Israeli Colonists in the West Bank Continue Construction and Land Grab in the Colonies at a Feverish Rate ” Part One : Hebron Governorate”

On the 25^th of September, 2010, the so-called “freeze” on colonial activities which has started (in theory) on the 25^th of November, 2009, has officially ended. Yet, looking over the past 10 months, it is clear that the “freeze” was only a mirage that existed in the media outlets. On the ground, developments point to the fact that the colonial activities have continued unabated. For example, the Governorate of Hebron has witnessed construction work in 19 colonies and colonial outposts during the “freeze”. In addition, 25 colonial housing units were established while contracts to build additional units and new colonial neighborhoods were issued.

Moreover, Israeli occupation forces have confiscated 526.5 dunums during the said period for colonial purposes while 704 dunums were ploughed and 487 dunums were damaged. Even trees were not spared as 513 trees were damaged including 303 trees that were burnt and 210 trees cut down by saws used by the colonists in different parts of the Governorate. On another front, Israeli occupation forces have demolished 26 Palestinian structures while it issued Stop Work and demolition orders against another 171 Palestinian structures in the Governorate.

The Field Research Unit at the Land Research Center (LRC) has monitored the colonial activities in the Governorate of Hebron on the 29^th of September, 2010. The result of the monitoring was the documentation of 9 locations in which colonial expansion is taking place at feverish rate while a new colonial outpost was declared under the name of Neve Hevron near Al Beqa, east of Hebron City.

The monitoring revealed that 83 colonial units (including mobile caravans and housing units) have reached the finishing stages while two colonial schools were declared; the corner stone of one school was inaugurated near the colony of Beit Romano in the heart of the Old City of Hebron while work on the second school has begun at the entrance of the colony of Meitariam in the northern direction of the colony of Shima. The planned school consists of 4 stories with an area not less than 1000 m² with 30 school rooms planned.

According to the Palestinians living in the vicinity of colonies throughout the Governorate, the expansion of the colonies did not stop before or after the end of the so-called “freeze” on the colonial activities. Yet, the frequency of the colonial activity has increased in a ceremonial fashion as to reinforce the political position that aims at the creation of more “facts on the ground” to break up the Palestinian land in an effort to make the creation of the Palestinian State an impossibility.

The following colonies witnessed the most recent colonial construction:

The colony of Karmel: The available colonial units were done with about a year ago. Six additional units were built during the “freeze” while currently additional preparatory work in being undertaken to prepare for further expansion eastwards.
The colony of Ma’on: The colony is established on the lands of the village of Twani, south of Yatta. Five colonial units located south north of the colony were finished during the “freeze”. An additional 6 mobile caravans were placed during the said period and are currently inhabited by colonists.
The outpost of Havot Ma’on: It is located 1 kilometer away from the colony of Ma’on. New caravans were placed there recently.

The following table lists the renewed colonial activity in the listed colonies between the 26^th and 29^th of September, 2010:

VillageTown	Location	Colony	Type of Building	No. of Colonial Units	Pic.	Notes
Beit Ummar	The southern end of the colony	Karmi Tsur	A 3-story building and the addition of 3 caravans	6		The final finishing touches
Al Beqa, east of the City of Hebron	Northeast Al Beqa	Kharsina	4 buildings each consisting of 3 colonial apartments	12		Continued building that started during the “freeze”
Yatta	Umm Al Khair hamlet	Karmel	30 new residential units finished a year ago. 6 new units were added in August 2010.	36		Final touches while colonists have already moved into the residential units.
Yatta	Shima North	Meitariam	A building consisting of 4 stories with an area no less than 1,000 m^2.	Most probably it will become a school		Continuing the final touches.
Dura	Tarrama Mountain	Military observation point.	A military tower and the addition of 5 caravans. Work is on-going.	5		On-going
Yatta	Twani – northwest and western directions	Ma’on	Work on building 5 colonial housing units and the addition of 6 mobile caravans.	11		On-going
Yatta	Twani	Havot Ma’on	Additional tents in the outpost	5
Yatta	South of the village of Birkeh	Avigayl outpost	New caravans	6		New additions
Hebron City	The Old City	Beit Romano	The cornerstone for a school dedicated	School		Initiation of the building process.
Qilqis	Beit Hagai	Center of the colony	Bases of building constructed	2		Initiation of the building process
TOTAL				82