the confiscated of 596 dunums of Palestinian lands. The aforementioned declaration validate the expropriation of 2580 dunums from lands in the villages of Al Lubban Ash-Sharqiya, Qaryut and As-Sawiya, at the southern part of Nablus City.

It’s worth pointed that there are about 824 dunums of Palestinian lands threatened to be confiscated because of the Israeli procedures and colonial activities conducted by the Israeli settlers. Where in Jericho Governorate, the Israeli settlers occupied about 750 dunums of Palestinian lands in Al ‘Auja village and Jericho city, and planted trees in the targeted lands, and installed fence around it.

Demolition and Targeting of Palestinian Houses & Structures Escalated during the month of March

The Israeli Occupation Authorities keep on its “demolition policies” during the month of March, as a tool  of collective  punishment against  the Palestinians. The Israeli bulldozers demolished Palestinian houses and structures located in area “C” (according to Oslo Agreements, 1995) which it under the control of the Israeli Authorities, where these Authorities claimed that the targeted houses and structures  built without permits from the Israeli Civil Administration.

In the month of March 2016, the Israeli Occupation bulldozers demolished 72 houses and 89 structures (commercial stores, animal sheds and agricultural barracks). The most affected Governorate was Nablus, where the Israeli bulldozers demolished about 32 houses and 59 structures. The demolition campaign focused in Khirbet Tana, southeast of  the city  of Nablus, and located within the “Eastern Segregation Zone” (the area located alongside Palestinian-Jordanian border, and which it declared by the Israeli Authorities as closed military area after the occupied of the West Bank in 1967). As a matter of fact , Khirbet Tana exposed to two demolition campaigns during the month of March 2016, where in total the Israeli bulldozers demolished about 34 residential structures, a school, a water pool and 45 structures (animal sheds and agricultural barracks).

While in Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli Occupation bulldozers demolished 19 houses and 21 structures; commercial and agricultural ones. A number of neighborhoods in Silwan town, south of the old city of Jerusalem city exposed to enormous demolition campaign as well as an additional towns of At Tur, Al Issawiya, Jabal Al Mukabir, Dahiyt Al Bared and Beit Hanina, also Qalandya refugee camp and Hizma town.

Israeli Demolition Orders targeted 56 houses and structures During the month of March 2016

The Israeli Occupation Authorities issued demolition/halt construction orders that targeted 56 houses and structures

These demolition/halt construction orders focused in Qalqiliyah Governorate, where the Israeli Civil Administration issued demolition/ halt construction orders that targeted in total 28 houses and structures. In Azzun village, east of Qalqiliyah city, the Israeli Civil Administration issued halt construction orders that targeted 20 houses, 4 stores and three animal sheds.

While in Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem issued “Administrative orders” to demolish  13 houses and structures. These demolition orders distributed on several neighborhoods in Silwan town, where the orders targeted 5 houses and structures, and in Al Issawiya town the Israeli orders targeted also 5 houses and structures, while in Ath-Thawri neighborhood the Israeli orders targeted two structures, and in Beit Hanina town, an order issued to demolish a mobile home.

Israeli settlers carried out more than 50 attacks during the month of March 2016

The Israeli settlers attacks  constitute a real threat to the Palestinians and their properties and Holy sites. It’s worth pointed, that on the 20th of March 2016, the Israeli settlers tried to kill the one and only witness on the murder of Ad Dawabsha family in Summer 2015 (the murder carried out by the Israeli settlers, where they torched a Palestinian house, while they family inside it, where the father Said Ad Dawabsha and his wife Riham and their Baby Ali were killed and their son Mohammad was seriously injured), where the Israeli settlers torched the house of Ibrahim Dawabsha while he and his wife inside it.

Furthermore, during the month of March, the Israeli settlers escorted by the Israeli Occupation Army carried out 55 attacks against Palestinians and their properties in several areas in the occupied West Bank. In Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli settlers carried out about 30 attacks, while in Nablus Governorate, 7 attacks were reported, and in Bethlehem Governorate, the Israeli settlers carried out 6 attacks.

The types of these attacks varied between storming religious and Historic sites, where 28 attacks were reported, and assaulting Palestinians, about 13 attacks were reported, while attacking Palestinian properties, 7 attacks were reported.

Israeli Violations targeted the Palestinian Environment…. About 190 trees were uprooted from Palestinian lands

During the month of March 2016, the Israeli bulldozers uprooted 190 trees from Jerusalem and Salfit Governorates. Where in Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli bulldozers uprooted 30 olive trees from Al Abbasiya neighborhood in Silwan town.

On the other hand and in Salfit Governorate, the Israeli bulldozers uprooted 160 trees from land in Deir Ballut village, west of Salfit city. Noted that the trees located in a piece of  land located nearby the Israeli colonial neighborhood of Leshem, where these lands will be used by the Israeli authorities to construct new housing units for the aforementioned Israeli neighborhood.

The Israeli Authorities still  imposing closure over the Palestinians

From the beginning of October 2015 – present, the Israeli Occupation Authorities adopted the “Clouse Policy” as a way to punish  the Palestinians through imposing more  restrictions over their movement between their towns and villages. 

During the month of March 2016, the Israeli Occupation Army closed the entrances of some towns and village, and closed a number of sub-roads and main roads. These closure came as follow:

• In Bethlehem Governorate, the Israeli Army imposed blockade on Husan village, west of Bethlehem city, and  Beit Fajjar village, south of Bethlehem city, where the Israeli Army closed all the entrances of the two villages, prevented their residents from entering or leaving the aforementioned villages. Moreover, the Israeli Occupation Army closed the southern entrance of Nahhalin village, southwest of Bethlehem city. And in Tuqu village, southeast of Bethlehem city, the Israeli Army closed a sub-road links between Tuqu village and the center of Bethlehem city.
• In Jenin Governorate, the Israeli Occupation Army closed the main entrance of Kafr Dan village, northwest of Jenin city. It’s worth to mention that according to a previous confiscation orders  classified 90 dunums of Yabad town as ‘Closed military area’, the Israeli Army, during March 2016, erected “security fence” on these land which located near the main road that reach to the southern part of Yabad town, and link to the Israeli settlement of Mevo Dotan. The aforementioned  fence will isolated hundreds of dunums of Palestinian lands, depriving their Palestinian owners from their right to reach their own lands.
• While in Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli Occupation Authorities closed all the entrances of Al Issawiya, and prevented Palestinians from entering or leaving the town . While in Beit Duqqu village, northwest of Jerusalem city, the Israeli Army closed the main entrance of the village. Noted that during the month of March, the Israeli colonial organizations carried out a “Judaize Marathon” in Jerusalem city, which led to the closure of  a number of streets in the city. 
• In Hebron Governorate, the Israeli Occupation Army closed all the entrances of As-Shuyyukh village, north of Hebron city. Additionally, the Israeli Army closed with iron gates the entrances of Hebron city (near these area which located at the entrances of the city: Jurit Balhas, Al Fahes, Frush Al Hawa and Al Kasarah). Also the Israeli Army closed the main entrance of Sair town, near An-Nabi Younis area, also they closed the main entrance of Bani Naim town, near Wadi Al Joz area.
• In Ramallah and Al Bireh Governorate, the Israeli Occupation Army closed three main entrances in Silwad town, northeast of Ramallah city. And in Beit ‘Ur At Tahta, the Israeli Army closed the main entrance with cement blocks.
• In Nablus Governorate, the Israeli Army closed all the entrances of the follow villages:  Al Lubban Ash-Sharqiya, Burin, Iraq Burin, Madama, Yatma, Qabalan, Talfit, Qaryut and Jalud.

In additional to the previously closures, the Israeli Occupation Authorities imposed more obstacles on the movement of the Palestinians between their village, towns and cities, by closing the Israeli military checkpoints that spread between Palestinians cities and Governorates in the occupied West Bank.

On the ground , the Israeli Army closed the following checkpoints: Mevo Dotan military checkpoint which located west of Jenin Governorate, at the main road link between Palestinians towns and villages in Jenin Governorate and villages and towns in Tulkarm Governorate. Also, the Israeli Army  closed all the checkpoints surrounded Jerusalem city: Jaba checkpoint (northeast of the city), Qalandiya military checkpoint (north of Jerusalem city), Ash-Sheikh Sa’id checkpoint (southeast of the city), and Hizma checkpoint (northeast of the city). 

Furthermore, the Israeli Army closed the DCO military checkpoint, which located east of Al Bireh city. And in Nablus Governorate, the Israeli Authorities scheduled the closure of Huwara and Za’tara military checkpoints, south of Nablus city, which separated between the northern and southern Governorates in the West Bank. All of these closure increased the  suffering  for  Palestinians to reach their work places, schools and universities. 

 

More Settlements projects tearing the Holy city of Jerusalem

Within the unstable security situation in the occupied Palestinian Territory and in the surrounded countries and the European countries as well, and within the preoccupation of the “International Community” with “Fighting the terrorism”, the Israeli Government led by the right-wing party “Likud”, exploited these situations to move forward with its colonial and expansionist project in the Opt and in the east part of the city of Jerusalem in particular.

Where during the month of March 2016, the Israeli Planning and Construction committee in the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem approved the construction of 18 housing units in the center of Jabal Al Mubakir Palestinian town, south of Jerusalem city.

Furthermore, the Israeli Authorities planned to construct about 900 housing units in the Israeli illegal settlement of Pisgat Ze’ev, north of Jerusalem city. Moreover,  Israeli sources revealed on an Israeli plan to construct 1000 housing units in the Israeli settlements surrounded Jerusalem city, these new housing units distrusted on the follow settlements: Har Homa settlement (south of Jerusalem city), Pisgat Zeev settlement (north of the city), Ma’ale Adumim settlement (east of Jerusalem city), and Mod’in settlement (northwest of the city).

On the 16th of March 2016, the Israeli Planning and Construction committee in the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem discussed, in a special meeting, the construction of “Kedem project- City of David- Old City of Jerusalem” to be established at the entrance of Wadi Hilweh in Silwan south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

 According to the plan prepared by Elad settlement organization, the project aims to build a tourist building of 5 floors (9000 square meters) to be used by the scientists and Israeli Antiquities Department. The building  will include  conference rooms and educations rooms as well as parking lots for settlers and tourists. The building will also include commercial stores and offices for Elad organization.

Indeed , Israel aimed to increase the construction campaign to expand the settlements in and around the city of Jerusalem, for the purpose of  Judaizing the Holy city and change its Palestinian-Arabic  identity .

More than that, and through settlement expansion Israel is seeking to change the demographic equation in the city, by bring more settlers to live in the illegal Israeli settlement in Jerusalem city, and in the same time push the Jerusalemites to immigrate the city voluntarily or forcibly by using  racist, expansionist and arbitrary policies against them.

In contrast during the month of March 2016, a number of former Israeli ministers and politicians established what it is so-called  the “Saving Jewish Jerusalem” movement, which called to  separate  200,000 Palestinians from neighborhoods and towns in and around Jerusalem city. According to the movement plan, the Israeli government should essentially expand the existing separation fence into Jerusalem city, by creating a barrier between the Israeli settlements (starting from the Israeli settlement of Neve Yaakov, through Pisgat Ze’ev, and the French Hill, and into Har Homa settlement) and adjacent Palestinian neighborhoods and towns; such as Beit Hanina, Shuafat, Al- Issawiya, Jabel Mukaber, and Sur Baher. Under the SJJ plan, these neighborhoods will be treated as B and C areas (according to Oslo Agreement, 1995), under complete Israeli security control, much like similar areas in the occupied West Bank.

Gaza Strip…..  An Ever ending Suffering

The Gaza strip exposed to several Israeli violations that breached the truce which was signed between the Palestinian factions in Gaza Strip and the Israeli Government, sponsored by Egypt, at the end of the Israeli war against Gaza strip in Summer 2014.

On the ground the Israeli Army stationed alongside of Gaza strip borders, opening fire at Palestinian farmers, lands and houses, in addition  that the Israeli bulldozers staged into the areas near the border fence and razed  the land. Moreover, the Israeli Navy and gunboats stationed near the Palestinian shores of Gaza strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats  despite  of the fact that they are sailing within 3 nautical miles.  Furthermore , the Israeli Occupation Authorities controlled over the Gaza strip’s terminals, and prevented the entering of the goods and services included the construction materials, to re-build what the last Israeli war destroyed.

Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem