- 2 oct 2011
OCHA: IOA demolished 400 homes in 2011, displaced 800 Palestinians
RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- An international report said that the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) had demolished 409 Palestinian homes in 2011 so far that led to the displacement of 804 Palestinian citizens.
The UN office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory (OCHA) pointed to an obvious escalation in the demolition streak of Palestinian homes at the hands of the IOA.
It explained that the IOA razed 290 Palestinian homes in 2010 that displaced 375 Palestinian citizens.
The report published on Saturday also noted that 139 Palestinians were injured in 326 Jewish settlers’ assaults since the start of 2011 compared to 202 Palestinians wounded in the same period last year in 202 attacks.
It said that 85 Palestinians were killed in the first nine months of 2011 while 53 were killed in the same period last year at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
OCHA noted that the IOF wounded 417 Palestinians so far this year while in 2010 the figure was 194.
http://fwd4.me/0Cqb
Economics of the Palestinian statehood-Remember Palestine
(24:40) Economics of the Palestinian statehood-Remember Palestine-10-01-2011 5 dec 2011, 14:13 , Respect -
Maria 3 oct 2011
Israeli Bulldozers Raze Agricultural Land in Walaja
Israeli bulldozers Monday razed agricultural land in Walaja, a village southwest of Bethlehem, said local sources.
Saleh Khalifa, head of the village council, said a large unit of Israeli soldiers accompanied bulldozers which broke into the village at dawn and closed the area under restricted security measures.
The bulldozers destroyed around 100 olive, fig and almond trees and razed large areas of land to continue building the Apartheid Wall, Khalifa added.
He warned from the Israeli razing policy, ongoing for more than a month, to deport the Palestinian residents and take over land for expansion of settlements.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=17621
Palestinian Home in Danger of Collapse due to Israeli Digging in Silwan
JERUSALEM, October 3, 2011 (WAFA) – A Palestinian building in Wadi Helwa area, in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, suffers from serious cracks in its walls which could lead to its collapse as a result of the Israeli digging of tunnels under the neighborhood to connect it to the old city, Monday said a member of the Committee for the Defense of Silwan, Fakhri Abu Diab.
He said many serious cracks appear in the building, as a result of the ongoing digging by Israeli authorities down the road of Wadi Helwa and near a recently opened tunnel, putting the life of the Palestinian family in danger.
The family said that it used to hear the sound of drilling machines around the clock, particularly at night.
Abu Diab said an Israeli engineer visited the building and was astonished when he saw its state, saying immediately that its foundations must be reinforced. The building, which belongs to Abu Rmeileh family, is still in bad condition and poses a real threat to the lives of its residents.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=17625 5 dec 2011, 14:13 , Respect -
Maria 4 oct 2011
Army Demolishes a House and Cowshed, Bulldozes Olive Orchard in Hebron
The Israeli army demolished a house and cowshed, bulldozed an olive orchard, and confiscated two caravans in the village of Beit Ola, northwest of the West Bank city of Hebron, Palestine News & Info Agency (WAFA) reported on Tuesday.
The National Committee Against the Annexation Wall reported that a large force from the Israeli army, accompanied by bulldozers and an officer of the Israeli Civil Administration, invaded the section of Bedwan in the western part of Beit Ola village.
The committee added that the bulldozers cleared a twelve-acre olive orchard, demolished a 14,400- square meter house and a 62,500-square meter cowshed, and confiscated two caravans, the property of the Palestinian resident, Mohammad Rashid.
http://fwd4.me/0CzP
New AIC Film: Sheikh Jarrah
(2:23) Sheikh Jarrah
Trailer for Sheikh Jarrah:
In the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, Israeli NGOs and state authorities have worked more than a decade to evict 550 Palestinian residents from their homes in order to build a Jewish settlement, rationalizing that prior to 1948 there was a Jewish neighborhood in the same location.
Sheikh Jarrah brings the stories of local residents, themselves Palestinian refugees, the owner of the land and Israeli solidarity activists, who struggle against this eviction which is part of the ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem.
This new AIC film will be available in November 2011. For additional information: [email protected] .
http://fwd4.me/0D0B 5 dec 2011, 14:13 , Respect -
Maria 6 oct 2011
Israeli occupation police brutally evacuating a Palestinian family in Jaffa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRHqU8H1CVk
General strike paralyzes Arab towns in Negev
NEGEV, (PIC)-- A general strike was observed in all Arab towns and villages in the Negev region to protest Israeli plans to raze entire villages and displace some 30,000 Palestinians.
The strike, called for by the higher Arab committee, included closing schools and a massive rally.
Locals noted that the Rahet village, the biggest in the region, was the biggest observing community as the municipality and other institutions closed down.
They noted that all elected municipal councils in the Arab Negev towns went on strike while the appointed council of Arara forced its staffers to go to work.
http://fwd4.me/0DDc
Israeli soldiers destroyed a house in Beit Kahil – Oct 6, 2011 – in pictures
http://fwd4.me/0DDZ
Israel Demolishes Palestinian Properties in Jordan Valley
WEST BANK, October 6, 2011 (WAFA) – Israeli forces early Thursday demolished houses, barns and barracks belonging to Palestinian shepherds in Wadi Al-Maleh and Al-Hamma areas north of the Jordan Valley, according to head of Al-Maleh village council, Aref Daraghmeh.
He said Israeli bulldozers, under the protection of Israeli soldiers, demolished houses and barns built of canvas and tin in several areas in the Jordon Valley, pointing out this happened suddenly as shepherds were preparing to head towards the fields.
In a related matter, Israeli soldiers stormed the town of Beit Kahil northwest of Hebron in the southern West Bank, imposed a tight military cordon on the area and surrounded a Palestinian house before demolishing it, firing tear gas bombs at residents who tried to stop them, according to witnesses.
The owner of the house told WAFA he was handed a demolition notice several months ago by Israeli soldiers which he appealed at Israeli court that was still looking into the matter.
Soldiers, during the house demolition, destroyed a number of olive trees, the nearby road and a number of adjacent walls.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=17668 5 dec 2011, 14:13 , Respect -
Maria 7 oct 2011
Thousands protest Israel plan to uproot Negev Bedouins
BEERSHEBA, Israel (AFP) -- Thousands of Bedouins demonstrated in the southern city of Beersheba on Thursday to protest against a government project they say will displace tens of thousands of people from their land.
The demonstrators rallied in the city center shouting: "This land is ours, we are staying here!" and holding up signs reading: "No to the Praver plan" and "Social justice for all!" an AFP correspondent said.
Last month, the Israeli government approved the so-called Praver plan in a bid to address the problem of unrecognized Bedouin villages in the Negev desert of southern Israel.
Although the government says it will help the Bedouin better integrate into Israeli society, the proposal was formulated without any consultation with the community, with rights groups slamming it as a major blow to Bedouin rights and warning it would forcefully uproot tens of thousands from their land.
Organizers said thousands had joined the demonstration, but police put the number at just over 1,000.
Among the demonstrators were Arab Israeli MPs, local council leaders, Israeli activists and many civil society groups, all of whom were calling for the Bedouin to be allowed to remain on their land.
Speaking to AFP, Ibrahim al-Waqili, head of the Regional Council of Unrecognized Villages, said Bedouin towns and villages across the Negev were observing a general strike to denounce the scheme.
"We are observing a general strike and demonstrating in Beersheba to protest against the Praver plan which will take 700 dunams (107 acres, 70 hectares) of our land and displace more than 30,000 people," he said.
"This demonstration is a warning that the government must stop this plan," Waqili said. "No-one in the government consulted us and we reject it."
The Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, which represents Arab communities in Israel, on Wednesday described the Praver initiative as a "disaster" which would have "dangerous" consequences in a statement obtained by AFP.
There are around 160,000 Bedouin in Israel, most of whom live in and around the Negev desert.
More than half of them live in unrecognized villages without municipal services like water and electricity, and much of the rest also live in extreme poverty.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=426941 5 dec 2011, 14:13 , Respect -
Maria 9 oct 2011
Israeli Army Demolishes Tents, Barns of Palestinian Farmers in Jordan Valley
The Israeli army and civil administration destroyed tents and barns of Palestinian farmers living in the Jordan Valley community of Malha on Thursday 6 October.
Some 20 military vehicles and 3 bulldozers, together with dozens of soldiers and officials from the Civil Administration, arrived without notice to Al Malha, located some 20 kilometres north of Tubas in the Jordan Valley.
This area includes three small villages - Al Faresieh, Al Malha and Al Hamma – populated by some 2000 Palestinians who depend entirely on farming and raising animals for their income and source of food. The Palestinians have resided for hundreds of years in this area, defined as under total Israeli control (Area C) in the Oslo Agreements.
This is not the first time that the Israel military destroys tents, farm land and animal shelters in this area in an attempt to push the Palestinian residents out and expand the nearby Israeli settlements.
http://fwd4.me/0DNw
Local official: Bulldozers destroy land in al-Walaja
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli bulldozers on Sunday destroyed agricultural land belonging to the village of al-Walaja, northwest of Bethlehem, local officials said.
Head of al-Walaja village council Saleh Khalifa said that a number of bulldozers accompanied by Israeli soliders destroyed land in the Ein Jozeh area of the village to expand the separation wall, official news agency Wafa reported.
Soldiers prevented farmers from reaching their land, Khalifa said.
Earlier in September, EU representatives said they were "deeply concerned" by the impact of the Israeli separation wall on the village, saying it "will cut off much of the village's land," preventing residents from accessing their property and agricultural land.
Upon completion the wall will completely "encircle" the village, EU representatives said, leaving only a single access road connecting the village to the West Bank.
The separation wall is illegal in all areas built on occupied land, they added.
As well as mounting legal challenges to the route, residents hold regular demonstrations against the impact of the wall..
http://fwd4.me/0DNh
Israeli Bulldozers Raze Land in Bethlehem
Israeli bulldozers Sunday razed agricultural land belonging to Palestinians in the village of Walaja, northwest of Bethlehem, according to local sources.
Head of Walaja village council Saleh Khalifa told WAFA that a number of Israeli bulldozers, under the protection of soldiers, razed agricultural land on Sunday morning in Ein Jozeh area to expand the Separation Wall.
He said a large number of soldiers spread out and closed the area to prevent farmers from reaching their land.
He pointed out that the Separation Wall has annexed hundreds of dunums of the villages’ land; if the Wall is completed, 2000 dunums will be isolated.
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=17689
Israeli soldiers destroyed a house in Beit Kahil – Oct 6, 2011 – in pictures