Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 

Expansion of Illegal Israeli Settlement in Occupied Jerusalem,
EU Condemns Israeli Eviction of Palestinian Family,
Dutch Veto Appeases Illegal Settlers

IOA expands settlement in occupied Jerusalem

[ 22/04/2012 - 10:20 AM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The Israeli occupation government (IOG) has announced plans for the construction of 217 new housing units in Jabal Al-Mukabir in occupied Jerusalem.

The public coalition for the defense of Palestinian rights in Jerusalem said in a statement on Saturday that the IOG plan was an addition to an earlier one in which 100 housing units were built in the same area.

It said that the IOG was also planning the construction of a group of hotels in Beit Safafa on Palestinian land mostly owned by the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.

The coalition charged that the IOG plans target creating a new demographic, political de facto situation on the ground.

It further noted to other IOG plans to build stone crushers in Dhaheria and Dura villages in Al-Khalil province and Enata in occupied Jerusalem.

EU condemns Israeli eviction of Jerusalemite family from its home

[ 21/04/2012 - 05:22 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The European Union’s mission in occupied Jerusalem has condemned the Israeli occupation government (IOG) for evicting a Jerusalemite family from its home in Beit Hanina suburb.

The mission condemned the step in a press release on Saturday, and expressed concern about the expulsion of the Natsha family from its house on 18 April and about plans for the installation of a settlement outpost in the midst of the traditional Palestinian suburb.

It underlined that settlements in occupied lands are illegal according to the international law.

The EU said that the fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the displacement of citizens in occupied lands.

Dutch veto against condemnation of settlers’ violations

[ 21/04/2012 - 04:59 PM ]

LONDON, (PIC)--

The Arab Organization for Human Rights in London has revealed that the Netherlands had blocked the official issuance of a European report condemning Jewish settlers’ violations against Palestinian civilians.

The organization said in a statement on Friday that the Rights Forum founded by the former Dutch PM Andreas van Agt leaked the European report about the settlers' violations in the occupied Palestinian territories in April last year, which was modified last February.

The European report stated that the occupied Palestinian territories are witnessing a significant increase in Jewish settlers' violence against the Palestinian people and their properties especially in villages adjacent to settlements.

The settlers’ attacks include random shootings on Palestinian civilians, closing streets, damaging crops, including the destruction of about 10,000 trees, in addition to assaulting children while playing in streets or during school trips where four children were killed by settlers in 2010-2011, the report said, adding that most of the cases brought against the settlers were closed without charge.

The statement of the Arab Organization condemned the Dutch attitude towards the report, describing it as “promiscuous and illegal”, and asked Holland to take the position of the European Union and the international community that condemns settlements in the occupied Palestinian land as “unethical and illegitimate”.

Israel To Build New 217 Units In Jerusalem

Sunday April 22, 2012 09:00 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Civil Coalition for Palestinian Rights In Jerusalem reported that the Israeli government decided to expand the illegal Nof Zion settlement outpost in Jabal Al-Mokabber, in occupied East Jerusalem, buy approving the construction of additional 217 units.

The project falls under a plan, known as Project 8815; 100 units were built in the first stage of the project, while the second phase will lead to the construction of 217 new units.

The Coalition reported that, on March, 29, Israel published details of the plan for appeals purposes, and also announced bids or the construction of 645 units for Jewish settlers in Jabal Al-Mokabber, both residential and commercial units, and another bid for the construction of a commercial area.

Israel also announced bids for the construction of 180 units in Gan Ayalon neighborhood, in Givat Zeev illegal settlement.

The Coalition further stated that Israel announced that structural plan of a number of hotels that will be built on lands that belong to Beit Safa Palestinian town, in East Jerusalem, adding that most of the lands in question belong to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in the city.

Israel also intends to build stone factories on lands that belong to the residents of Doura and Ath-Thahiriyya, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron, in addition to construction projects in resource-rich areas located on 12 square/meters near Rammoun, Anata, Ath-Thahiriyya and Doura.

The Coalition said that the illegal Israeli policies in occupied East Jerusalem, and the West Bank, are based on the principle of significantly increasing the number of Jewish settlers on the expense of the Palestinians and their lands, by illegal land grab, and by imposing harsh restrictions on the Palestinians to prevent them from building homes or projects, in addition to the home demolition policies.