While the national and international attention is being focused on the Israeli Holocaust in the Gaza Strip, the Commander of the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, Ghadi Shamni Allof, issued a number of military orders affecting Palestinian lives in the West Bank. The military order number (S/02/09) was issued under the title “Security Orders in Judea and Samaria – Number 378 for the Year 1970” which declared “Closed Military Zones” in some parts of the West Bank.
The Military Order concerns Jabal Al Somood which is the area of Jerusalem that is located between the Israeli Racist Wall in the north, Abu Aisha car agency in the south, Ramallah-Jerusalem Road in the west and the headquarter of the Israeli Military Command of the Central Region in the east.
Jabal Al Somood – Dhahiyat Al Bareed:
Jabal Al Somood (area = 1,000 dunums) is located in Dhahiyat Al Bareed with a current population of 5,000 Palestinians. A number of local Palestinian institutions are located in Al Dhahiyat including the Jerusalem Hotel, the Rosary Sisters School, The Welfare Association in addition to the Maps Department associated with the Arab Studies Society.
Closed Military Area in Dhahiyat Al Bareed:
The Military Order, which was issued on February 1st, 2009, indicated that the afore-mentioned location is a Closed Military Area and that the main gate in the Racist Wall closest to Dhahiyat al Bareed will be closed down. The decision prevented the entry of Palestinians into the Closed Area except after meeting specific conditions. The so-called Israeli “Civil” Administration called upon Palestinians holding West Bank IDs and living in Al Dhahiyat to come to its headquarter to be issued special magnetic cards to allow them entry into Al Dhahiyat.
According to the Order, the motive behind the Closed Area declaration is to prevent “terrorist operations and to prevent the entry of terrorists from the area into the State of Israel.” Yet, the main goal of the Order is to complete the construction of the Israeli Wall that surrounds the Holy City in an effort to completely isolate it. The Dhahiyat Al Bareed gate is the only gate that directly connects between East Jerusalem and Al Ram. In case the Order is carried out, the residents of Al Ram carrying Blue IDs will have to walkdrive long distances to reach either Qalandia or Hizma checkpoints to get to their homes. Al Ram school students whose schools are in Jerusalem will be affected the most especially in the early morning hours as Qalandia checkpoint is usually very congested and crowded at that time. As such, the students will be faced with two options; either to arrive very early at the checkpoint to assure arriving on time to their schools, or that they will get accustomed to get late to school. It is worthy to mention here that Palestinian Jerusalemites living outside of the Wall find themselves obliged to send their children into Jerusalem schools as to prevent the withdrawal of their IDs by occupation authorities under the pretext that they don’t live in the City.
The Dangers of the Order:
The Order listed three very dangerous issues that were mentioned in earlier Orders. The issues include:
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The Right of Return is granted for Jews only as the Order identified the “Israeli” as the “citizen” while it classified the “Palestinians” as “residents.”
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Designating the areas located behind the Racist Wall as “Seam Zone”, which does not corresponds with the ever-repeated Israeli claim that the Wall is only a temporary measure. Land Research Center (LRC) looks upon this issue with grave concern as it paves the way for the Israeli authorities to grab more Palestinian lands under the guise of security.
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It gave a detailed definition of the terms “Israeli” as listed below:
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A citizen of the State of Israel.
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A resident of the State of Israel who is registered in the Israeli Population Record in accordance with the Residents Law issued in 1965.
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Any one who has the right to immigrate to Israel in accordance with the Law of Return of 1950.
The Order indicated that it will be implemented within 45 days from the date it was issued. After that time period, any one who does not have prior arrangements with the occupation authorities will be prevented from entering, staying or leaving the area.
LRC views this Order with most concern as it introduced new terminology that was not present in the Israeli vocabulary before. Israeli occupation forces and authorities have proved, yet again, its intention and deeply-rooted policy to transfer the Palestinians and replacing them with Israeli colonists from the different parts of the world. In Jerusalem, the Israeli policy is of suffocating the city with a racist isolation wall as well as with a series of restrictive policies under the pretext of “security” as to make the City as Palestinian-free as possible.
Prepared by:
The Land Research Center
LRC
