By: Madeeha Araj
The National Bureau saw the slap directed against Israel as a result of the UNESCO’s vote as a right step, which includes the non-recognition of the Israeli sovereignty on Jerusalem, Old City as well as condemning the excavations carried out by the occupation under the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the old town. Moreover, the Bureau welcomed the UNESCO’s announcement of considering the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque as a Palestinian heritage after Israel’s manoeuvres to foil it. Thus, Hebron and the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque are listed in the World Heritage List, and that the city and the Mosque are sites to be protected internationally.
Accordingly, Israel decided to deduct $ 1,000,000 from its payments to the UNs and transfer the amount to build a Jewish Heritage Museum in the “Kiryat Arba” settlement built on Hebron lands. Simultaneously, the bureau condemned the unprecedented settlement attack carried out by direct orders from the Israeli government to Juadize East Jerusalem and imposing Israeli sovereignty on it. It was said that the occupied Jerusalem will witness a massive settlement construction movement this month, the first of which was the approval of the construction of 6,000 new settlements. As for the Juadization schemes in East Jerusalem “Planning and Building Committee of the Israeli occupation municipality in Jerusalem has approved the construction of 196 new settlement units in Jerusalem, including the construction of 98 housing units in Ramat Shlomo and 18 housing units for settlers in Beit Hanina, 80 housing units in Ramot.
Moreover, the occupation Municipality in Jerusalem is planning to build 800 settlement units in the settlements of Pisgat Ze’ev, Naveh Ya’akov, Ramot and Gilo. Building in Jerusalem is necessary and important and will continue strongly to enable young people to live in the city and build their future and to strengthen the capital of Israel, said Barakat.
The Jerusalem District Planning Committee also plans to discuss a number of settlement projects in Palestinian neighbourhoods of Jerusalem, including 4 plans in the Kubanieh in Sheikh Jarrah. The plans include the construction of a 3-story building comprising of 3 housing units after the demolition of Palestinian houses and a 5-storey building comprising of 10 units, a third building of 9 floors to be built as a religious school and another 6-storey building to be used as offices. The plans also include the construction of 13 housing units in Sheikh Jarrah on a land belonging to 5 Palestinian families, as well as plans to build 1,788 housing units in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem.
According to the data to on July 17th to discuss the objections on a plan to add 44 housing units in Gilo, thus the number of units will increase up to 130 units. It will also approve 8 settlement housing units in Beit Urut settlement in the Al-Sawana area as well as a plan to expand the synagogue in the settlement of Neve Zion. The Israeli Planning and Construction Committee has presented 3 settlement plans in Ramat Shlomo settelment for objection. One of the plans calls for the construction of 500 settlement units in the Ramat Shlomo settlement on the land of Beit Hanina to expand the western part of the settlement. The second plan is to build 152 settlement units in the Ramot settlement with an intention of expanding the settlement towards Bir Nabala.
The third plan is to expand the tunnel road in the south of Jerusalem that leads to Gush Etzion settlement passes through the town of Beit Safafa and connects the south with the settlement of Givat Ze’ev and later with the Ma’aleh Adumim settlement. Those plans will deepen the settlement movement in the area, which will further complicate the border demarcation in case of reaching a political agreement to establish two capitals in Jerusalem. It has also approved the building of 80 settlement units in Ramot and 98 units in Ramat Shlomo. Meanwhile, the Likud and the Jewish House reached a final agreement to prevent the partition of Jerusalem. It was decided to re-submit the a mended draft law to the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs on Sunday to vote on it,
The Israeli Justice Ministry announced Thursday that it had decided to lift the ban on Israeli Knesset members from visiting the al-Aqsa Mosque for five days after Israeli Attorney Yehuda Glick submitted a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court. Thus the Court’s response was to allow Knesset members to visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque for several days.
As for the Solar Cells, the occupation authorities launched an open war against them in the Jordan Valley that were donated by the Netherlands to the village of Jib al-Deeb in Bethlehem Governorate in order to deprive the Palestinian communities from all elements of life, and to affect their steadfastness and determination to stay in their land, especially the electricity and water, as a prelude to pushing them to leave their lands and homes.
The National Bureau documented the following Israeli Occupation and Settlers’ Violations during the last week:
Jerusalem:
- Handing over demolition orders to the Firas Samarin and Moh’d Faraj Siam families at Wadi Hilweh, Silwan under the pretext of building without a permit. Moreover, Moh’d Ali Nasser demolished his house in Issawiya to avoid paying a family fine of NIS 40,000. Darwish Darwish and Abu Al-Wafa Darwish also received demolition orders.
- Demolition of a house in the Beit Hanina neighborhood under the pretext of being built without permission and two houses in Ashqariya area in Beit Hanina neighborhood, belonging to Moh’d Khalid, under the pretext of building without a permit.
- Expanding the Kedar settlement close to the Ma’ale Adumim settlement.
- Laying barbed wire around parts of the historic Islamic Yusufiya cemetery adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque’ wall.
- Bulldozing and uprooting a number of fruit trees, an area of 2 donums planted with olives and almonds a land near the Eze’im town Jerusalem claiming that the land was confiscated and prevented from being used by Palestinians.
- A budget of NIS 15,000,000 was allocated for the implementation of the airlift plan, which the municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority have been trying to implement since 2 years.
Ramallah:
- Invading and handing over 3 demolition orders of houses in the Deir Abu Meshaal and Silwad villages.
- Killing a child, Abdul Rahman Mah’d Barghouthi, 1 year from the Aboud village, as a result of being inhaled by tear gas fired by the Israeli occupation forces.
Hebron:
- A notification to stop the construction of Jamal Moh’d Abu Zeltah’s house in Khallet Ibrahim area to the west of the town of ‘Atna under the pretext of building without a permit.
- The closure of the southern entrance of Hebron with cement blocks.
- Notifying owners of 27 houses and barracks in the Masafer Yata, belonging to the families of Abu ‘Aram, Jabarin, Najjar, Moh’d and Matar, to stop construction.
- Handing over a notification to the Masafer village council to stop the work on the road connecting the village of Abu-Butm with several villages.
Bethlehem:
- The Beitar Illit settlement near Bethlehem, issued a million dollar tender to build the largest park in the occupied West Bank near the Wadi Fokin town.
- Announcing the completion of construction settlement outpost as well as publicizing a tender for the construction of a new neighbourhood in the same area, and bulldozing works continue to Judaize a large mountain area of 800 donums near the villages of Husan and Wadi Fukin.
- A plan for the construction of 2 industrial, commercial and residential areas between “Beitar Illit and Tsur Hadassah” to accommodate 60,000 settlers.
- The death of Omar Ahmed Issa, 37 years old from the Al-Waqad town after a settler beating him on the bypass road No. 60.
Nablus:
- Invading the ruins area in the Sebastia town accompanied by staff from the Israeli Department of Tourism, Antiquities and Public Parks, and a number of settlers, where they carried out a survey.
With the help of the Israeli Civil Administration and the Israeli authorities preparation are taking place for the construction of 50 new settlement units in the “Karnei Shomron” neighbourhoods.
SALFIT:
- Bulldozing land behind the separation wall to expand and build new buildings affiliated to the Ariel University in the area between the Iskaka and Marda villages. The new bulldozing includes an area of 47 donums to build a medical college.
Tulkarm:
- Preventing farmers of the Far’oun village from entering their land through the gate of separation wall near the village.
Jenin:
- For the second time in a row, the memorial of martyr, Khaled Nazal was demolished.
- Arresting a youth from the Mothalath Shohada village, and erected several military checkpoints near the city.
- Racist slogans against Arabs and performing Talmudic rituals under the protection of the Israeli occupation army.
- Settlers attacking Palestinian vehicles near the Barta’a military checkpoint, smashing their glass.
Qalqilia:
- Issuing 6 military orders to stop construction in residential communities in Qalqilya Governorate.
An order to stop the construction of 2 houses and baracks belonging to Moh’d Ramadin, and a school in the Jayous village, a decision was also made to remove nine electric columns to connect the water tank with electricity. - Pouring wastewater of the Tsofim & Yahya Shanti settlement at the Palestinan lands as well as throwing remains of buildings and stones.
Jordan Valley:
- Confiscation of all the solar cells in the Khirbet Hamma in the northern of the Jordan Valley.
- Seizing an agricultural tractor near the Hamra checkpoint belonging to Salem Ramadin.