- Violation: New Colonial Units established.
- Location: Deir Ballut and Kafr Ad-Dik lands / Salfit Governorate.
- Date: February 15th 2021.
- Perpetrators: Colonists of Peduel.
- Victims: People of Deir Ballut and Kafr Ad-Dik villages.
Description:
Following the Israeli Occupation governmental resolutions to expand Israeli colonies in West Bank, Monday February 15th 2021, Israeli Settlements Council set up 16 caravans on Deir Ballut lands at Wad Suraida area east the village, which will eat up vast areas of Salfit lands.
Reportedly, the new colonial units were set up on 13 dunums confiscated since 1990, and classified as state property, while they belong to “Abdullah” family from the town.
Photo 1: Expansions in Peduel Colony
Recently, the colony witnessed a notable colonial activities increase, resulted in expanding the colony three times bigger comparing to its early size, through setting up new houses and caravans on Deir Ballut and Kafr Ad-Dik lands . The Occupation forces named the colony “The State’s Porch” considering its importance as it overviews the Palestinian Coastal Plain, in addition to impose a blockage between Palestinian villages and promoting Colonization.
The Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon once stood up a hill that overviews The Mediterranean and the coastal plain and said that this hill will always be controlled by Israel, and they will never give it to Palestinians under any circumstances or in any settlement.
Peduel Colony was established in 1984, in 2016 the village had a built up area of 614 dunums , and inhabited by 1682 colonists.
Peduel colony also links Leshem , Brukhin, and Eli Zahav Colonies to the green line , which separates the West Bank and The Occupied territories of 1948 , the occupation considers it a part of Ariel cluster , which aims to cut Salfit governorate into two completely separated parts.
Photos 2+3: Brukhin colony
Photos 4+5: Eli Zahav Colony
Photo 6: Leshem Colony
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.
Road Map agreement Between Palestinians and Israelis signed in April 30th 2003: the dismantling of Israeli settlement outposts built since March 2001 and a progressive Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories in a series of confidence building measures.
The Fourth Geneva Convention, Article 147, stipulates that “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly” is a “grave breach” of the Convention.
Security council resolution (465) year 1980: calls 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;
Security council resolution (446) year 1979: Determines 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;
Security council resolution (452) year 1979: the resolution once again denounced Israel’s settlement activities in territories occupied in 1976 including (East) Jerusalem, this activity constituting a violation of the Fourth Geneva convention, and called on Israel to cease planning and construction of settlements
