8 july 2018
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A number of Israeli ministers and members of the Knesset defiled al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards on Sunday morning amid heavy presence of Israeli police forces.
This break-in is the first of its kind after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued an edict a few days ago ending a ban imposed on lawmakers and ministers that prohibited them from visiting the holy site. The first minister to enter the Mosque was Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel who headed the first group of settlers that entered al-Aqsa Mosque via al-Maghariba Gate and toured its courtyards. In statements following the break-in, Ariel said, "We are witnessing significant progress, and anyone who was here three years ago will appreciate this. Thankfully we have a public security minister, a police chief, and leaders who care about us and facilitate our visits to the Temple." Later in the morning, MK Sharren Haskel of the ruling Likud party also entered the site with a different settler group, the Hebrew TV channel Seven reported. Haskel said that this is the first time she has been able to enter the holy site since Netanyahu imposed the ban three years ago, claiming that al-Aqsa Mosque is part of the Jewish culture and heritage. A few days ago Netanyahu said he would lift the ban on parliamentarians visiting al-Aqsa Mosque, three years after the government forbade them from entering the site due to "security concerns". |
Minister Ariel, who had repeatedly led settler break-ins into al-Aqsa Mosque, said, "Neither the King of Jordan nor Mahmoud Abbas can decide here. Israel is the only decision maker."
The Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation, on Sunday, was scheduled to consider a bill that would allow Jews to acquire land rights in the occupied West Bank.
The bill was proposed by Israeli Knesset member Bezalel Smotrich, from the Jewish Home party, and seeks to strengthen Jewish property rights in “Judea and Samaria”, by allowing the right of land ownership to everyone.
The proposed bill aims to modify a 1953 law that entitles only Jordanian and Arab citizens to purchase property in the occupied West Bank territories.
The law remained in effect for 51 years, but in the 1970’s a loophole was found, in which Jewish citizens were allowed to purchase property through a company registered in the West Bank.
Smotrich’s bill would allow any non-Arab or foreign citizen to directly purchase property in Area C without having to acquire land rights through a company registered in the West Bank.
Ma’an reports that, according to Haaretz, Smotrich’s explanation for the bill states that it is “unacceptable” for Israeli citizens to be restricted from purchasing property in Judea and Samaria, just because of their citizenship.
The 1995 Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israeli authorities divided the West Bank into Area A, B, and C. Area A, comprising the populated Palestinian cities and making up 18 percent of the West Bank, would be controlled by the newly formed PA, while Area B remained under Israeli army control with the PA controlling civil affairs.
Area C, the majority of the West Bank, however, was placed under full Israeli military control and contains the majority of natural resources and open spaces in the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli-controlled land was expected to be gradually transferred to the PA over a five-year period, according to the Oslo agreements. Yet, two decades later, the land has remained under Israeli control.
Area C, along with East Jerusalem, has been the site of rapid Israeli settlement expansions in contravention of international law, while Israel’s separation wall has further divided Palestinian communities and has restricted Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza from even visiting what was intended to be their capital.
According to Palestinians and rights groups, Israel’s overall goal, both in its policies in Area C and Israel’s settlement enterprise, is to depopulate the land of its Palestinian residents and replace them with Jewish Israeli communities in order to manipulate population demographics in all of historic Palestine.
The bill was proposed by Israeli Knesset member Bezalel Smotrich, from the Jewish Home party, and seeks to strengthen Jewish property rights in “Judea and Samaria”, by allowing the right of land ownership to everyone.
The proposed bill aims to modify a 1953 law that entitles only Jordanian and Arab citizens to purchase property in the occupied West Bank territories.
The law remained in effect for 51 years, but in the 1970’s a loophole was found, in which Jewish citizens were allowed to purchase property through a company registered in the West Bank.
Smotrich’s bill would allow any non-Arab or foreign citizen to directly purchase property in Area C without having to acquire land rights through a company registered in the West Bank.
Ma’an reports that, according to Haaretz, Smotrich’s explanation for the bill states that it is “unacceptable” for Israeli citizens to be restricted from purchasing property in Judea and Samaria, just because of their citizenship.
The 1995 Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israeli authorities divided the West Bank into Area A, B, and C. Area A, comprising the populated Palestinian cities and making up 18 percent of the West Bank, would be controlled by the newly formed PA, while Area B remained under Israeli army control with the PA controlling civil affairs.
Area C, the majority of the West Bank, however, was placed under full Israeli military control and contains the majority of natural resources and open spaces in the Palestinian territory.
The Israeli-controlled land was expected to be gradually transferred to the PA over a five-year period, according to the Oslo agreements. Yet, two decades later, the land has remained under Israeli control.
Area C, along with East Jerusalem, has been the site of rapid Israeli settlement expansions in contravention of international law, while Israel’s separation wall has further divided Palestinian communities and has restricted Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza from even visiting what was intended to be their capital.
According to Palestinians and rights groups, Israel’s overall goal, both in its policies in Area C and Israel’s settlement enterprise, is to depopulate the land of its Palestinian residents and replace them with Jewish Israeli communities in order to manipulate population demographics in all of historic Palestine.
A group of extremist Jewish settlers led by Israeli minister of agriculture Uri Ariel desecrated the Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards on Sunday morning.
Scores of settlers entered the Aqsa Mosque compound through al-Maghariba Gate in separate groups, but Ariel was at the head of the first group of settlers who toured the Islamic holy site this morning.
Ariel became the first minister to defile the Aqsa Mosque after Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu issued an edict a few days ago ending a ban imposed on lawmakers and ministers that prohibited them from visiting the holy site.
As usual, Israeli police forces also violated the Islamic sanctity of the holy place as they were escorting the settlers during their tours.
Scores of settlers entered the Aqsa Mosque compound through al-Maghariba Gate in separate groups, but Ariel was at the head of the first group of settlers who toured the Islamic holy site this morning.
Ariel became the first minister to defile the Aqsa Mosque after Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu issued an edict a few days ago ending a ban imposed on lawmakers and ministers that prohibited them from visiting the holy site.
As usual, Israeli police forces also violated the Islamic sanctity of the holy place as they were escorting the settlers during their tours.
7 july 2018
Israeli settlers Saturday cut down hundreds of fruitful grape trees belonging to Palestinians in the town of al-Khader, in Bethlehem city in the southern West Bank.
Ahmad Salah, coordinator of Anti-Settlement Committee in the town, said that Israeli extremist settlers cut down around 200 fruitful vineyards located adjacent to two illegal Israeli settlements: Efrat and Eliezer.
He added that Israeli occupation forces have recently intensified their measures against the town locals as a prelude to take over the land for settlement expansion.
Ahmad Salah, coordinator of Anti-Settlement Committee in the town, said that Israeli extremist settlers cut down around 200 fruitful vineyards located adjacent to two illegal Israeli settlements: Efrat and Eliezer.
He added that Israeli occupation forces have recently intensified their measures against the town locals as a prelude to take over the land for settlement expansion.
6 july 2018
Extremist Israeli settlers on Friday raided the village of Urif, to the south of Nablus in the West Bank, troched dozens of dunums of Palestinian farmlands and uprooted olive saplings and trees near the village, according to local sources.
The PIC correspondent said that dozens of settlers, protected by a military escort, assaulted some homes at the entrance to the village and uprooted olive saplings belonging to local residents.
Clashes erupted between Israeli forces and local villagers in the aftermath of the attack. The Israeli soldiers fired live bullets and rubber-coated rounds to disperse the protesting villagers, injuring one of them in the head.
The wounded man was identified as Ahmad Safadi who was transferred to Rafidiya Hospital in Nablus city.
Israeli Soldiers Injure Palestinians Defending Their Village After Colonists Attacked It, Cut And Burnt Dozens Of Trees
Medical sources have reported, Friday, that dozens of Palestinians suffered the effects of teargas inhalation, one was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet, and many others sustained cuts and bruises, after Israeli soldiers attacked them while defending their village, Orif, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, when a group of extremist illegal Israeli colonists attacked its farmlands, burnt and cuts dozens of trees.
Adel Omar, an activist with the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem), said the attack was carried out by dozens of assailants from Yitzhar illegal Israeli colony, which was built on private Palestinian lands.
He added that the colonists invaded the eastern area of the village and burnt dozens of Dunams planted with olive and almond trees, in addition cutting many trees.
The soldiers then invaded the village, and attacked the Palestinians, before firing many live rounds at them, gas bombs and rubber-coated steel bullets.
One Palestinian was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his head, before he was rushed to Rafidia hospital for treatment.
Dozens suffered the effects of teargas inhalation and received the needed treatment by local medics.
The soldiers also fired live rounds at a press vehicle for Palestine TV.
In a statement, the Committee for Protecting Orif village said the Israeli assailants caused the following damage to the Palestinian lands.
The PIC correspondent said that dozens of settlers, protected by a military escort, assaulted some homes at the entrance to the village and uprooted olive saplings belonging to local residents.
Clashes erupted between Israeli forces and local villagers in the aftermath of the attack. The Israeli soldiers fired live bullets and rubber-coated rounds to disperse the protesting villagers, injuring one of them in the head.
The wounded man was identified as Ahmad Safadi who was transferred to Rafidiya Hospital in Nablus city.
Israeli Soldiers Injure Palestinians Defending Their Village After Colonists Attacked It, Cut And Burnt Dozens Of Trees
Medical sources have reported, Friday, that dozens of Palestinians suffered the effects of teargas inhalation, one was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet, and many others sustained cuts and bruises, after Israeli soldiers attacked them while defending their village, Orif, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, when a group of extremist illegal Israeli colonists attacked its farmlands, burnt and cuts dozens of trees.
Adel Omar, an activist with the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem), said the attack was carried out by dozens of assailants from Yitzhar illegal Israeli colony, which was built on private Palestinian lands.
He added that the colonists invaded the eastern area of the village and burnt dozens of Dunams planted with olive and almond trees, in addition cutting many trees.
The soldiers then invaded the village, and attacked the Palestinians, before firing many live rounds at them, gas bombs and rubber-coated steel bullets.
One Palestinian was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his head, before he was rushed to Rafidia hospital for treatment.
Dozens suffered the effects of teargas inhalation and received the needed treatment by local medics.
The soldiers also fired live rounds at a press vehicle for Palestine TV.
In a statement, the Committee for Protecting Orif village said the Israeli assailants caused the following damage to the Palestinian lands.
- Cut 40 olive saplings owned by Issam Safadi.
- Cut and burnt 62 saplings owned by Mohammad Shehada.
- Burnt and cut 12 olive and almond trees owned by Raed Sabah.
- Cut 14 olive saplings owned by Najeh Shehada.
- Burnt 18 fig and pomegranate trees owned by Shaher Shehada.
5 july 2018
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As hundreds of soldiers and police officers have been deployed around al-Khan al-Ahmar Palestinian Bedouin community, southeast of occupied Jerusalem, in preparation for ethnically cleansing it, and displace the residents, groups of fanatic illegal Israeli colonists gathered in the area to “celebrate” the assault.
The colonists came from the illegal Kfar Adumim colony, built on private lands owned by Palestinians from Abu Dis and Hizma towns. While Israeli soldiers continued to resort to the excessive use of force against innocent civilians, communities of shepherds, with more than half of them are children, the colonists decided to “celebrate the event,” awaiting the complete destruction of the Palestinian community. On its part, the Arab League strongly denounced the Israeli crimes against al-Khan al-Ahmar and Abu Nuwwar communities, and said that these policies are war crimes as they target innocent, unarmed civilians, displacing them and devastating their lives and the lives of their families. It added that the removal of displacement of the Palestinians only aims at the construction and expansion of Israel’s illegal colonies, built in direct violation of International Law and the Fourth Geneva Convention. “These plans aim at completing the isolation of occupied Jerusalem and its suburbs from the rest of the West Bank,” Arab League assistant Secretary General, Sa’id Abu Ali, said, “Israel is acting on displacing entire communities, and at the same times approving the construction of thousands of units for illegal settlers.” This plan, he said, reflect the Israeli intentions and calculated decisions to finalize E1 colonialist project, which aims at annexing all parts of East Jerusalem, and isolating the indigenous Palestinians from the rest of the occupied West Bank, to strengthen Israel’s illegal and deadly military occupation of Palestine. It is worth mentioning that the Israeli army and police prevented nine European Union consuls from entering al-Khan al-Ahmar. Jeff Halper |
Israeli colonizers invaded, Thursday, Palestinian lands in the al-Khader town, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and cut at least 350 grapevines, near the illegal Daniel colony, built on Palestinian lands.
Ahmad Salah the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the land and grapevines are owned by a local farmer, identified as Islam Ali Jaber.
Salah added that the vineyard is in the ath-Thaghra area, next to the illegal Daniel colony, in al-Khader.
Palestinian lands in the area are subject to repeated similar attacks and violations aimed at the illegal annexation of the lands, in order to build and expand the colony.
Ahmad Salah the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the land and grapevines are owned by a local farmer, identified as Islam Ali Jaber.
Salah added that the vineyard is in the ath-Thaghra area, next to the illegal Daniel colony, in al-Khader.
Palestinian lands in the area are subject to repeated similar attacks and violations aimed at the illegal annexation of the lands, in order to build and expand the colony.
Baroch Marzel
On Wednesday evening, a group of Illegal Israeli colonizers, living in Ramat Yishai Colony, which was built on private Palestinian lands in Tal Romedia neighborhood in the center of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, attacked many Palestinians, wounding three, before the soldiers abducted one Palestinian.
The WAFA Palestinian News Agency said the Israeli assailants attacked many Palestinians, leading to a scuffle with the locals, and injured Samir al-Mohtaseb, Yasser Abu Markhiyya and Bassam Abu Aisha.
It added that Israelis soldiers also attacked a number of residents and abducted Abed al-Fakhouri.
On Wednesday at night, an Israeli colonizer and his wife installed a tent on the sidewalk of the road in Tal Romedia.
The tent was installed on the sidewalk in front of a home of a Palestinian identified as Rami Abu Aisha, by a known fanatic colonist, an Israeli-American, identified as Baroch Marzel.
Merzel and his wife, along with other assailants installed the tent, before several colonizers came over to support their violation, while locals gathered to protect their homes in fear of further escalation.
Israeli fanatic settler enrages Palestinians in al-Khalil
Israeli extremist settler Barukh Marzel on Thursday morning set up a tent near Palestinian homes in Tel Rumeida, in al-Khalil, triggering tension in the area.
Eye-witnesses said Marzel installed a tent in which he stayed with his wife, in a move that angered Palestinians living in the area.
Over recent days, Marzel, an ill-famed Jewish activist, has been trying to open a road leading to Palestinian lands in al-Shuhadaa Street.
On Wednesday evening, a group of Illegal Israeli colonizers, living in Ramat Yishai Colony, which was built on private Palestinian lands in Tal Romedia neighborhood in the center of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, attacked many Palestinians, wounding three, before the soldiers abducted one Palestinian.
The WAFA Palestinian News Agency said the Israeli assailants attacked many Palestinians, leading to a scuffle with the locals, and injured Samir al-Mohtaseb, Yasser Abu Markhiyya and Bassam Abu Aisha.
It added that Israelis soldiers also attacked a number of residents and abducted Abed al-Fakhouri.
On Wednesday at night, an Israeli colonizer and his wife installed a tent on the sidewalk of the road in Tal Romedia.
The tent was installed on the sidewalk in front of a home of a Palestinian identified as Rami Abu Aisha, by a known fanatic colonist, an Israeli-American, identified as Baroch Marzel.
Merzel and his wife, along with other assailants installed the tent, before several colonizers came over to support their violation, while locals gathered to protect their homes in fear of further escalation.
Israeli fanatic settler enrages Palestinians in al-Khalil
Israeli extremist settler Barukh Marzel on Thursday morning set up a tent near Palestinian homes in Tel Rumeida, in al-Khalil, triggering tension in the area.
Eye-witnesses said Marzel installed a tent in which he stayed with his wife, in a move that angered Palestinians living in the area.
Over recent days, Marzel, an ill-famed Jewish activist, has been trying to open a road leading to Palestinian lands in al-Shuhadaa Street.
4 july 2018
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Israeli soldiers and settlers cheered on Tuesday, as soldier Elor Azaria revisited the spot where he shot dead a motionless Palestinian who was lying on the ground injured in Al-Khalil (Hebron), two years ago.
Politician and extremist settler Baruch Marzel was among those who welcomed Azaria into Tel Rumeida street, the site where Azaria shot injured 21-year-old Palestinian Abdel Fattah Al-Sharif. The incident was caught on camera and released by Israeli human rights NGO B’Tselem. Azaria was found guilty of manslaughter and handed an 18-month term for the March 2016 killing of Al-Sharif. Less than a month after his conviction, Israeli Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot reduced the sentence to 14 months. His conviction saw him receive a more lenient sentence than a Palestinian child found guilty of throwing stones. |
A group of Israeli settlers stormed Wednesday morning al-Aqsa Mosque via the Israeli-controlled al-Magharibeh Gate.
Local sources affirmed to the PIC reporter that dozens of settlers broke into the holy shrine under heavy armed military protection and roamed its courtyards during the morning hours.
More groups of settlers are expected to break into the site later in the day.
Israeli settlers carry out daily incursions into al-Aqsa Mosque under the police protection especially in the early morning hours taking advantage of the small number of Palestinian worshipers in the Mosque during this period.
Local sources affirmed to the PIC reporter that dozens of settlers broke into the holy shrine under heavy armed military protection and roamed its courtyards during the morning hours.
More groups of settlers are expected to break into the site later in the day.
Israeli settlers carry out daily incursions into al-Aqsa Mosque under the police protection especially in the early morning hours taking advantage of the small number of Palestinian worshipers in the Mosque during this period.
