The Israeli demolition policy against the Palestinian properties had been drastically increased mainly in Area C ,where in the month of February 2016, the demolition of the Palestinian houses and structures reached an unprecedented levels. During the month of February, the Israeli Occupation Authorities had targeted dozens of Palestinian houses and structures where part of them funded by the European Union and other Palestinian civil society organizations. The most significant targeting concentrated in the Palestinian Bedouin communities in southern Hebron (Msafer Yatta), the northern parts of the Jordan Valley and the strategic area of E1 nearby Ma’aleh Adumim settlement bloc in the Eastern part of the city of Jerusalem.
It’s worth pointed that the Israeli Occupation Authorities demolished residential tents and others structures that donated by a number of International organization, and Palestinian non-government organizations; such as the Applied Research Institute- Jerusalem (ARIJ), which provide the solar panels for a Bedouin communities south of Hebron, in addition to the European Union, which provide “mobile houses” for the Palestinian Bedouin communities in other areas in the West Bank.
The Israeli bulldozers demolished more than 90 houses and 80 structures in several areas in the Occupied West Bank
During the month of February, the Israeli Occupation bulldozers demolished about 97 houses and 86 structures in several areas in the occupied West Bank, where the Israeli Authorities used the usual claim of “illegal structures” or “structures built without permits” to execute the demolitions.
On the ground, the most affected Palestinian governorate was “Nablus”, where in February 2016, the Israeli Army demolished about 34 houses and 15 structures. In Umm Ar-Rashash area in Duma village, south of Nablus governorate, the Israeli bulldozers demolished more than 30 residential structures. Also in Khirbet Tana in Beit Furik village, southeast of Nablus city, the Israeli bulldozers demolished 4 houses in addition to a number of structures.
In Hebron Governorate, the Israeli Occupation Authorities demolished 27 residential structures and 10 other structures (animal sheds, agricultural barracks, and stores). The most affected area in Hebron Governorate, was “Masafer Yatta”, the area located east of Yatta town, south of Hebron Governorate, and classified by the Israeli Authorities as “Firing Zone No. 918”, where the Israeli bulldozers demolished 23 residential structures, 5 solar panels and 5 other structures.
While in Tubas and the northern of Jordan Valley Governorate, the Israeli Occupation bulldozers demolished 25 houses and 22 structures, distributed as follows: Khallit Khader in Al Farisiya village, Bardala village, Ein Al Beida, and Frush Beit Dajan area, which located between the borders of Tubas and Nablus Governorates.
Israeli demolition/halt construction orders targeted more than 139 houses and structures
In additional to the demolition campaign that targeted 97 houses and 86 structures, the Israeli Civil Administration and the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem issued demolition/halt construction orders that targeted 139 houses and structures. Where the Israeli Authorities claimed that the targeted structures located within areas controlled by the Israeli Authorities, and built without permits from these Authorities.
In Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem issued an “administrative orders” to demolish 80 houses and structures in several towns and areas in the Governorate. Where these orders focused in the following towns and neighborhoods : Al Issawiya, Sur Baher, Al Bustan neighborhood in Silwan; which witnessed an escalated colonial and expansionist plans because of its strategic location. Moreover, the Palestinian Bedouin communities in Jabal Al Baba area in Al Eaziriya town, east of Jerusalem city, had targeted by the Israeli Authorities with a wave of demolition orders.
In Nablus Governorate, the Israeli Civil Administration issued demolition/ halt construction orders that targeted 21 houses and structures (such as: agricultural barracks, animal sheds and commercial stores), distributed in several areas in the Governorate. Where the Israeli Authorities claimed that the targeted houses and structures were “built without permits” from the Israeli Authorities, since these structures and houses located in the area classified as “Area C” (According to Oslo Agreement, 1995), which it under the Israeli Authorities control. The most affected areas and towns were: Nablus city, Qusra, Beita and Yatma villages.
While in Hebron Governorate, the Israeli Occupation Authorities issued halt construction orders that targeted 19 houses and structures. The targeting was in ‘Masafer Yatta” area and specifically the Bedouin communities of : Khirbet Al Halawa, Al Fakhit, Susya, Al Majaz and At-Taban, located east of Yatta town, south of Hebron Governorate.
180 Trees Uprooted During the month of February
During the month of February 2016, the Israeli Occupation bulldozers as well as the Israeli settlers, uprooted 180 Palestinian trees. Where in Wadi Qana area in Salfit Governorate, about 100 trees were uprooted, and in Izbit Shufa village in Tulkarm Governorate 50 trees were uprooted, while in Khirbet Sarra in Qaryut village in Nablus Governorate, about 30 trees were uprooted.
The Israeli Occupation Authorities Expropriated 653 dunums of Palestinian lands
During the month of February, the Israeli Occupation Authorities confiscated 653 dunums of Palestinian lands in several areas in the West bank.
In late February, the Israeli daily newspaper “Haaretz” revealed that the Israeli settlers with the help and support from the Israeli Authorities controlled over 600 dunums of Palestinian land located in areas in the northern of Jordan valley.
Furthermore, and in Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli Minister of Finance; Moshe Kahloun, issued an order to confiscate 46.6 dunums of Palestinian land in Anata and Shufat towns, north of Jerusalem city, to construct the Israeli Segregation Wall and a planned Israeli landfill in the area. Also what is so-called “Israeli Nature Authority” issued an evacuation order that targeted 1.25 dunums of Palestinian land in Al Issawiya town, north of Jerusalem city.
While in Ramallah and Al Bireh Governorate, the Israeli Civil Administration revealed on its intention to confiscate 6 dunums of Palestinian land in Beitin village, east of Ramallah city. The targeted land located near the Israeli military checkpoint “DCO”, which located near the Israeli settlement of Beit El. These land will be used by the Israeli Authorities to fortify the aforementioned checkpoint, and to impose an intensified security measures on the road links to the checkpoint by constructing a number of military observation towers.
Israeli settlers carried out about 40 attacks during the month of February 2016
The Israeli settlers living in the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank carried out 41 attacks against Palestinians and their properties in several areas in the West Bank.
In Jerusalem Governorate, the Israeli settlers carried out 23 attacks, while in Hebron and Salfit Governorates 5 attacks in each one were reported.
The type of these attacks varied between storming the religious and historic sites in several areas in the occupied West Bank, which reached to about 21 attacks, and assaulting Palestinians, 9 attacks were reported during the month of February 2016. It’s worth to mention, that the Israeli settlers assaulted and injured a Palestinian with special needs from Awarta village in Nablus Governorate, while an Israeli settler killed a Palestinian woman after hitting her by his vehicle while she was crossing the main road in Al ‘Auja village in Jericho Governorate.
More Tightening and Closures…..More New Colonial Projects
In a completion to the systematic closure policy pursued by the Israeli Authorities since the month of October 2015, the Israeli Occupation Army imposed blockade on several areas, towns and roads in the occupied West Bank, and most often as a tool of collective punishment. Where during the month of February, the Israeli Occupation Army imposed blockade on Nahhalin village in Bethlehem Governorate, Qabatiya and Al ‘Araqa villages in Jenin Governorate, where the Israeli Army closed all the entrances of the villages and prevented Palestinians from entering or leaving them, also they prevented the Palestinian journalists and medical crews from entering the villages.
In Bethlehem Governorate, the Israeli Army closed with earth mounds a road in Tuqu village, southeast of Bethlehem city. The targeted road is the only way for two Palestinian schools, while the closure of the road increased the difficulty on the students to reach their schools. Also in Bethlehem Governorate, the Israeli Army closed an agricultural road in Shoshahla village, south of Al Khader village, southwest of Bethlehem Governorate. While the Israeli bulldozers destroyed Khirbet An Najar archeological site in Beit Jala town, northwest of Bethlehem city, where the Israeli Authorities discovered and destroyed the site while they were razing Palestinian land in Beir ‘Uona area to construct the Israeli Segregation Wall. As a result, the Israeli Army closed the area and prevented Palestinians from reaching it.
In Hebron Governorate, mainly in Ash-Shuhada street and Tal Ar-Rumida neighborhood in the old city of Hebron, the Israeli Authorities extended the closure of the areas, where they issued a military orders for the extension the declaration of the area as “Closed military zone”.
As for the settlement projects in the Occupied Territories, the Israeli Authorities are steadily moving forward to implement its colonial projects that will destroy the possibility of reaching just and durable peace agreement based on two-state solution.
On the 3rd of February 2016, the Israeli Occupation Authorities announced a plan to construct 500 housing units in the Israeli settlement neighborhood of “Giv’at Hadaghan”, one of the Israeli neighborhoods in the illegal Israeli settlement of “Efrat”, which located southwest of Bethlehem city. It is worth mentioning that the head of the settlement council informed a number of Israeli settlers to evacuate an area in the aforementioned neighborhood to construct 500 new housing units in the area.
In Jerusalem Governorate, which faced all types of Israeli violations, the Israeli Authorities rejected the construction of Palestinian school in Ash-Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, north of Jerusalem city, for “security matters. The new school planned be constructed near an Israeli police station in the neighborhood. It’s worth pointed that the Palestinian towns and neighborhoods in Jerusalem city suffering from a severe shortage in the number of classrooms, while the Israeli Authorities do nothing to establish new schools or to add new classrooms for the old existing ones.
On the other hand, and in the same time the Israeli Authorities rejected the construction a new school for the Palestinians, the Israeli committee for Planning and Construction in the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem discussed a new plan, holding No. TPS 291419, to build 57 housing units under a previously tendered plan, TPS 6576, under this land about 914 housing will be constructed in Ramot settlement. The new plan will expand the illegal Israeli settlement of “Ramot”, north of Jerusalem city, to the east toward the “Begin Highway”. In total about 971 housing units will be constructed in the Israeli settlement of Ramot.
For the purpose of serving the Israeli settlers living in the illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, included the Israeli settlements in Jerusalem city and the surrounded ones, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem in cooperation with the Israeli Transportation Ministry started the construction of a new bypass road section and a road interchange that will link the Israeli so-called “Begin Road” or the Israeli bypass Road number 4 with the Israeli bypass road No. 60 (the section locally known to the Palestinians as the Bethlehem-Jerusalem road).
Moreover, inside the Israeli Governorate, a number of Israeli ministers, called the Prime Minister “Benjamin Netanyahu” to continue the construction of the Israeli Segregation Wall around Jerusalem city, and speed up the separation from the Palestinians. One of these suggestions calls on to segregate about 28 Palestinian communities from the Israeli illegal unilateral declared boundaries of Jerusalem.
On the 24th of February 2016, the Israeli settler organization “Ateret Cohanim” handed out Ar-Rajabi family two court orders to evacuate two Palestinian buildings (each building consist of 3 apartments) in Battan Al Hawa neighborhood in Silwan town in Jerusalem city. The targeted buildings located in areas that the Israeli organization aims to confiscate (5.2 dunums of land in Battan Al Hawa neighborhood) under the claim that the targeted land owned by the Israeli settlers since the year of 1881.
More than that ,and on the 26th od February 2016, Israeli settler organization “Ateret Cohanim” handed out Fahmi, Talal, and Yacoub Ar-Rajabi a court order to evacuate a Palestinian land in Battan Al Hawa neighborhood in Silwan town in Jerusalem city. The targeted land used to construct a building consists of 12 apartments, inhabited by 93 family members included 64 children
A prolonged Israeli Blockade over Gaza Strip
In Gaza strip, the Israeli Occupation Authorities still imposing its blockade over the strip, The Israeli Authorities, controlled over the terminals, and prevented Palestinians from entering or leaving the strip, and the Israeli Navy stationed near the Palestinian shores of Gaza strip, systematically attacking Palestinian fishing boats, on a daily base, in spite of that they are sailing within 3 nautical miles. Moreover, the Israeli Occupation Army stationed alongside of Gaza strip border, and opened fire at Palestinians, houses and lands. All of the Israeli violation on Gaza strip breached the truce which was signed between the Palestinian factions in Gaza Strip and the Israeli Government, sponsored by Egypt, at the end of the Israeli war against Gaza strip in Summer 2014. On the ground Gaza strip still suffering from the last Israeli war, since the Israeli Authorities prevented the building material from entering the strip to re-built Gaza strip.
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
