A new report issued Tuesday by the International Solidarity for Human Rights Organization indicates that Israel confiscated 2,432.3 Dunams of Palestinian land in the first quarter of 2006.
The report points out that Israeli forces continue their racist policy with a clear plan to empty the Palestinian land of its people. This is done to create unchangeable facts on the ground. Those facts will then be forced upon the international community, undermining any upcoming “peace agreement.” The Israeli government continues its Palestinian land confiscation policy which will be crowned by acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The plan will draw the borders of Israel by 2010 through a policy of unilateral steps, including settlement expansion and land confiscation.
Olmert’s plan will attempt to hold on to Al Aghwar and the major Israeli settlements inside the West Bank without compromising on Palestinian East Jerusalem, which will in effect do away with the internationally lawful Palestinian dream of establishing an independent Palestinian state along
1967 borders with East Jerusalem as capital.
According to the study by the International Solidarity for Human Rights Organization, the Israeli government has confiscated 2,432.3 Dunams of Palestinian land in the first quarter of the current year, using myriad excuses but with the clear intention to build and expand settlements and to continue building its Wall.
The 2006 land confiscation is laid out clearly in the report:
14 January – The Israelis confiscated 150 Dunams of Palestinian land from Doura Village in the Hebron District belonging to several village residents. This occurred in the southern West Bank after a group of Israeli settlers from Mitzabi Lachesh Settlement overtook the Palestinian land, adding it to their settlement.
4 February – Israeli forces confiscated 279 Dunams of Palestinian land from Dir Istia Village near Salfit in the northeastern West Bank. The land belonged to several village residents. The Israeli government confiscated the land in order to continue building the Wall.
7 February – Israeli forces confiscated 129 Dunams of Palestinian land from Beit Hanina in Jerusalem, belonging to a number of area residents in order to continue building the Wall.
19 February – Israeli forces confiscated 700 Dunams of Palestinian land from Western Toura Village. This occurred in the northern West Bank Jenin District in order to establish what the Israeli government referred to as “a security zone.”
21 February – Israeli forces issued Beit Hanina residents in East Jerusalem a military order to confiscate 41.3 Dunams of the people’s land in order to complete the Wall through their lands.
13 March – Israeli settlers from Rotam Settlement in the northern Aghwar region overtook 40 Dunams of Palestinian land for their own agriculture, as the settlers said.
14 March – Israeli forces issued military orders to the people of Bethlehem to confiscate 220 Dunams of the city’s land to continue building the Wall.
15 March – Israeli forces confiscated a total of 766 Dunams of Palestinian land from Batteer, Hosan, Al Kibu and Wadi Foukin villages in the Bethlehem area to build the Wall. This was all done within the Israeli project to create a new “greater Jerusalem.” They also took land from Surif Village in the southern West Bank Hebron area in order to continue the Wall.
18 March – Israeli forces confiscated seven Dunams of Palestinian land from Al Thaheriyya Village in the Hebron District in order to build an Israeli military helicopter landing pad.
22 March – Israeli forces issued military orders to Palestinians in Ras Khamis, Ras Ashahadi and Sha’fat Refugee Camp in Jerusalem to confiscate 20 Dunams of their lands in order to build the Wall.
23 March – Israeli forces confiscated tens of Dunams of Palestinian land in Yatta and Doura villages in the Hebron District in order to expand the Israeli Atayanil Settlement. The Israeli government claimed they would impose “observation points to protect the settlement.”
26 March – Israeli forces confiscated 80 Dunams of Palestinian land belonging to Naim Abu Sa’adi in Beit Jala, just west of Bethlehem, in order to continue building the Wall.
Land confiscation, Wall building inside the West Bank, and settlement building and expansion all contravene international law, yet the Israeli government has not ceased for a moment.
