Avnei Hefetz colonists to open new road at the expense of Tulkarm lands

Violation: opening new colonial road
Location: Shufa village- Tulkarm
Date: October 03, 2016
Perpetrators: Avnei Hefetz colonists
Victims: a number of the area's farmers

Details:

Israeli Occupation Forces, in coordination with, the Settlement Council of Avnei Hefetz colony ravaged some lands from Shufa village, south Tulkarm. According to the field follow-up on the area, the ravaged area was of 35 dunums. Notably, the ravaging works were represented in opening a new road and expanding the periphery of the colony itself.

It should be marked that Shufa village and its relative hamlet known as "Izbat Shufa" witnessed too many attacks over the past two years. Israeli Occupation Forces targeted the area with demolitions, uprooting trees, lands takeover. Such attacks were carried out on the claims of "proximity to colony" and " state property".

Noteworthy, colonists attempted at seizing some lands in Al-Madahdal that is founded in Shufa village through setting up flags and signboards to claim ownership of the target area. Now, farmers and Palestinian owners of the target lands are denied access to those properties.

Sings of the ravaging works in the area

The Colony of Avnei Hefetz:

The colony was established in 1987 atop lands confiscated by Israeli occupation forces from the villages of Kufr Al Labbad, Al Hafasi and Shofa. The built-up area of the colony is 1,397 dunums of which 355 dunums were confiscated from Kufr Al Labbad. The population of the colony is estimated to be 964.

The colony has expanded over a number of stages as it started with only 12 mobile caravans only to expand to include 110 houses. In the year 2000 the colony witnessed a major expansion spree despite the fact that only a small number of colonists live there. The over-looking position of the colony atop Tulkarm gave the colony a special value as it was used (like others in the West Bank) as a base from which Israeli bulldozers, tanks and jeeps raided Palestinian cities and villages.

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." [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’.

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;