Violation: leveling 30 agricultural dunums
Date: 14/01/2015
Location: Wad Rahhal- Bethlehem
Perpetrators: Efrat colonists
Victims: citizen Mohammad Ayyash
Details:
A group of Efrat colonists on January 14, 2015 ravaged 30 dunums -planted with wheat and barley – via a dozer and a hammer in the area of Khallet al-Nahleh, which is relative to Wad Rahhal area. The targeted land belong to citizen Mohammad Ayyash, who has a tabo " ownership document" of his property. The citizen pointed out that he was served a confiscation order on his land 10 years ago under the pretext of it being "state property"; a plea was submitted in that regard by the citizen to an Israeli court.
Photos 1-2: the ravaging works in the targeted location
Colonists with help from the occupation army troops kept on carrying out attacks on the citizen's land, the latest of which was establishing an outpost on it to become an extension to Efrat colony.
The coordinator of Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign Hassan Breijiyeh told a researcher from Land Research Center the following :
"colonists attempt at carrying out attacks and violations to link Efrat to Tuqu colony through taking over the lands of Khallet al-Nahleh, taking into account that those lands are located between the two colonies. This will cause vast areas to be taken and more attacks to be inflected on the area's residents"
Ravaging works in synchronization with Efrat expansion:
Efrat colony was reported to undergo intensive construction works , indicating new expansion on the colony. A new outpost was also reported to erupt on top of a mountain in the area of Khallet al-Nahleh in 2013. By 2014, colonists set up a number of caravans in the new outpost and established a watchtower to secure its periphery.
This shows Israel's discrimination in giving colonists the ultimate free to build and expand at the expense of Palestinian people and construction.
Photos 3-4: the new outpost on the lands of Khallet al-Nahleh
Photo5: an aerial photo indicating the newly established outpost
Photos 6-9: Efrat colony under expansion
About Wad Rahhal:
It is one of villages relative to Bethlehem governorate and is located to the south of it. The village is edged by Janatah from the east, al-Khadr from the north, Wadi al-Nis from the west and Jurat al-Sham'a from the south. It is of 4132i dunums in area and is inhabited by 1650 people. PCBS 2013
Land Research Center sees Israel continuous expansion on colonies in the West Bank and Jerusalem at the expense of Palestinian and lands a flagrant violation of Human Rights and all international laws and conventions, which prohibit disposition of public properties in occupied countries.
UN Resolutions
UN Security Council Resolution 242 of 1967: calls for
- the Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;
- Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force."
UN Security Council Resolution 449 of 1979: the Security Council determined:
- "that the policy and practices of Israel in establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967 have no legal validity and constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East"
UN Security Council Resolution 452 of 1979: states that
- "the policy of Israel in establishing settlements in the occupied Arab territories has no legal validity and constitutes a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949" and "calls upon the Government and people of Israel to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem."
UN Security Council Resolution 465 of 1980:
- It expressed concern at Israeli settlement policy in the Arab territories and recalled resolutions 237 (1967), 252 (1968), 267 (1969), 271(1969) and 298 (1971). It further called upon the State and people of Israel to dismantle such settlements. The resolution calls on all states ‘not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in the occupied territories’.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
