By: Madeeha Araj,
Netanyahu’s office recently denied any vow by Israel to reduce the pace of construction in settlements during future negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. This denial came in response to statements attributed to the US envoy, Jason Greenblatt , to the so-called “peace process”, during a meeting with a Palestinian delegation in Jerusalem, saying that Israel pledged to the Americans to slow the pace of construction in the settlements on the West Bank during the negotiations.
To confirm that, and as part of its efforts to accelerate settlement and Judaization in Jerusalem, the occupation municipality in Jerusalem published last week a tender for the construction of 6 hotels, with a capacity of 1330 hotel rooms, as well as commercial and tourist centers, restaurants and cafes, meeting rooms … etc. The municipality has already published an initial tender for the construction of 3 hotels with a capacity of 580 hotel rooms, which later increased to 1330 hotel rooms supported and motivated by government agencies and others.
According to plan # 4711, the project aims to build a chain of hotels in 6 plots of land on the hills of the Jabal Al-Mukaber, with a capacity of 1330 rooms, as follows the first hotel 7 floors with a capacity of 180 rooms, the second hotel 7 floors with a capacity of 150 rooms, the third 8 floors with a capacity of 180 hotel rooms, the fourth hotel 8 floors with a capacity of 220 rooms, the fifth hotel 7 floors with a capacity of 300 hotel rooms, the 6 hotel seven floors with a capacity of 300 rooms and the construction of facades and commercial centers, and 26 parking for buses and 500 cars. Thus, about 460 old trees will be uprooted in the place. Worthless to say here that, this project is one of the most dangerous projects being prepared to ensure a full judaization control on Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old Jerusalem.
The municipality also approved plans to build 800 housing units at settlements in occupied Jerusalem, of which 276 housing units in the Pisgat Ze’ev settlement, 120 housing units in the Neveh Ya’akov settlement, 200 units in the Ramot settlement and 202 units in the Gilo settlement. Moreover, the Israel Lands Administration (ILA) offered part of a property belonging to the Abu Zuair family in the Wadi-Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan for the closed auction. Worth mentioning here that, the family has been in conflict with Israeli courts for 20 years to protect the property.
At the parliamentary level, the Likud party led by Netanyahu is proposing a new bill to consolidate Israeli control on the occupied Jerusalem, trying to compete the so-called “Banning abandoned of Jerusalem Law”, which was proposed by the ultra-Orthodox party “Naftali Bennett.” The draft law coincides with the US envoy ‘s visit to Israel. The law will be used to annex settlements surrounding Jerusalem to the occupied city as part of the occupation efforts to deepen Judaization, and increase the Jewish population in the city by more than 150,000, and to minimize the Palestinian presence there as much as possible. Furthermore, Likud Minister of Communications, Yisrael Katz, and the Knesset member, Yo’av Kaish are planning to present a law for the Knesset aimed at reducing Arabs and increasing Jews in Jerusalem so that the occupied Jerusalem and the surrounding areas become a huge metropolis.
The law includes the addition of 150,000 Israeli settlers there to be under the responsibility of the municipality of occupation in Jerusalem, through the annexation of 5 settlements built on the occupied West Bank, namely, Maale Adumim, Givat Ze’ev, Gush Etzion, Efrat and Betar”. In return, the bill proposes the expelling of 100,000 Arab Jerusalemites living in Shuafat Refugee Camp, Kafr-Aqab and Anata from the municipality of the occupation’s responsibility.
The National Bureau documented the following Israeli Occupation and Settlers’ Violations during the last week:
Jerusalem:
- Demolishing a 4-storey residential building under construction in Al-Isawiya, under the pretext of being built without a permit. Owner of the building, Hanan Mahmoud, said that the family was surprised by the demolishing of the building.
- Demolishing the house of Obeidat family in the Jabal Al-Mukaber, under the same pretext. Within the context, occupation bulldozers demolished 3 commercial building with an area of 200 sq. m. in the Silwan town, under the same pretext.
- Invading the Beer Ayoub neighborhood in Silwan and demolishing a wash-car room, belonging to the Odeh family, as well as, a car-wash room, belonging to Musa ‘Obeidat in the Jabal Al-Mukaber, under the pretext of being built without a license.
- Arresting youth, Ali Ziad Odeh after shooting him by a rubber-coated metal bullet.
Hebron:
- Renewing attempts to reoccupy a house adjacent to the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron in response to the UNESCO’s resolution, which considered the Mosque as an international Palestinian Heritage Site. Worthless to sat that settlers are planning to reoccupy the house that has a three-storey, which was controlled by a settlement movement naming itself “Hrhibi” claiming that it has purchased it in 2012, and it housed 14 families in it, but the occupation army vacated it and declared it as a closed military zone.
- Stopping building in 2 Palestinian houses under construction in the Shuyukh town, north of Hebron, under the pretext of being built without a license.
Bethlehem:
- Throwing stones at Palestinian vehicles near the Al-Fardis village, east of Bethlehem at the main road. Settlers also closed the western entrance of the Tqu’a town.
Nablus:
- Banning orders of work in a nature reserve planted with trees, belonging to the Aqraba town, which was established in cooperation with Oxfam. The area is about 100 donums, the orders came to use the area for military training.
- Burning scores of olive trees in the Burin village, a similar action took place 2 weeks ago as settlers sat to fire a 100-donum vineyard adjacent to the above mentioned place.
- Invading the Borqa and Selat Al-Dahr northwest of Nablus, and the Sabastiya ruins area north of Nablus.
Qalqilia:
- Expanding the bypass roads surrounding the settlement of Ma’ale Shomron, located on the land of Azzun, east of Qalqilya, in order to expand the boundaries of the settlement at the expense of the citizens’ land.
Salfit:
- Invading the Kifl Haris town east of Salfit to secure settlers’ entry into several shrines, which the occupation claims them as “Jewish ones.” Moreover, settlers made loud sounds in the streets of the town, harassed the citizens, chanted anti-Arab slogans, fired scores of sound bombs and forced citizens to close their shops.
- Reducing the quantities of water to the city of Salfit, which caused shortage of water, and damaging plants and trees . The reduced quantity was 75%, and supplying the city only with 25%.
Jordan Valley:
- Seizing a truck east of the Atawf village, belonging to Ahmed Bani Odeh.
- Besieging the Khirbet Al-Deir, and photographing the Al-Hamma area and taking measurements of one of the fountains.
