New Settlement on the Palestinian land The Israeli Authorities approve the construction of new 98 housing units

On the 2^nd of October 2016, the Israeli Civil Administration's Higher Planning Committee, approved for depositing of the Town Planning Scheme No. 205/3/1 for the construction of a new settlement east of Shvut Rahel and Shiloh settlements, south of Nablus city.

The plan approved for depositing came for the construction of 98 new housing units, which are part of larger plan to construct  300 housing units in the area.

However, the planning committee in the Civil Administration held the meeting to approve the depositing of the TPS 205/3/1 on the 28^th of September 2016. See the Photocopy  of “Minutes of the meeting” :

During the meeting, the Israeli Civil administration declared that the 98 housing units will be constructed on an area reach to 141.24 dunums of land, and its will included the construction of public and commercial buildings, road networks and area for future construction: (See the table and image below)

Moreover, planning committee in the Civil Administration, and during the aforementioned session revealed that the Israeli settlement of Shilo inhabited by 3,800 settlers , with a natural growth reaches to 7%, and accordingly the settlement  needs an additional 400-500 housing units to satisfy settlers population growth.

A geopolitical analysis conducted by the Geo-informatics Department at the Applied Research institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ), showed that the new construction will take place in a new area located at the eastern part of Shilo and Shvut Rahel settlements. Also the targeted area where the new settlement will construct, are declared by the Israeli Authorities as “State land”, and located within Jalud village boundary.  See the map No.1

Furthermore, the new settlement to be constructed in the area known as “Corridors area”, which was created after the construction of the Israeli Segregation Wall on 2002, and this area links between the Eastern Segregation Zone(the area located at along the Palestinian- Jordanian border) and the Western Segregation Zone (the area located between the path of the Segregation Wall and the Armistice line  1949 (Green Line)).

It is worth pointed  that For the construction of the new settlement, the so-called Israeli Ministry of Interior published on its website an Advertisement, notified  that the Israeli Authorities submitted the Israeli Master Plan No. 205/3/1 for “Shilo residential community”  (Shvut Rahel neighborhood). See the photocopy of the Ad

According to the advertisement, the new plan had targeted the Palestinian land located in the basin No. 13 part of Al Khafafesh, and Khanifes areas in Jalud village, and the basin No. 16 part of Wadi Al Hawa area in Jalud village, south of Nablus governorate. The Location of new plan in “Shvut Rahel neighborhood, in Shilo settlement.

And the objective of the new master plan as it published, is to change the statute of land from agricultural area for Residential area A and B, commercial and public buildings, open areas, rod networks, and area for future construction. 

The plan states that “according to chapter No. 20/24 of  the Israeli City, Village, and Building Planning Law no. 79 of 1966, the Israeli settlement sub-committee declares the deposit of the Master Plan No. 205/3/1 for Shilo settlement (Shvut Rahel neighborhood), as an amendment of the  regional master plan S-15.

Israel aims to build a new settlement to house Amona outpost’ residents  

On the 7^th of May 2016, the Israeli daily newspaper ,“Haaretz” ,revealed that the former Israeli Defense Minister; Moshe Ya’alon, along with the settlement movement of Amana, were planning for a new settlement near Shilo settlement, south of Nablus Governorate. The new construction is intended for the 40 families now living in the illegal Israeli outpost of Amona, which is set to be evacuated on 26^th of December 2016.  For more Information about this case click the following links:

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.718424

https://poica.org/details.php?Article=9376#_ftn6

It is worth mentioning that on the 11^th of August 2016, what is-so-called ““The Custodian of Absentee property & Israel Land Authority of Judea and Samaria ” attached to the Israeli Ministry of Defense/Civil Administration , Yousi Sigal, published in Al-Quds” Palestinian daily newspaper an expropriation orders for 32 pieces of lands (240 dunums) east of the illegal Israeli settlement of Ofra northeast of Ramallah Governorate. Where the Israeli intention to expropriate the 32 pieces of lands is not more than an innovative Israeli maneuver to legalize the illegal settlement outpost of ‘Amona, since the lands located in and around the area where the outpost constructed. For more information about this case:

“Israeli Outposts’ Reallocation Game” New Israeli Manipulation to Legalize the illegal Outpost of Amona North of Ramallah Governorate

Obviously the Israeli Authorities ,deliberately, used “illegal” pretexts to confiscate and capture more Palestinian lands and to expand the illegal settlements and outpost, also to legalize the illegal outposts, such as Amona outpost, which built on private Palestinian land.

. As a matter of fact ,dozens of examples registered for  legalizing illegal outputs where on the 1^st of October 2015, the Israeli daily newspaper “Haaretz”, revealed on the Israeli Government intention to legalize four illegal outpost; Kida, ‘Adi ‘Ad, Yeash Kodesh and Ahiya, located east of Shilo settlement. The plan came as a response from the Israeli Supreme Court to “Yeash Din” -Israeli human rights organization- to evacuate the illegal settlement of ‘Adi ‘Ad east of the illegal settlement of Shilo which was built on private Palestinian land.

For more information: “Towards Sustainable Occupation”, Four Illegal Outposts to be Legalized

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.

Resolution 446 March 22, 1979 calls on Israel 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'

Also the resolution 452 of the 1979 “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.”

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.

Prepared By  
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
ARIJ