Since the beginning of August 2015, the Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) team placed new signs in many areas in Beir Onah neighborhood in Beit Jala city, apparently for resuming construction of the Segregation Wall in the area. This work comes after nearly a month of the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision[1] in which it gave the green light to the Israeli occupation ministry to complete the construction of the Segregation wall in the Cremisan valley area after years of battles in the Israeli courts regarding the matter.
During a field visit to the targeted lands, ARIJ team found many signs placed by the IOA directly underneath the “Tunnel Road”, which is part of the Israeli bypass Road No. 60 that connects Israeli settlements in occupied East Jerusalem with settlements in the so called “Gush Etzion” settlement bloc south of Jerusalem city. See Photos
Photos 1-8: the signs placed by the IOA team
Israeli Military Order 62-06
The Israeli occupation authorities intend to complete the construction of the segregation wall on lands of Beit Jala city with reference to Military Order No. 62/06 issued on the 16th of March 2006. The maps attached to the military order show that the wall will run from the southeastern side of Har Gilo settlement and extends underneath the tunnel road to finally connect with the existing wall section at the end of the tunnel road, south of Gilo settlement. Notice that if Israel completes the construction of this wall section, it will close off the area in the face of Palestinian land owners in Beit Jala city; this is in addition to isolating the Cremisan Valley area from its surroundings, and ultimately, hindering Palestinians from accessing it again in the future. The wall, if constructed, will also cause grave damage to the lands where tens of Olive trees are threatened of destruction and hundreds will become isolated; consequently, affecting an essential source of livelihood for tens of Palestinian families in Beit Jala city.
The Israeli occupation authorities claim that the construction of the Segregation Wall in the area is crucial for maintaining the security of Israeli settlements and settlers living in them; however, the attached maps reveal Israel’s intention to complete the annexation of the Palestinian lands located within the illegally redrawn Jerusalem municipal boundaries but are part of Beit Jala city. A copy of the military order is seen below and a map illustrating the Israeli plans on lands of Beit Jala city
To conclude,
As a matter of fact, the Israeli seizure of Palestinian land under any pretext is a systematic circumvent over the international law rules and Human Conventions, where all of the military orders issued by Israel since 1967 are illegitimate and contradict with the United Nation Security council Resolutions 242 and 338 that stipulate the illegality of the Israeli military occupation of the Palestinian territory that includes all of land confiscations, the establishment of illegal settlements and outposts, the construction of bypass roads, and the building of the Segregation Wall, and all of the colonial activities conducted by Israel since the 4th of June 1967 to present are illegal, null and void.
For more information, see the following articles,
- The Israeli security pretext threatens the land of Cremisan in Beit Jala city
- Cremisan – Salesian Monasteries !!
Last fortresses defending Palestinian lands before the Israeli Segregation Wall.
[1] The Israeli Supreme Court Gives the Green Light to Begin Building the Separation Wall in the Cremisan Valley
http://www.saintyves.org/?MenuId=3&Lang=1&TemplateId=news&id=88&catId=1&full=1
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
