23 nov 2018
Extremist Israeli settlers at daybreak Friday spray-painted racist graffiti on the walls of Palestinian homes in Asira al-Qibliyeh, south of Nablus, and punctured tires of Palestinian vehicles.
Anti-settlement activist in the northern occupied West Bank Ghassan Dughlas said a horde of Israeli fanatics broke into Asira al-Qibliyeh village and painted racist slogans on the walls of Palestinian civilian homes.
The settlers further punctured tires of 20 Palestinian cars parked in the area.
Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by the Israeli occupation authorities.
Settlers' violence includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across the occupied Palestinian territories in violation of international law.
All settlements across the West Bank are illegal under international law, particularly article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which establishes that the occupying power shall not deport or forcibly transfer civilian population in territory it occupies.
Israeli settlers vandalize mosque, spray racist slogans in Beit Iksa
Israeli settlers vandalized Palestinian-owned vehicles and spray painted racist, anti-Arab slogans, on Friday, in the Beit Iksa village, in the central occupied West Bank district of Jerusalem.
According to local sources, Israeli settlers spray painted racist, anti-Arab slogans, including threats, on the neighborhood walls in the village and on many vehicles.
Sources added that Israeli settlers punctured the tires of a number of Palestinian-owned vehicles.
Sources mentioned that the Israeli settlers also targeted the local mosque and spray painted anti-Arab slogans on its walls, in addition the settlers attempted to set it on fire.
Although Beit Iksa is located immediately next to Jerusalem, the village's lands have been progressively confiscated and the village is surrounded on all sides by the Israeli separation wall. Villagers can no longer travel to Jerusalem without permits, and Palestinians not resident in Beit Iksa cannot enter the single Israeli checkpoint that allows access to the village.
Ninety-three percent of the village is under full Israeli military control, and a majority of the total land of the village falls in areas outside of the separation wall, meaning they have been de facto confiscated, including about 1,500 dunams (371 acres) where Jewish-only settlements have been built.
Anti-settlement activist in the northern occupied West Bank Ghassan Dughlas said a horde of Israeli fanatics broke into Asira al-Qibliyeh village and painted racist slogans on the walls of Palestinian civilian homes.
The settlers further punctured tires of 20 Palestinian cars parked in the area.
Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by the Israeli occupation authorities.
Settlers' violence includes property and mosque arsons, stone-throwing, uprooting of crops and olive trees, attacks on vulnerable homes, among others.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across the occupied Palestinian territories in violation of international law.
All settlements across the West Bank are illegal under international law, particularly article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which establishes that the occupying power shall not deport or forcibly transfer civilian population in territory it occupies.
Israeli settlers vandalize mosque, spray racist slogans in Beit Iksa
Israeli settlers vandalized Palestinian-owned vehicles and spray painted racist, anti-Arab slogans, on Friday, in the Beit Iksa village, in the central occupied West Bank district of Jerusalem.
According to local sources, Israeli settlers spray painted racist, anti-Arab slogans, including threats, on the neighborhood walls in the village and on many vehicles.
Sources added that Israeli settlers punctured the tires of a number of Palestinian-owned vehicles.
Sources mentioned that the Israeli settlers also targeted the local mosque and spray painted anti-Arab slogans on its walls, in addition the settlers attempted to set it on fire.
Although Beit Iksa is located immediately next to Jerusalem, the village's lands have been progressively confiscated and the village is surrounded on all sides by the Israeli separation wall. Villagers can no longer travel to Jerusalem without permits, and Palestinians not resident in Beit Iksa cannot enter the single Israeli checkpoint that allows access to the village.
Ninety-three percent of the village is under full Israeli military control, and a majority of the total land of the village falls in areas outside of the separation wall, meaning they have been de facto confiscated, including about 1,500 dunams (371 acres) where Jewish-only settlements have been built.
22 nov 2018
Petition alleges the home rental company doesn't have a coherent policy on ‘conflict regions’ and its decision to remove listings in Jewish settlements in the West Bank constitutes 'extreme and offensive discrimination.'
The first class action lawsuit against Airbnb was filed Thursday to the Jerusalem District Court by the residents of the West Bank who advertised their apartments on the website after the rental giant removed 200 listings in Jewish settlements in the area.
The petition alleges that removing or restricting the listings solely in the West Bank constitutes extreme, offensive and outrageous discrimination, adding that the court must rule the company should not be permitted to ban listings based on the country of origin of the apartments’ owners.
The main petitioner, Maanit Rabinovitz, is a resident of the Kida settlement near Shilo in the West Bank, and until recently she was one of the hundreds of locals who advertised their apartments on the company's website.
Rabinovitz claims the company never contacted her regarding their new change in policy and she only learned about the listings being removed through the media, adding that the decision was made due to pressure from various bodies calling for a boycott of Israel—led by the civil organization Kerem Navot—which represents an integral part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
"In contrast to how Airbnb tries to present the issue—as if the decision is a result of a careful and detailed examination of every ‘conflict region’—this policy is actually directed solely against those who live in Israeli settlements in the West Bank,” stated the petition.
The petitioner emphasizes there are dozens, if not hundreds of conflict regions in the world that do not have similar restrictions imposed on them by the home rental company. For instance Tibet—where Chinese authorities forcefully imposed administrative control.
The petition asserts that Airbnb has no coherent policy regarding conflict regions seeing as it’s targeting exclusively the Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
"As far as Airbnb is concerned, their clients can deny women or minorities to rent apartments from them, offer listings in warzones or in regions where tens of thousands of people have been expelled from their homes. The only thing that is prohibited is to be a settler in the State of Israel,” stressed the petition.
The petition adds the company’s decision directly contradicts their zero tolerance policy when it comes to racism and discrimination.
“Israeli settlers, it turns out, do not belong to the utopian community that Airbnb is trying to create, and are not entitled to the same level of respect," it concluded.
The first class action lawsuit against Airbnb was filed Thursday to the Jerusalem District Court by the residents of the West Bank who advertised their apartments on the website after the rental giant removed 200 listings in Jewish settlements in the area.
The petition alleges that removing or restricting the listings solely in the West Bank constitutes extreme, offensive and outrageous discrimination, adding that the court must rule the company should not be permitted to ban listings based on the country of origin of the apartments’ owners.
The main petitioner, Maanit Rabinovitz, is a resident of the Kida settlement near Shilo in the West Bank, and until recently she was one of the hundreds of locals who advertised their apartments on the company's website.
Rabinovitz claims the company never contacted her regarding their new change in policy and she only learned about the listings being removed through the media, adding that the decision was made due to pressure from various bodies calling for a boycott of Israel—led by the civil organization Kerem Navot—which represents an integral part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
"In contrast to how Airbnb tries to present the issue—as if the decision is a result of a careful and detailed examination of every ‘conflict region’—this policy is actually directed solely against those who live in Israeli settlements in the West Bank,” stated the petition.
The petitioner emphasizes there are dozens, if not hundreds of conflict regions in the world that do not have similar restrictions imposed on them by the home rental company. For instance Tibet—where Chinese authorities forcefully imposed administrative control.
The petition asserts that Airbnb has no coherent policy regarding conflict regions seeing as it’s targeting exclusively the Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
"As far as Airbnb is concerned, their clients can deny women or minorities to rent apartments from them, offer listings in warzones or in regions where tens of thousands of people have been expelled from their homes. The only thing that is prohibited is to be a settler in the State of Israel,” stressed the petition.
The petition adds the company’s decision directly contradicts their zero tolerance policy when it comes to racism and discrimination.
“Israeli settlers, it turns out, do not belong to the utopian community that Airbnb is trying to create, and are not entitled to the same level of respect," it concluded.
Israel’s Supreme Court refused on Thursday a petition filed by scores of Palestinian families against an Israeli decision to evict them from their homes in Silwan town, in occupied Jerusalem.
The court claimed that the families’ houses were built on a land owned by Jewish settlers before 1948, when the State of Israel was first established.
The families lodged the petition with the Supreme Court after Ateret Cohanim settlement organization has submitted an appeal to the court demanding the eviction of more than 70 Jerusalemite families.
The court claimed that the families’ houses were built on a land owned by Jewish settlers before 1948, when the State of Israel was first established.
The families lodged the petition with the Supreme Court after Ateret Cohanim settlement organization has submitted an appeal to the court demanding the eviction of more than 70 Jerusalemite families.
Israeli settlers razed dozens of dunams of Palestinian-owned agricultural land between the illegal Israeli settlements of Maskyot and Rotem, in the northern Jordan Valley, on Wednesday.
Human rights activist, Aref Daragmeh, said that Israeli settlers from the illegal Maskyot settlement built a small structure and razed dozen of dunams of agricultural land, particularly used to herd sheep.
Daraghmeh mentioned that Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli forces regularly raze lands and seal off the area, preventing Palestinian farmers and shepherds from working.
Palestinian residents of the Jordan Valley regularly face evacuations and interruption due to Israeli military exercises on or near their land. The district of Tubas, meanwhile, is one of the occupied West Bank's most important agricultural centers.
The majority of the Jordan Valley is under full Israeli military control, despite being within the West Bank. Meanwhile, at least 44% of the total land in the Jordan Valley has been re-appropriated by Israeli forces for military purposes and training exercises.
Forming a third of the occupied West Bank and with 88 percent of its land classified as Area C, the Jordan Valley has long been a strategic area of land unlikely to return to Palestinians following Israel's occupation in 1967.
Human rights activist, Aref Daragmeh, said that Israeli settlers from the illegal Maskyot settlement built a small structure and razed dozen of dunams of agricultural land, particularly used to herd sheep.
Daraghmeh mentioned that Israeli settlers under the protection of Israeli forces regularly raze lands and seal off the area, preventing Palestinian farmers and shepherds from working.
Palestinian residents of the Jordan Valley regularly face evacuations and interruption due to Israeli military exercises on or near their land. The district of Tubas, meanwhile, is one of the occupied West Bank's most important agricultural centers.
The majority of the Jordan Valley is under full Israeli military control, despite being within the West Bank. Meanwhile, at least 44% of the total land in the Jordan Valley has been re-appropriated by Israeli forces for military purposes and training exercises.
Forming a third of the occupied West Bank and with 88 percent of its land classified as Area C, the Jordan Valley has long been a strategic area of land unlikely to return to Palestinians following Israel's occupation in 1967.
Scores of Jewish settlers on Thursday morning desecrated the Aqsa Mosque under police protection.
According to the Islamic Awqaf Authority, about 54 settlers were allowed by the Israeli police to enter the Mosque through al-Maghariba Gate and tour its courtyards.
Meanwhile, the Israeli police imposed entry restrictions on Muslim worshipers at the Islamic holy site’s entrances and gates.
Although such provocative break-ins at the Mosque are rejected by the Islamic Awqaf Authority, the Israeli police persist in allowing the settlers to defile the Mosque.
According to the Islamic Awqaf Authority, about 54 settlers were allowed by the Israeli police to enter the Mosque through al-Maghariba Gate and tour its courtyards.
Meanwhile, the Israeli police imposed entry restrictions on Muslim worshipers at the Islamic holy site’s entrances and gates.
Although such provocative break-ins at the Mosque are rejected by the Islamic Awqaf Authority, the Israeli police persist in allowing the settlers to defile the Mosque.
The Palestinian ministry of religious affairs has warned against Israeli attempts to change the status quo at the Ibrahimi Mosque and control it.
In press remarks on Wednesday, Sheikh Yousef Ad’eis affirmed that Israel’s repeated closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque is aimed at paving the way for the settlers to seize it and prevent Muslims from entering it.
Ad’eis also denounced an Israeli plan to add an elevator to the Mosque under flimsy pretexts, pointing out that such addition would affect the integrity of the Mosque’s history and violate UNESCO’s resolutions calling for necessarily preserving the holy site as part of the human heritage.
He stressed that the Ibrahimi Mosque is an Islamic mortmain site belonging only to the Muslim nation and no one has the right to use it or violate its sanctity under any pretexts.
“Despite its exposure to temporal and spatial division, the right to manage the Mosque with all its spaces and facilities and take technical procedures at the holy site belongs to the ministry of Awqaf and religious affairs that represents the sovereignty of the State of Palestine,” the minister underlined.
He called on UNESCO to intervene to ensure that its resolutions on the Ibrahimi Mosque is respected by Israel.
In press remarks on Wednesday, Sheikh Yousef Ad’eis affirmed that Israel’s repeated closure of the Ibrahimi Mosque is aimed at paving the way for the settlers to seize it and prevent Muslims from entering it.
Ad’eis also denounced an Israeli plan to add an elevator to the Mosque under flimsy pretexts, pointing out that such addition would affect the integrity of the Mosque’s history and violate UNESCO’s resolutions calling for necessarily preserving the holy site as part of the human heritage.
He stressed that the Ibrahimi Mosque is an Islamic mortmain site belonging only to the Muslim nation and no one has the right to use it or violate its sanctity under any pretexts.
“Despite its exposure to temporal and spatial division, the right to manage the Mosque with all its spaces and facilities and take technical procedures at the holy site belongs to the ministry of Awqaf and religious affairs that represents the sovereignty of the State of Palestine,” the minister underlined.
He called on UNESCO to intervene to ensure that its resolutions on the Ibrahimi Mosque is respected by Israel.
21 nov 2018
Joint List leader Ayman Odeh
Event organized by Joint List and Meretz MKs to feature speech by B'Tselem head Hagai E-Ad; 'Handful of extremist Jewish settlers live in Hebron, leading government to enact segregation regime in the city,' say organizers.
A conference titled "Hebron First" will take place in the Knesset next week calling for the immediate evacuation of the Jewish settlement in the West Bank city.
The conference, organized by Joint List MKs Ayman Odeh and Dov Khenin and Meretz MK Michal Rozin, will feature a speech from B'Tselem Executive Director Hagai El-Ad, who recently spoke at the UN Security Council against Israeli treatment of the Palestinians.
Other invitees to the event on Monday include activists from left-wing groups B'Tselem, Breaking the Silence, Peace Now, Yesh Din and Palestinians from Hebron.
"For 50 years, a handful of settlers living at the very heart of the Palestinian population in Hebron have been leading the government to enact a cruel segregation regime, both physical and legal, on the Palestinian population," the invitation for the conference read.
"Hundreds of soldiers are sent by the government to enforce this segregation, mass budgets are invested in that handful of settlers—at the expense of the public—and the friction between the populations leads to a destructive reality of violence, extreme incidents like the massacre Baruch Goldstein carried out and the Elor Azaria affair, and the loss of human lives—both Jews and Palestinians."
According to Knesset regulations, any conference held at the parliament requires the approval of Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein. A year ago, Edelstein sought to prevent MK Aida Touma-Sliman from holding a conference on "50 years of occupation." Because of that, the MKs organizing this event defined it as a "gathering," which the Knesset management cannot prevent.
"The settlement in Hebron is the expression of an extremist government policy that pours mass sums of money and endangers human lives to strengthen and maintain a handful of extremist settlers. The evacuation of the settlement in Hebron is a first and necessary step to promoting a diplomatic solution and bringing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an end," the three MKs said in a statement.
Event organized by Joint List and Meretz MKs to feature speech by B'Tselem head Hagai E-Ad; 'Handful of extremist Jewish settlers live in Hebron, leading government to enact segregation regime in the city,' say organizers.
A conference titled "Hebron First" will take place in the Knesset next week calling for the immediate evacuation of the Jewish settlement in the West Bank city.
The conference, organized by Joint List MKs Ayman Odeh and Dov Khenin and Meretz MK Michal Rozin, will feature a speech from B'Tselem Executive Director Hagai El-Ad, who recently spoke at the UN Security Council against Israeli treatment of the Palestinians.
Other invitees to the event on Monday include activists from left-wing groups B'Tselem, Breaking the Silence, Peace Now, Yesh Din and Palestinians from Hebron.
"For 50 years, a handful of settlers living at the very heart of the Palestinian population in Hebron have been leading the government to enact a cruel segregation regime, both physical and legal, on the Palestinian population," the invitation for the conference read.
"Hundreds of soldiers are sent by the government to enforce this segregation, mass budgets are invested in that handful of settlers—at the expense of the public—and the friction between the populations leads to a destructive reality of violence, extreme incidents like the massacre Baruch Goldstein carried out and the Elor Azaria affair, and the loss of human lives—both Jews and Palestinians."
According to Knesset regulations, any conference held at the parliament requires the approval of Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein. A year ago, Edelstein sought to prevent MK Aida Touma-Sliman from holding a conference on "50 years of occupation." Because of that, the MKs organizing this event defined it as a "gathering," which the Knesset management cannot prevent.
"The settlement in Hebron is the expression of an extremist government policy that pours mass sums of money and endangers human lives to strengthen and maintain a handful of extremist settlers. The evacuation of the settlement in Hebron is a first and necessary step to promoting a diplomatic solution and bringing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to an end," the three MKs said in a statement.
Dozens of Palestinians choked on teargas on Wednesday shortly after the Israeli occupation forces stormed Sebastiya town, north of Nablus, and showered the area with spates of teargas grenades.
Sebastiya Mayor, Mohamed Azem, said clashes broke out moments after full-armed Israeli troops rolled into Sebastiya to secure a mass break-in by Israeli fanatic settlers into archeological sites in the area.
The occupation soldiers attacked Palestinian civilians with randomly-discharged spates of teargas grenades, resulting in dozens of suffocation cases.
Sebastiya Mayor, Mohamed Azem, said clashes broke out moments after full-armed Israeli troops rolled into Sebastiya to secure a mass break-in by Israeli fanatic settlers into archeological sites in the area.
The occupation soldiers attacked Palestinian civilians with randomly-discharged spates of teargas grenades, resulting in dozens of suffocation cases.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) destroyed on Wednesday a Palestinian-owned house south of Nablus, to the north of West Bank.
Local sources told Quds Press that IOF stormed early today Duma town and demolished a house belonging to the local resident Umar al-Sari.
On the other hand, a group of settlers levelled an agricultural land in the Jordan Valley.
Local activist Atef Daraghmah said that settlers of Maskiot settlement bulldozed a Palestinian land located near the illegal outpost.
Nearly all Palestinian applications for building permits in Israeli-controlled Area C are denied by the Israeli authorities, forcing communities to build illegally.
Meanwhile, the estimated 550,000 Jewish Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory are more easily given building permits and allowed to expand their homes and properties, despite living in settlements that violate international law.
Local sources told Quds Press that IOF stormed early today Duma town and demolished a house belonging to the local resident Umar al-Sari.
On the other hand, a group of settlers levelled an agricultural land in the Jordan Valley.
Local activist Atef Daraghmah said that settlers of Maskiot settlement bulldozed a Palestinian land located near the illegal outpost.
Nearly all Palestinian applications for building permits in Israeli-controlled Area C are denied by the Israeli authorities, forcing communities to build illegally.
Meanwhile, the estimated 550,000 Jewish Israeli settlers in the occupied Palestinian territory are more easily given building permits and allowed to expand their homes and properties, despite living in settlements that violate international law.
Dozens of Israeli settlers on Wednesday morning broke into al-Aqsa Mosque via al-Maghareba Gate under heavy protection of the Israeli police forces.
Local sources said that 51 Israeli settlers broke into the Mosque amid heavy presence of heavily armed Israeli policemen.
140 Jewish students also visited the Mosque in the morning accompanied with an Israeli police officer.
The Israeli police usually allow settlers to visit the Mosque for five hours a day in two rounds: the morning and the afternoon, and escort them as they roam its courtyards and perform Talmudic rituals in the Islamic site.
Local sources said that 51 Israeli settlers broke into the Mosque amid heavy presence of heavily armed Israeli policemen.
140 Jewish students also visited the Mosque in the morning accompanied with an Israeli police officer.
The Israeli police usually allow settlers to visit the Mosque for five hours a day in two rounds: the morning and the afternoon, and escort them as they roam its courtyards and perform Talmudic rituals in the Islamic site.
20 nov 2018
The Israeli Knesset approved, Monday, the construction of residential units for colonialist settlers, in Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied East Jerusalem, in the area that Israel has termed “The City of David National Park.”
Media sources said 63 Knesset members approved the plan, while 41 others voted against it. video
The constructions are in Silwan Palestinian town, which is subject to ongoing illegal annexation of its lands, homes and property, in addition to frequent demolition of homes.
The “City Of David” colonialist project is part of the larger plan which include the Old City of Jerusalem, and various Palestinian areas near its walls, where more than 100.000 indigenous Palestinians reside.
Israel initially claimed that the “City Of David” project would be a national park and facilities, with no residential components, but is now approving housing units of the illegal colonialist settlers.
It is worth mentioning that Elad colonialist organization, which instigated this bill, has been pushing for the construction and expansion of colonies in occupied Jerusalem, especially in the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods and towns.
This is happening while the Palestinians are denied the basic rights to build and expand their homes on their own lands in occupied Jerusalem, and amidst ongoing demolition of their homes and property.
On Tuesday, Israeli bulldozers dug and uprooted lands in Wadi ar-Rababa neighborhood in Silwan, and started preparing for terraced trenches, as part of the ongoing illegal colonialist activities.
Media sources said 63 Knesset members approved the plan, while 41 others voted against it. video
The constructions are in Silwan Palestinian town, which is subject to ongoing illegal annexation of its lands, homes and property, in addition to frequent demolition of homes.
The “City Of David” colonialist project is part of the larger plan which include the Old City of Jerusalem, and various Palestinian areas near its walls, where more than 100.000 indigenous Palestinians reside.
Israel initially claimed that the “City Of David” project would be a national park and facilities, with no residential components, but is now approving housing units of the illegal colonialist settlers.
It is worth mentioning that Elad colonialist organization, which instigated this bill, has been pushing for the construction and expansion of colonies in occupied Jerusalem, especially in the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods and towns.
This is happening while the Palestinians are denied the basic rights to build and expand their homes on their own lands in occupied Jerusalem, and amidst ongoing demolition of their homes and property.
On Tuesday, Israeli bulldozers dug and uprooted lands in Wadi ar-Rababa neighborhood in Silwan, and started preparing for terraced trenches, as part of the ongoing illegal colonialist activities.
A group of illegal Israeli colonialist settlers attacked, Tuesday, an under-construction park, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, causing damage.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the assailant attacked the under-construction park, owed by Ahmad Far’uniyya.
The park is on private Palestinian lands, near the main road linking between Nablus and Jenin.
Daghlas said the colonists demolished parts of a room, and caused damage to furniture and equipment, before fleeing the scene.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the assailant attacked the under-construction park, owed by Ahmad Far’uniyya.
The park is on private Palestinian lands, near the main road linking between Nablus and Jenin.
Daghlas said the colonists demolished parts of a room, and caused damage to furniture and equipment, before fleeing the scene.
