31 jan 2017
Israeli Knesset postponed late Monday the vote on the controversial “Regulation Bill”, which seeks to legalize all settlements built on occupied Palestinian lands, till next Monday.
After hours of deliberations, the ruling over the controversial Regulation Bill has been postponed to next week, Israeli media sources revealed.
The bill was scheduled to be approved during yesterday’s special parliamentary session; however, the Israeli opposition parties submitted more than 200 reservations.
The opposition has demanded to postpone the vote for 38 days, but the special committee refused the request. The vote is scheduled to take place next Monday.
Following Donald Trump's inauguration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to send a bill to the Knesset “to allow us to regularize once and for all more than 4,000 settlement units and dozens of settlement outposts (in the occupied West Bank) and prevent repeated attempts to damage them.”
Israeli settlement construction in occupied West Bank and Jerusalem is viewed by the international community as illegal and subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbid constructions on occupied territory.
After hours of deliberations, the ruling over the controversial Regulation Bill has been postponed to next week, Israeli media sources revealed.
The bill was scheduled to be approved during yesterday’s special parliamentary session; however, the Israeli opposition parties submitted more than 200 reservations.
The opposition has demanded to postpone the vote for 38 days, but the special committee refused the request. The vote is scheduled to take place next Monday.
Following Donald Trump's inauguration, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to send a bill to the Knesset “to allow us to regularize once and for all more than 4,000 settlement units and dozens of settlement outposts (in the occupied West Bank) and prevent repeated attempts to damage them.”
Israeli settlement construction in occupied West Bank and Jerusalem is viewed by the international community as illegal and subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbid constructions on occupied territory.
A government-sponsored bill is being currently discussed by a Knesset committee in an attempt to tighten grip on Palestinians building in the Green Line (1948 Occupied Palestine), Haaretz reported Monday.
The bill seeks to amend planning and construction laws in order to deter the Palestinians from building homes in the Green Line, an activity deemed illegal by the Israeli authorities.
The bill includes increasing the maximum imprisonment for unlicensed building from two years to three years, and reducing the authority of the court in favor of the Finance Ministry’s enforcement unit.
Those who violate the bill will also be subjected to demolition and displacement.
According to Haaretz, the measure targets Palestinian residents of the Green Line, who have often tried every possible effort to obtain construction licenses from the Israeli authorities. Most of their appeals have, however, gone unheeded.
Recently, the Israeli government refused a draft legislation proposed by two Arab MKs in the Knesset to suspend arbitrary demolition of unlicensed Palestinian homes for four years until a solution is found.
In January 2017, 11 Palestinian homes were knocked down by the Israeli forces in Qalansuwa town, to the north of the Green Line, and 15 other homes were demolished in Umm al-Hiran Bedouin village in southern Negev under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
According to experts, Palestinian residents of the Green Line are in urgent need of 130,000 homes to house homeless civilians, particularly newly-wed couples.
The bill seeks to amend planning and construction laws in order to deter the Palestinians from building homes in the Green Line, an activity deemed illegal by the Israeli authorities.
The bill includes increasing the maximum imprisonment for unlicensed building from two years to three years, and reducing the authority of the court in favor of the Finance Ministry’s enforcement unit.
Those who violate the bill will also be subjected to demolition and displacement.
According to Haaretz, the measure targets Palestinian residents of the Green Line, who have often tried every possible effort to obtain construction licenses from the Israeli authorities. Most of their appeals have, however, gone unheeded.
Recently, the Israeli government refused a draft legislation proposed by two Arab MKs in the Knesset to suspend arbitrary demolition of unlicensed Palestinian homes for four years until a solution is found.
In January 2017, 11 Palestinian homes were knocked down by the Israeli forces in Qalansuwa town, to the north of the Green Line, and 15 other homes were demolished in Umm al-Hiran Bedouin village in southern Negev under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
According to experts, Palestinian residents of the Green Line are in urgent need of 130,000 homes to house homeless civilians, particularly newly-wed couples.
30 jan 2017
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Nadim Nuwara
The father of a Palestinian teen believed to have been shot dead by Israeli forces in 2014 said on Sunday ahead of a court hearing that he was ready to take the case up to the Israeli Supreme Court. The father of slain Nadim Nuwara, Siyam Nuwara, told Ma’an that a court hearing was scheduled for Monday, and called upon supporters to participate in a protest outside of the court in solidarity. The prosecution and the court were expected to reach a deal and charge Israeli border police officer Ben Dery with negligent homicide for the death of 17-year-old Nadim who was shot dead with live ammunition in the chest during |
Muhammad Odeh Abu al-Thahir
a rally marking the 66th anniversary of the Nakba outside of the Ofer detention center in the central occupied West Bank.
However, Dery’s lawyers have reportedly rejected the deal, as it stated that Nuwara did not constitute a threat to the soldier when he was shot dead.
Siyam Nuwara said that he would appeal the case to the Israeli Supreme Court to obtain justice for his son.
Another teenager, 15-year-old Muhammad Odeh Abu al-Thahir was also killed during the same 2014 protest.
Israeli security forces initially denied responsibility for the teens' deaths on the grounds that live fire wasn’t used during the demonstration, despite eyewitnesses and video evidence of the incident.
The indictment against Dery said he had switched rubber-coated steel bullets with live bullets on an M-16 while he was present at the protest and shot Nuwara in the chest after he allegedly threw a stone.
In 2016, Israeli media had reported that the military investigation into Nuwara’s death had been shut down due to a lack of evidence -- reports which were dispelled at the time by Siyam Nuwara as “false rumors.”
The Israeli court system has received international criticism for its longstanding policy of immunity for Israeli forces, while Palestinians hold widespread distrust for the system.
A joint investigation by Israeli rights group B’Tselem and Hamoked in 2016 reported that Israel’s court system routinely postpones or slows down investigations regarding violations against Palestinians, with the intent of pushing families or individuals to eventually drop their case.
Israeli soldier charged with neglect after killing Palestinian minor
Israeli Haaretz newspaper on Monday reported that Israeli Attorney General has reached a deal with Israeli soldier Ben Derry who admitted killing a Palestinian minor at Baitonya military checkpoint west of Ramallah in 2014.
The newspaper revealed that the agreement stipulates Derry’s admission of negligence and stated that it has not been submitted to court yet because the family of the Palestinian martyr announced their intention to appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court.
The Israeli soldier who is a member of the border guards claimed that he did not know that his gun contained live bullets besides the rubber ones in an attempt to justify his murder of the Palestinian teen.
The family of the Palestinian slain Nadim Nawara announced in December 2016 their objection to the deal and accused Israelis of trying to impact the court by the use of deceit.
a rally marking the 66th anniversary of the Nakba outside of the Ofer detention center in the central occupied West Bank.
However, Dery’s lawyers have reportedly rejected the deal, as it stated that Nuwara did not constitute a threat to the soldier when he was shot dead.
Siyam Nuwara said that he would appeal the case to the Israeli Supreme Court to obtain justice for his son.
Another teenager, 15-year-old Muhammad Odeh Abu al-Thahir was also killed during the same 2014 protest.
Israeli security forces initially denied responsibility for the teens' deaths on the grounds that live fire wasn’t used during the demonstration, despite eyewitnesses and video evidence of the incident.
The indictment against Dery said he had switched rubber-coated steel bullets with live bullets on an M-16 while he was present at the protest and shot Nuwara in the chest after he allegedly threw a stone.
In 2016, Israeli media had reported that the military investigation into Nuwara’s death had been shut down due to a lack of evidence -- reports which were dispelled at the time by Siyam Nuwara as “false rumors.”
The Israeli court system has received international criticism for its longstanding policy of immunity for Israeli forces, while Palestinians hold widespread distrust for the system.
A joint investigation by Israeli rights group B’Tselem and Hamoked in 2016 reported that Israel’s court system routinely postpones or slows down investigations regarding violations against Palestinians, with the intent of pushing families or individuals to eventually drop their case.
Israeli soldier charged with neglect after killing Palestinian minor
Israeli Haaretz newspaper on Monday reported that Israeli Attorney General has reached a deal with Israeli soldier Ben Derry who admitted killing a Palestinian minor at Baitonya military checkpoint west of Ramallah in 2014.
The newspaper revealed that the agreement stipulates Derry’s admission of negligence and stated that it has not been submitted to court yet because the family of the Palestinian martyr announced their intention to appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court.
The Israeli soldier who is a member of the border guards claimed that he did not know that his gun contained live bullets besides the rubber ones in an attempt to justify his murder of the Palestinian teen.
The family of the Palestinian slain Nadim Nawara announced in December 2016 their objection to the deal and accused Israelis of trying to impact the court by the use of deceit.
Israeli authorities declared intention to tighten penalties against Palestinian owners of “unauthorized” homes, Haaretz Hebrew newspaper reported on Monday.
The paper said that the Interior Committee of the Knesset is scheduled to discuss Monday a new bill to regulate planning and building law.
The bill aims at tightening penalties against Palestinian owners of “unauthorized” homes, according to the sources.
The penalties include imposing 2 to 3 years prison sentences and heavy fines.
While refusing to grant Palestinians building permits, the Israeli authorities have recently intensified their demolition operations targeting Palestinian homes, justifying their actions by claiming that these homes were built without permits.
The Israeli military in practice refuses to grant building permits to Palestinians in 99 percent of Area C of the occupied West Bank under flimsy pretexts, while granting settlements jurisdiction in the same area, according to the Israeli rights groups Bimkom and B’Tselem.
The paper said that the Interior Committee of the Knesset is scheduled to discuss Monday a new bill to regulate planning and building law.
The bill aims at tightening penalties against Palestinian owners of “unauthorized” homes, according to the sources.
The penalties include imposing 2 to 3 years prison sentences and heavy fines.
While refusing to grant Palestinians building permits, the Israeli authorities have recently intensified their demolition operations targeting Palestinian homes, justifying their actions by claiming that these homes were built without permits.
The Israeli military in practice refuses to grant building permits to Palestinians in 99 percent of Area C of the occupied West Bank under flimsy pretexts, while granting settlements jurisdiction in the same area, according to the Israeli rights groups Bimkom and B’Tselem.
29 jan 2017
Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed his ministers at the Knesset to accelerate steps to turn the settlement regularization bill, which aims to legalize Israeli outposts and settlements built on Palestinian lands, into a law.
According to Israel Hayom newspaper, which is run by a friend of Netanyahu, Knesset sessions will be held during the current week to vote on the bill.
For its part, Haaretz newspaper said that Netanyahu reassured Ofra settlers, who live illegally on Palestinian land in Ramallah, that his government would push to have the bill passed into a law.
The legislation had already passed its first reading in the Knesset, but still needs to pass its second and third readings to become a law.
According to Israel Hayom newspaper, which is run by a friend of Netanyahu, Knesset sessions will be held during the current week to vote on the bill.
For its part, Haaretz newspaper said that Netanyahu reassured Ofra settlers, who live illegally on Palestinian land in Ramallah, that his government would push to have the bill passed into a law.
The legislation had already passed its first reading in the Knesset, but still needs to pass its second and third readings to become a law.
27 jan 2017
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, decided to build 68 new colonialist units on private Palestinian lands, near Ofra illegal colony, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, after the Israeli High Court ordered the removal of nine illegal units.
Israeli daily Haaretz said the decision was part of an agreement reached between the government and the colonialist settlers, in an effort to secure a peaceful removal of the nine units, slated for demolition by a ruling issued by the Israeli High Court of Justice.
Haaretz quoted an unnamed official stating that a meeting was held, Wednesday, between Yoav Horowitz, the chief of staff of Netanyahu’s bureau, and several representatives of Ofra illegal colony, and discussed the ruling regarding the nine units, which are scheduled to be demolished on February 7th.
During the meeting, Horowitz told the settlers about a possible agreement for the status of the illegal colony, and said that Netanyahu intends to advance the approval of construction plans for dozens of new units on what he called “state lands,” in the occupied West Bank.
The colonists said they were not told about any deal between Netanyahu’s office and their presentative, yet, presented more demands, including the full legalization of their colony.
Talking to Haaretz, Sami Karsenty, a secretary of Ofra colony, refused to comment on the meeting, but said that the settlers want what he called “an inclusive agreement,” indicating the demand for full legitimization of their illegal colony.
The Israeli policies, and the ongoing attempts to appease the colonists whenever an illegal structure is removed, in addition to all settlement construction and expansion activities in the occupied West Bank, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory and a constant violator.
Israeli daily Haaretz said the decision was part of an agreement reached between the government and the colonialist settlers, in an effort to secure a peaceful removal of the nine units, slated for demolition by a ruling issued by the Israeli High Court of Justice.
Haaretz quoted an unnamed official stating that a meeting was held, Wednesday, between Yoav Horowitz, the chief of staff of Netanyahu’s bureau, and several representatives of Ofra illegal colony, and discussed the ruling regarding the nine units, which are scheduled to be demolished on February 7th.
During the meeting, Horowitz told the settlers about a possible agreement for the status of the illegal colony, and said that Netanyahu intends to advance the approval of construction plans for dozens of new units on what he called “state lands,” in the occupied West Bank.
The colonists said they were not told about any deal between Netanyahu’s office and their presentative, yet, presented more demands, including the full legalization of their colony.
Talking to Haaretz, Sami Karsenty, a secretary of Ofra colony, refused to comment on the meeting, but said that the settlers want what he called “an inclusive agreement,” indicating the demand for full legitimization of their illegal colony.
The Israeli policies, and the ongoing attempts to appease the colonists whenever an illegal structure is removed, in addition to all settlement construction and expansion activities in the occupied West Bank, including in and around occupied East Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law, and the Fourth Geneva Convention, to which Israel is a signatory and a constant violator.
19 jan 2017
Two right-wing Knesset members have announced they will bring a new bill for the annexation of the illegal settlement of Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem to a vote at the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday.
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Israeli sources saying that MKs Bezalel Smotrich (Bayit Yehudi) and Yoav Kisch (Likud), heads of the Knesset’s Land of Israel Lobby, proposed the bill.
Smotrich and Kish called for making the most of the window of opportunity provided by the administration change in the US and imposing Israel’s sovereignty over what they claim to be the Jews’ historical land.
“I believe that this is the gift which the Israeli nation deserves, in preparation for [president-elect] Donald Trump`s inauguration, and the necessary change of policy in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank),” Smotrich said during a special Knesset session last Tuesday.
For his part, Kisch said that “he does not want the peace of those who believe that applying sovereignty over Ma’ale Adumim is an obstacle to peace.”
“We use the word ‘applying sovereignty’ and not ‘annexation.’ We apply sovereignty over what belongs to us,” he added.
In early January, Habayit Hayehudi chairman and minister of education Naftali Bennett called on the government coalition to pass a law annexing Ma’ale Adumim, a large settlement east of Jerusalem, to Israel by the end of the month.
"Before the end of January, we, together with all the coalition parties, will propose a bill for the imposition of Israeli law on Ma’ale Adumim," Bennett said. "I expect all members of the government to support the bill."
Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Israeli sources saying that MKs Bezalel Smotrich (Bayit Yehudi) and Yoav Kisch (Likud), heads of the Knesset’s Land of Israel Lobby, proposed the bill.
Smotrich and Kish called for making the most of the window of opportunity provided by the administration change in the US and imposing Israel’s sovereignty over what they claim to be the Jews’ historical land.
“I believe that this is the gift which the Israeli nation deserves, in preparation for [president-elect] Donald Trump`s inauguration, and the necessary change of policy in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank),” Smotrich said during a special Knesset session last Tuesday.
For his part, Kisch said that “he does not want the peace of those who believe that applying sovereignty over Ma’ale Adumim is an obstacle to peace.”
“We use the word ‘applying sovereignty’ and not ‘annexation.’ We apply sovereignty over what belongs to us,” he added.
In early January, Habayit Hayehudi chairman and minister of education Naftali Bennett called on the government coalition to pass a law annexing Ma’ale Adumim, a large settlement east of Jerusalem, to Israel by the end of the month.
"Before the end of January, we, together with all the coalition parties, will propose a bill for the imposition of Israeli law on Ma’ale Adumim," Bennett said. "I expect all members of the government to support the bill."
Speaker of the Israeli Knesset Yuli-Yoel Edelstein decided Wednesday evening to postpone the vote on deportation bill which allows the deportation of Palestinian families whose sons were allegedly involved in anti-occupation attacks.
The bill led to a debate between the coalition and opposition parties.
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and coalition chairman David Bitan clashed Wednesday over the future of the bill, Israeli seventh channel said.
The debate forced Knesset speaker to postpone the vote until further notice.
The bill led to a debate between the coalition and opposition parties.
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and coalition chairman David Bitan clashed Wednesday over the future of the bill, Israeli seventh channel said.
The debate forced Knesset speaker to postpone the vote until further notice.
