Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, in a most provocative way, recently visited the illegal Ariel settlement, and laid the foundation stone for new settlement units at the local university, asserting that Ariel will remain a main part of Israel, adding that building in it and other settlements of the Palestinian territories will continue.
The National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements considered Netanyahu’s presence in Ariel, which was built on occupied Palestinian land, as a serious violation of international law and legitimacy, the Geneva Conventions and its resolutions, which have consistently affirmed the illegality of settlements, and requires the international community and all countries’ condemnation for that. The Bureau also demanded the international community to be clear with regard to the university and its graduates, and to boycott the university and its academic agenda, and not to recognize its certificates.
During a tour with Likud party members last week, Mayor of Occupied Jerusalem Municipality, Nir Barakat, announced that his municipality intended to build a new floor in Al-Buraq Courtyard and another under it, where thousands of settlers could easily reach. Last month, PNN reports, the Israeli government approved an additional budget for the construction and development work at Al-Buraq Courtyard, including plans to uncover ruins, improve transportation and expand educational activities for Jewish students. The plans are expected to be completed in coming years, and will be supervised by the Municipality and other Israeli ministries. A budget of NIS 15,000,000 was approved for the air-train plan, which the municipality and the so-called Jerusalem Development Authority are trying to implement. The first phase includes the construction of two air-train stations, the first at Emek Rovaim Street, and the other near the Moroccan Gate.
While following-up on the massive settlement projects in Jerusalem, the occupation announced work on the eastern bypass road of Jerusalem, which is set to be opened in 10 months. Experts pointed out that the cost of the project is estimated at millions of shekels, and will be under the control of civil administration, the army and border police. The road extends 3.5 km, beginning at 437 st., near the Anatot Camp built on the Anata village’s land, and ends at road no. 1, opposite of Issawiya Junction, where passengers can turn right onto the French Hill or left to the Naomi Shemer Tunnel, and the Mount of Olives.
Meanwhile, the local council of the Efrat settlement violated the Organization and Building Law, in establishing a youth club called “Yad Yahai”, along with an illegal building on a private Palestinian plot. According to the Land Law applied on the West Bank, the ownership of the land goes to those who cultivate it. Civil Administration confirmed that those buildings were illegally built, and orders were issued to stop the work on them, but the building continues, contrary to law and order. The buildings were established after 2012 and, in 2014, the club was inaugurated. The Giv’at Brigade Commander, Ofer Feinner, participated in the inauguration, along with the chairman of the Efrat Council, Oded Ravifi. Moreover, a public library, gardens and parking were established and funded by the Israeli Ministry of Housing, at the club that was also built on Palestinian land.
The National Bureau documented the following Israeli Occupation and Settler Violations during the last week:
Jerusalem:
- Right-wing settlers belonging to “Lahaba Movement” attack 3 Palestinians in Jerusalem despite the presence of Israeli police.
- Calls for settlers to participate in the mass invasions of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
- Closing the Al-Aqsa Mosque before worshipers, and scores of settlers stormed the Mosque led by the Israeli Police Commander in Jerusalem, Yurm Levy, with senior extremists and occupation officers, moreover, occupation forces prevented worshipers under the age of 40 from entering the mosque
Hebron:
- Israeli forces stormed the Beit-Umar town and sieged the Prophet Matti Mosque. They broke the main door of the mosque with rabbis from the Israeli army. Two of them did the prayers in the shrine of the Prophet Matti and photographed all the mosque’s facilities.
Bethlehem:
- The Israeli occupation forces ordered citizen, Issa Abdullah Hafi to demolish his house in the Beit-Jala town, west of Bethlehem, under the pretext of not being licensed.
- A settler stabbed a citizen near the Beitar-Illit settlement.
- Confiscation of all 100 solar panels that feed the Jib village, east of Bethlehem with electricity, under the pretext that it was installed without a permit, knowing that the village is being harassed by settlers to compel its people leave the village so as to annex its lands.
Nablus:
- Yitzhar’s settlers put scores of olive trees to fire in an area between the towns of Burin and Hawara south of Nablus, uprooting more than 50 olive trees. They also burnt more than 25 olive trees near the village.
- Invading the Sebastia town and removing the Palestinian flag from the archaeological area under the pretext of being located in C areas.
- Settlers erected tents at Abu-Alrakhm Mountain, near Jalood town, and currently bulldozing 2,000 donums there to build 45 mobile homes to house Amona settlers.
Salfit:
- Netanyahu, accompanied by the Israeli Minister of Education, Naftali Bennett, laid the foundation stone for a project, which is financed by billionaire Zionist, Sheldon Aderson.
- Farmers from Farheh village west of Salfit complained about the bad-smell of the sewage pipes of the Ariel settlement, and the pollution of their agricultural land in Al-Matawi area west of Salfit. Farmers added that the pollution is not limited to smell, but the pollution has caused many diseases due to mosquitoes, rodents and pigs.
Jenin:
- Under the protection of the occupation forces scores of settlers invaded the evacuated stormed the Tarsla settlement, near the Sanour village,. They performed religious rituals and chanted racist slogans against Arabs and Muslims.
- Installing cameras on the road leading to Yabad and the road leading to the Mavo Dothan settlement in order to monitor the movement of citizens.
- Bulldozing 20-donum of agricultural land in the Dahr Maleh village behind the Apartheid Wall, north of Yabed town. in order to pave a road near the Shaked, Hananit and Tal Menasheh settlements built on the Palestinian lands moreover, a new section of the apartheid wall is to be built, on 1000 donums near Yabad and Nazlat Sheikh Zayid village.
