A surge in Settlement expansion in occupied East Jerusalem
“62 new settlement units in Pisgat Zeev”

While the world focus is on the US elections which will take place in November 2016, Israel is stepping up its settlement activities in the occupied West Bank and most specifically in occupied East Jerusalem. On the 10th of August 2016, the Israeli daily Hebrew newspaper, Walla, reported that the Israeli Local Planning and Building Committee in Jerusalem Municipality approved on the 10th of August 2016, building permits for two new buildings in the settlement of Pisgat Ze'ev, in occupied East Jerusalem. The buildings, which will be composed of 9 floors each, will include 62 new settlement units and is part of plan No. 11647 [1] which states the construction of 625 settlements units on 110 dunums of lands of Beit Hanina town.  See Photo of TPS No. 11647

In the meantime, and while Israel is granting building permits for new constructions in Israeli settlements in the occupied city of Jerusalem, it is intensifying its demolition campaigns in the city and targeting more Palestinian homes and structures under the pretext of unlicensed building. A thorough documentation of the demolition incidents that took place in the occupied West Bank and most specifically in occupied East Jerusalem during the period of January and July 2016, the Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ) recorded a total of 127 Palestinian homes that were demolished in the occupied city of  Jerusalem in addition to 135 structures (commercial shops and businesses) that were also demolished during the same period. Israel also threatened to demolished 152 others (homes and structures) in the occupied city of Jerusalem under the same pretext. These numbers compared to previous years (2013-2016) as seen in Table 1 below, show that Palestinian homes, towns and structures continue to be demolished and displaced at an ever accelerating rate while settlements continue to receive a surge of building permits to expand and develop.  Table 1:-

The recent Israeli announcement in Pisgat Zeev settlement is not surprising and it is not the first of its kind; since its establishment on lands of Beit Hanina and Hizma town in 1985, the different Israeli ministries (the ministry of Housing and Construction, The ministry of Interior, the Israeli Land Administration and the Jerusalem Municipality), issued plans and tenders to build in the settlement with disregard of the International community’s continuous condemnation of the ongoing expansion taking place in the settlements and its effect on the nearby Palestinian communities. Below is a detailed description of the plans and tenders that were issued for construction in Pisgat Zeev settlement since its establishment.

Map 1: deposited plans in Pisgat Zeev settlement

To conclude,

The existence of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and their expansions are Illegal and contradict with the international law, and most specifically United Nations Security Council Resolutions: 237 (1967), 271 (1969), 446 (1979), 452 (1979), and 465 (1980, among others.

The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits an occupying power from transferring citizens from its own territory to the occupied territory (Article 49). 

The Hague Regulations prohibit an occupying power from undertaking permanent changes in the occupied area unless these are due to military needs in the narrow sense of the term, or unless they are undertaken for the benefit of the local population.

The establishment of settlements results in the violation of the rights of Palestinians as enshrined in international human rights law. Among other violations, the settlements infringe the right to self-determination, equality, property, an adequate standard of living, and freedom of movement.

[1]: אושרה בניית 62 יחידות דיור מעבר לקו הירוק בירושלים

http://news.walla.co.il/item/2987039

Prepared By  
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
ARIJ