Israeli occupation government escalates illegal settlement construction in the occupied West Bank

Saturday May 09, 2009 02:24 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli sources reported Friday that Israel recently escalated its settlement activities in Palestinian areas east of the Annexation Wall in the occupied West Bank. These activities included new outposts, and new structures in existing settlements.

The Netanyahu government is planning to pave Israeli settler-only roads, develop existing roads, and also planning to annex Palestinians agricultural lands to be used by the settlers, in addition to adding more homes and structures in existing outposts, including outposts that are considered “random” or illegal by the Israeli law.

The sources added that the issue of settlements in the West Bank is more likely to be central in the upcoming Netanyahu – Obama meeting this month.

US Vice-President, Joe Biden, had reportedly asked Israel during the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference several days ago, to stop the construction of settlements and remove illegal outposts.

Israeli peace groups stated that settlement construction had escalated in an unprecedented manner since the summer of 2003.

The illegal Israeli settlers installed dozens of illegal outposts in several Palestinian areas, especially near Ramallah and Hebron.

They also added constructions to existing illegal outposts such as Rahalim, Maaleh Mikhmash, Kochav Ha-Shahar, Talmon and other illegal outposts located east of the Annexation Wall.

They also added dozens of constructions to illegal outposts west of the Wall in areas near the Kidar settlement, Maaleh Adumim settlement bloc, and Maaleh Shomron, in addition to Tzofim and Elknah near Qalqilia.

The settlers also paved roads leading to a number of outposts and took over agricultural Palestinian land especially near Nablus, and Ramallah.

Furthermore, an Israeli humanitarian group stated that only 13% of Bethlehem lands are now available to the Palestinians as most of the lands became isolated behind the Annexation Wall while other lands were illegally annexed for settlements and for the military.

The groups added that Israel intends to construct thousands of housing units for illegal Israeli settlers near the Maaleh Adumin bloc, including homes for settlers south of Jerusalem in Givat Ya’ar outpost.

Israel also intends to construct 2000 homes in Bat Ayin settlement near Hebron, and 5000 homes in Gavot settlement.

66% of Bethlehem lands, located in Area C, are under full Israeli control as Israel gives itself the right to plan and construct settlements in these areas although they are privately owned by the Palestinians.

Furthermore, the Annexation Wall will isolate more than 22000 Palestinians living in villages and towns near Bethlehem.

OCHA: IOA plans the construction of 30,000 housing units in O. Jerusalem, WB

[ 09/05/2009 - 08:57 AM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has revealed that the Israeli occupation authority was planning the construction of a new settlement south of occupied Jerusalem.

The OCHA report on Friday said that Israel was planning to establish 20,000 housing units in this new settlement.

It added that the IOA would also build 7,000 new housing units in Gush Etzion settlement bloc east of occupied Jerusalem in addition to thousands others in the West Bank.

PM prays on lands to be annexed for settlement expansion, PA promises to thwart theft

Date: 09 / 05 / 2009 Time: 09:40
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad travelled to lands abutting Israel’s second largest illegal settlement bloc in the West Bank and participated in a Friday prayer gathering as part of a collective protest against Israel’s decision to annex the land.

Fayyad’s participation in the prayer service, along with Palestinian High Judge Tayseer Al-Tamimi, put an official seal on a popular protest against the annexation of lands next to the illegal Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem which cuts Bethlehem from Ramallah, forcing Palestinians to travel kilometers out of the way via dangerous valley roads to access the north and southern parts of the West Bank.

The lands Israel plans to annex belong to the Palestinian towns of Abu Dis and Al-Sawahira Al-Sharqiya in the East Jerusalem governorate. The planned settlement expansion will include 6,000 housing units to be built between the Ma’ale Adumim and the Qedar illegal settlements; linking the blocs.

Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai recommended the expansion of the settlement to a special committee on Sunday that another 12,000 dunums (12 million square meters) of Palestinian land be annexed to the settlement area for expansion.

Special aide and advisor on Jerusalem affairs Hatem Abdul Qader commented on the Prime Minister’s participation in the Friday protest, saying it signified that the Palestinian Authority would exert all efforts to prevent the land theft.

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