31 aug 2018
Breaking the Silence CEO Avner Gvaryahu detained by Border Police
Border Police detain Left-Wing organization's activists who arrive at settlement in West Bank for an 'educational tour' following the attack on 4 Ta’ayush NGO members Saturday.
The border Police Force detained Friday for questioning the CEO of Breaking the Silence, Avner Gvaryahu, and two additional activists of the left-wing NGO— Ahiya Schatz and Michael Sfard—after they arrived at the settlement of Mitzpe Yair in the Mount Hebron area of the West Bank.
Gvaryahu, Schatz and Sfard were released shortly afterwards and are expected to give their testimony on the incident next week.
A Breaking the Silence bus arrived to the area to protest against the attack of the four activists from the Left-wing Ta’ayush NGO who were wounded Saturday in Mitzpe Yair.
After the activists encountered an IDF force that had closed the area under a special order, a confrontation erupted between them and the Border Police and IDF soldiers, resulting in Gvaryahu and the two activists being taken for questioning.
According to the West Bank police, the three were detained after violating a legal order.
Breaking the Silence issued a statement saying, "The detention of the organization's CEO Avner Gvaryahu, Ahiya Schatz and attorney Michael Sfard during an educational tour in southern Mount Hebron should worry all of Israel's citizens who value democracy.
"The Hebron brigade commander has given an incentive to the settlers who behave as bullies during an acquaintance and solidarity tour following last week's violent attack executed by settlers against the Ta’ayush NGO's activists," the NGO added.
"This is yet another unfortunate proof that the military has become the servant of the settlers and that they are the true commanders in the field," the NGO's statement concluded.
After his release, Gvaryahu said, "We are not going to give up and plan to tour southern Mount Hebron again soon. As opposed to the commander of the Hebron brigade who surrenders to the violence inflicted by settlers, we refuse to accept it."
Schatz added that "The police detained us without any reason, and we will not be silent about that."
"We'll not stop our tours and continue telling what we've been doing in the territories because this is our duty as soldiers who served there," Schatz went on to say.
Knesset member Mossi Raz (Meretz) who also took part in the tour said, "We arrived today at the violent settlement of Mitzpe Yair to protest against the settlers' behavior and the weak conduct of the police and the IDF while facing them."
"We witnessed how the army and the police follow their instructions detaining Breaking the Silence CEO and its two prominent activists," Raz elucidated.
"What happened here today is a disgrace. We encourage the human rights activists who come here every Saturday and they have our respect," he asserted.
"Someday the occupation will end," the MK concluded.
Border Police detain Left-Wing organization's activists who arrive at settlement in West Bank for an 'educational tour' following the attack on 4 Ta’ayush NGO members Saturday.
The border Police Force detained Friday for questioning the CEO of Breaking the Silence, Avner Gvaryahu, and two additional activists of the left-wing NGO— Ahiya Schatz and Michael Sfard—after they arrived at the settlement of Mitzpe Yair in the Mount Hebron area of the West Bank.
Gvaryahu, Schatz and Sfard were released shortly afterwards and are expected to give their testimony on the incident next week.
A Breaking the Silence bus arrived to the area to protest against the attack of the four activists from the Left-wing Ta’ayush NGO who were wounded Saturday in Mitzpe Yair.
After the activists encountered an IDF force that had closed the area under a special order, a confrontation erupted between them and the Border Police and IDF soldiers, resulting in Gvaryahu and the two activists being taken for questioning.
According to the West Bank police, the three were detained after violating a legal order.
Breaking the Silence issued a statement saying, "The detention of the organization's CEO Avner Gvaryahu, Ahiya Schatz and attorney Michael Sfard during an educational tour in southern Mount Hebron should worry all of Israel's citizens who value democracy.
"The Hebron brigade commander has given an incentive to the settlers who behave as bullies during an acquaintance and solidarity tour following last week's violent attack executed by settlers against the Ta’ayush NGO's activists," the NGO added.
"This is yet another unfortunate proof that the military has become the servant of the settlers and that they are the true commanders in the field," the NGO's statement concluded.
After his release, Gvaryahu said, "We are not going to give up and plan to tour southern Mount Hebron again soon. As opposed to the commander of the Hebron brigade who surrenders to the violence inflicted by settlers, we refuse to accept it."
Schatz added that "The police detained us without any reason, and we will not be silent about that."
"We'll not stop our tours and continue telling what we've been doing in the territories because this is our duty as soldiers who served there," Schatz went on to say.
Knesset member Mossi Raz (Meretz) who also took part in the tour said, "We arrived today at the violent settlement of Mitzpe Yair to protest against the settlers' behavior and the weak conduct of the police and the IDF while facing them."
"We witnessed how the army and the police follow their instructions detaining Breaking the Silence CEO and its two prominent activists," Raz elucidated.
"What happened here today is a disgrace. We encourage the human rights activists who come here every Saturday and they have our respect," he asserted.
"Someday the occupation will end," the MK concluded.
Israeli bulldozers on Friday morning leveled Palestinian lands in Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah, in the central occupied West Bank.
Israeli settlers, escorted by soldiers, bulldozed Palestinian lands in Ras Karkar, paving the way for the confiscation of the lands in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
At nightfall on Thursday, Israeli soldiers attacked Palestinians in the area with randomly-unleashed spates of teargas canisters.
A couple of days earlier, the Israeli military violently attacked Palestinians and journalists as they railed against Israel’s illegal settlement activity in the area.
Israeli settlers, escorted by soldiers, bulldozed Palestinian lands in Ras Karkar, paving the way for the confiscation of the lands in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
At nightfall on Thursday, Israeli soldiers attacked Palestinians in the area with randomly-unleashed spates of teargas canisters.
A couple of days earlier, the Israeli military violently attacked Palestinians and journalists as they railed against Israel’s illegal settlement activity in the area.
30 aug 2018
Israeli bulldozers continue to level Palestinian lands in Shofeh village, southeast of Tulkarem, paving the way for illegal settlement expansion.
Local sources said Israeli settlers continue to bulldoze Palestinian lands in Shofeh, in the northern Occupied West Bank, in an attempt to expand the illegal settlement outpost of Avnei Hefetz.
Sometime earlier, the Israeli occupation authorities handed over farmers from Shofeh village notifications threatening the imminent confiscation of more Palestinian lands in the area to expand the aforementioned settlement outpost.
Local sources said Israeli settlers continue to bulldoze Palestinian lands in Shofeh, in the northern Occupied West Bank, in an attempt to expand the illegal settlement outpost of Avnei Hefetz.
Sometime earlier, the Israeli occupation authorities handed over farmers from Shofeh village notifications threatening the imminent confiscation of more Palestinian lands in the area to expand the aforementioned settlement outpost.
Extremist Israeli settlers have been raking through Palestinian lands in Nablus and Ramallah, paving the way for more attacks against Palestinians and their property, an activist has warned.
Ghassan Dughlas, who monitors settlement activity in the northern occupied West Bank, said settler gangs have showed up on Palestinian land located between Yitzhar outpost, south of Nablus, and Shilo, north of Ramallah.
The activist said over recent months, Israeli settlers stepped up assaults against Palestinian farmers and agricultural facilities in the occupied West Bank in the presence of the Israeli army.
Dughlas also warned of increasing attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians driving on bypass roads leading to Israeli settlements, namely Yitzhar.
Recently, Israeli settlers set up five mobile homes near Shilo settlement, paving the way for illegal settlement expansion on Palestinian land in the area, the activist added.
Ghassan Dughlas, who monitors settlement activity in the northern occupied West Bank, said settler gangs have showed up on Palestinian land located between Yitzhar outpost, south of Nablus, and Shilo, north of Ramallah.
The activist said over recent months, Israeli settlers stepped up assaults against Palestinian farmers and agricultural facilities in the occupied West Bank in the presence of the Israeli army.
Dughlas also warned of increasing attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians driving on bypass roads leading to Israeli settlements, namely Yitzhar.
Recently, Israeli settlers set up five mobile homes near Shilo settlement, paving the way for illegal settlement expansion on Palestinian land in the area, the activist added.
A number of illegal Israeli colonialist settlers installed, Thursday, a new outpost on Palestinian lands in Qaryout village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
Ghassan Daghlas, a PA official who monitors Israeli colonialist settlement activities in the northern West Bank, said the Palestinians found out about the new outpost, Wednesday, when they headed to their lands and saw five mobile homes illegally installed on their lands.
Daghlas added that the colonialist even installed poles and other infrastructure in preparation to establish their outpost on the Palestinian lands.
He stated that the latest violation is very serious, especially since the Israeli authorities are preparing plans aiming at linking various illegal outposts in Nablus and Ramallah with nearby colonies in order to officially legalize them as “neighborhoods.”
Israel’s colonialist activities in the West Bank, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and various United Nations resolutions.
New Israeli settlement outpost set up in Nablus
Israeli settlers set up on Thursday a new illegal settlement outpost on Palestinian-owned lands belonging to the residents of the Qaryout village, in the northern West Bank district of Nablus.
The Local activist Bashar Qaryouti said that Israeli settlers set up five caravans and tents, in addition to construction materials in preparation to set up more facilities in the area.
Qaryouti pointed out that the area is a private Palestinian-owned land and located between the two illegal Israeli settlements of Eli and Shilo.
He underlined that the settlers have routinely attacked local residents’ properties and forced them not to approach their agricultural lands.
Earlier this week, the Israeli District Court ruled that if Israeli settlers built a settlement on private Palestinian land with "good intentions" then it should not be removed. Therefore, allowing more Palestinian lands to be seized by Israeli settlers as they see fit.
Ghassan Daghlas, a PA official who monitors Israeli colonialist settlement activities in the northern West Bank, said the Palestinians found out about the new outpost, Wednesday, when they headed to their lands and saw five mobile homes illegally installed on their lands.
Daghlas added that the colonialist even installed poles and other infrastructure in preparation to establish their outpost on the Palestinian lands.
He stated that the latest violation is very serious, especially since the Israeli authorities are preparing plans aiming at linking various illegal outposts in Nablus and Ramallah with nearby colonies in order to officially legalize them as “neighborhoods.”
Israel’s colonialist activities in the West Bank, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention and various United Nations resolutions.
New Israeli settlement outpost set up in Nablus
Israeli settlers set up on Thursday a new illegal settlement outpost on Palestinian-owned lands belonging to the residents of the Qaryout village, in the northern West Bank district of Nablus.
The Local activist Bashar Qaryouti said that Israeli settlers set up five caravans and tents, in addition to construction materials in preparation to set up more facilities in the area.
Qaryouti pointed out that the area is a private Palestinian-owned land and located between the two illegal Israeli settlements of Eli and Shilo.
He underlined that the settlers have routinely attacked local residents’ properties and forced them not to approach their agricultural lands.
Earlier this week, the Israeli District Court ruled that if Israeli settlers built a settlement on private Palestinian land with "good intentions" then it should not be removed. Therefore, allowing more Palestinian lands to be seized by Israeli settlers as they see fit.
Dozens of Israeli settlers stormed on Thursday morning Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—via the Maghareba Gate.
A horde of 30 Israeli settlers, escorted by policemen, broke into al-Aqsa Mosque as part of the morning break-in shift and carried out a round of sacrilegious tours.
Dozens more are expected to show up at the site in the next few hours. The Muslim authorities and worshipers expressed concern that the mosque would be turned into a military barrack by the Israeli police and settlers.
At the same time, the peaceful Muslim worshipers have been subjected to tough crackdowns and restrictions by the Israeli police near the main entrances to the site. Several worshipers have been searched and dozens more have had their IDs seized while attempting to enter al-Aqsa to perform their daily prayers.
A horde of 30 Israeli settlers, escorted by policemen, broke into al-Aqsa Mosque as part of the morning break-in shift and carried out a round of sacrilegious tours.
Dozens more are expected to show up at the site in the next few hours. The Muslim authorities and worshipers expressed concern that the mosque would be turned into a military barrack by the Israeli police and settlers.
At the same time, the peaceful Muslim worshipers have been subjected to tough crackdowns and restrictions by the Israeli police near the main entrances to the site. Several worshipers have been searched and dozens more have had their IDs seized while attempting to enter al-Aqsa to perform their daily prayers.
Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, earlier Thursday, Tubas city in northeastern West Bank, injured several Palestinians, including six family members, and abducted a young man.
Media sources in Tubas said the soldiers fired many gas bombs and concussion grenades at Palestinians, protesting the invasion, in addition to directly targeted surrounding homes.
They added that many Palestinians, including six members of one family, suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation, and were rushed to a local hospital.
The soldiers also invaded and searched several homes in the city, and abducted a young man, identified as Wisam Majeed Sawafta.
On Thursday at dawn, the soldiers detained a young Palestinian man, and installed many roadblocks, in Jenin governorate, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
On Wednesday at night, Israeli sources said a colonialist settler was injured after Palestinian youngsters hurled stones at a bus in Pisgat Ze’ev, in occupied Jerusalem.
Also on Wednesday at night, a Palestinian taxi driver, identified as Morad Somrain, suffered cuts and bruises to various parts of his body, including his head and face, after Israeli colonialist settlers assaulted him in Jerusalem, and was rushed to a local hospital.
Media sources in Tubas said the soldiers fired many gas bombs and concussion grenades at Palestinians, protesting the invasion, in addition to directly targeted surrounding homes.
They added that many Palestinians, including six members of one family, suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation, and were rushed to a local hospital.
The soldiers also invaded and searched several homes in the city, and abducted a young man, identified as Wisam Majeed Sawafta.
On Thursday at dawn, the soldiers detained a young Palestinian man, and installed many roadblocks, in Jenin governorate, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
On Wednesday at night, Israeli sources said a colonialist settler was injured after Palestinian youngsters hurled stones at a bus in Pisgat Ze’ev, in occupied Jerusalem.
Also on Wednesday at night, a Palestinian taxi driver, identified as Morad Somrain, suffered cuts and bruises to various parts of his body, including his head and face, after Israeli colonialist settlers assaulted him in Jerusalem, and was rushed to a local hospital.
29 aug 2018
63 Israeli settlers break into Jerusalem’s Aqsa MosqueDozens of Israeli settlers stormed on Wednesday morning Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—via the Maghareba Gate.
Israeli police cordoned the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque at the crack of dawn to secure the break-in.
Public relations chief at the Islamic Awqaf Department Firas al-Dabes said 63 Israeli settlers, escorted by policemen, showed up at the site in groups and carried out sacrilegious tours.
Israeli police reportedly cracked down on Muslim worshipers at the main entrances to the site.
Over the past couple of weeks, over 20 Palestinians were banned by the Israeli police from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque for periods ranging from two weeks to six months.
Israeli police cordoned the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque at the crack of dawn to secure the break-in.
Public relations chief at the Islamic Awqaf Department Firas al-Dabes said 63 Israeli settlers, escorted by policemen, showed up at the site in groups and carried out sacrilegious tours.
Israeli police reportedly cracked down on Muslim worshipers at the main entrances to the site.
Over the past couple of weeks, over 20 Palestinians were banned by the Israeli police from praying at al-Aqsa Mosque for periods ranging from two weeks to six months.
The Israeli District Court in occupied Jerusalem green-lighted in a ruling issued Tuesday evening the legalization of the Mitzpe Kramim settlement, illegally built on a Palestinian-owned land in the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Using a policy known as “market regulation,” Judge Arnon Darel ruled that the outpost built without the necessary permits need not be razed because the settlers erected the community “in good faith” and have rights to the property, Israeli media sources reported.
The sources considered the ruling as an unprecedented legal tactic that could pave the way for regulating dozens of other illegal settlements in occupied West Bank.
Israel’s ultranationalist justice minister Ayelet Shaked on Wednesday hailed the Israeli court’s decision, announced late on Tuesday, relating to Mitzpe Kramim, an outpost established in 1999 near the Palestinian city of Ramallah and now home to 40 settler families.
“The ruling ... is an important achievement for settlement in Judea and Samaria,” Shaked wrote on Twitter using the Biblical names for the West Bank.
Israel’s Peace Now organization said the “granting of property rights to criminals who settled in an illegal outpost ... without permits, on private Palestinian land is outrageous”.
It noted that Israel’s right-wing government, which originally had opposed the settlers’ land claim, later supported their position in an attempt to implement a controversial law on unauthorized settlement.
Although settlements building in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal under international law, Israel continues to expand existing settlements, as well as annexing more Palestinian land to create new outposts. The cumulative effect has been to deny Palestinians the ability to create a viable state in even a small part of historic Palestine.
Israeli Court Ruling Sets Precedent: Illegal Outpost Colonies Can be ‘Legalized’
An Israeli Court ruled on Tuesday that an Israeli colony that was established on stolen Palestinian land can be recognized and legitimized by the Israeli state, thus setting a precedent for further expansion of colonies onto Palestinian land.
This is despite the fact that all Israeli settlement colonies are considered illegal under international law, due to the fact that they are created through the seizure of Palestinian land through military force.
The Jerusalem District Court issued the ruling, with Judge Arnon Darel agreeing with the Israeli settlers in their argument that they obtained the land “in good faith” – even though the land was, in fact, stolen from its Palestinian owners.
The colonial outpost in question is called Mitzpeh Kramin, which was established in 1999 on six plots of land: one of which was owned by the Israeli government (after having been taken from its Palestinian owners in 1948), and the other five of which were owned by Palestinians who held the legal deeds to the land.
The judge ruled that the residents of Mitzpeh Kramim are the legal owners of the land and that the Israeli Military Civil Administration in the West Bank cannot revoke their ownership. In addition, the judge ruled that the Palestinians whose land was stolen are not entitled to the return of their land.
According to the judge, because the colonial settlers moved onto the land “in good faith”, their takeover is legally justified.
The Israeli daily Ha’aretz reports that “the government did not know at the time [1999] that the land was privately owned because of confusion in the mapping of the area, and now admits that the land should not have been allocated to the settlement.”
acording to Ha’aretz, “In 1999, 10 buildings were constructed in what is now Mitzpeh Kramim with permits and help from the government. Since then, more structures have gone up – but without permits.
In 2011, Palestinians petitioned the High Court of Justice asking to revoke the master plan for Mitzpeh Kramim and prevent any further building.
This case has been frozen for now, partly because of the proceedings underway concerning the new law on expropriation of privately-owned land in the West Bank in return for above-market compensation. Known as the regularization law, the new law legalizes previously illegally seized land used for Jewish settlement.”
The case sets a precedent for more illegal colonies constructed through the forced seizure of Palestinian land, often accompanied by violence carried out by paramilitary Israeli settlers, to be ‘recognized’ and ‘legalized’ by the Israeli government.
Using a policy known as “market regulation,” Judge Arnon Darel ruled that the outpost built without the necessary permits need not be razed because the settlers erected the community “in good faith” and have rights to the property, Israeli media sources reported.
The sources considered the ruling as an unprecedented legal tactic that could pave the way for regulating dozens of other illegal settlements in occupied West Bank.
Israel’s ultranationalist justice minister Ayelet Shaked on Wednesday hailed the Israeli court’s decision, announced late on Tuesday, relating to Mitzpe Kramim, an outpost established in 1999 near the Palestinian city of Ramallah and now home to 40 settler families.
“The ruling ... is an important achievement for settlement in Judea and Samaria,” Shaked wrote on Twitter using the Biblical names for the West Bank.
Israel’s Peace Now organization said the “granting of property rights to criminals who settled in an illegal outpost ... without permits, on private Palestinian land is outrageous”.
It noted that Israel’s right-wing government, which originally had opposed the settlers’ land claim, later supported their position in an attempt to implement a controversial law on unauthorized settlement.
Although settlements building in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal under international law, Israel continues to expand existing settlements, as well as annexing more Palestinian land to create new outposts. The cumulative effect has been to deny Palestinians the ability to create a viable state in even a small part of historic Palestine.
Israeli Court Ruling Sets Precedent: Illegal Outpost Colonies Can be ‘Legalized’
An Israeli Court ruled on Tuesday that an Israeli colony that was established on stolen Palestinian land can be recognized and legitimized by the Israeli state, thus setting a precedent for further expansion of colonies onto Palestinian land.
This is despite the fact that all Israeli settlement colonies are considered illegal under international law, due to the fact that they are created through the seizure of Palestinian land through military force.
The Jerusalem District Court issued the ruling, with Judge Arnon Darel agreeing with the Israeli settlers in their argument that they obtained the land “in good faith” – even though the land was, in fact, stolen from its Palestinian owners.
The colonial outpost in question is called Mitzpeh Kramin, which was established in 1999 on six plots of land: one of which was owned by the Israeli government (after having been taken from its Palestinian owners in 1948), and the other five of which were owned by Palestinians who held the legal deeds to the land.
The judge ruled that the residents of Mitzpeh Kramim are the legal owners of the land and that the Israeli Military Civil Administration in the West Bank cannot revoke their ownership. In addition, the judge ruled that the Palestinians whose land was stolen are not entitled to the return of their land.
According to the judge, because the colonial settlers moved onto the land “in good faith”, their takeover is legally justified.
The Israeli daily Ha’aretz reports that “the government did not know at the time [1999] that the land was privately owned because of confusion in the mapping of the area, and now admits that the land should not have been allocated to the settlement.”
acording to Ha’aretz, “In 1999, 10 buildings were constructed in what is now Mitzpeh Kramim with permits and help from the government. Since then, more structures have gone up – but without permits.
In 2011, Palestinians petitioned the High Court of Justice asking to revoke the master plan for Mitzpeh Kramim and prevent any further building.
This case has been frozen for now, partly because of the proceedings underway concerning the new law on expropriation of privately-owned land in the West Bank in return for above-market compensation. Known as the regularization law, the new law legalizes previously illegally seized land used for Jewish settlement.”
The case sets a precedent for more illegal colonies constructed through the forced seizure of Palestinian land, often accompanied by violence carried out by paramilitary Israeli settlers, to be ‘recognized’ and ‘legalized’ by the Israeli government.
A one-day general strike was announced on Wednesday morning in Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, to protest the appropriation of a vast tract of land by Jewish settlers.
Ras Karkar villagers responded to the strike by closing the entrances to their village and rallying in large numbers in the agricultural area that was bulldozed on Tuesday by Jewish settlers under military protection. video video
The strike is part of several protest steps the village council intends to take against settlers’ land theft and bulldozing in the village.
Ras Karkar villagers responded to the strike by closing the entrances to their village and rallying in large numbers in the agricultural area that was bulldozed on Tuesday by Jewish settlers under military protection. video video
The strike is part of several protest steps the village council intends to take against settlers’ land theft and bulldozing in the village.
