- Violation: ravaging and expansion works on a colony
- Location: Al-Auja village- Jericho
- Date: February-March 2016
- Perpetrators: Israel Council of Colonies
- Victims: number of farmers
Details:
The colony of Yitav, west Al-Auja village in Jericho governorate lately witnessed ravaging and expansion works. According to field research, the ravaging works are taking place outside the colony's borders and are targeting an area of 18 dunums from the western side of the colony.
It should be marked that such acts are meant to impose facts on the ground. The expansion came through a master plan deposited by the so-called Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration. Noteworthy, the targeted colony is an agricultural one, which is considered a hub of colonists' violence on Palestinian farmers in the area. This very colony took vast area of lands over and banned shepherds from grazing sheep in pastures on the claim of proximity to colony.
The so-called Israel Council of Colonies in Palestinian Jordan Valley enjoys unlimited support and facilities from Israeli governments. Colonies in that area are given much more privileges and funds than those founded in the nearby of Jerusalem.
Photos 1-3: the ravaging and expansion works on Yitav
Privileges are seen in tax reduction, civil services and facilities in lands and properties ownership. Not only, promotion for colonies product is highly notable and is given much attention by the government. A clear example is manifested in the Yitav colony that was established in 1982 on land from Ras Al-Auja area of Jericho.
UN Security Council resolutions in regard to Israeli colonies:
UN Security Council resolution 446, article 3 " Calls once more upon Israel, as the occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, to rescind its previous measures and to desist from taking any action which would result in changing the legal status and geographical nature and materially affecting the demographic composition of the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and, in particular, not to transfer parts of its own civilian population into the occupied Arab territories;"
- Un Security Council resolution 452, article 3"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, Strongly deplores the continuation and persistence of Israel in pursuing those policies and practices and calls upon the Government and people of Israel to rescind those measures, to dismantle the existing settlements and in particular to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem;
Calls upon all States not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connexion with settlements in the occupied territories;
- Un Security Council resolution 242, Affirms that the fulfilment of Charter principles requires the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East which should include the application of both the following principles:
(i) Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;
(ii) 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 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." [4]
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
