Israel Gov’t Defies US Administration And moves ahead with Settlement Project

Madeeha Araj
2023 / 2 / 19

By: Madeeha Al-A’raj

The national Bureau for defending land and resisting settlements ( nbprs ) stated in its latest weekly report that in an obvious challenge, a few ministers in the Israeli government dealt a strong blow to US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, following his announcement that the US Administration and its Foreign Ministry oppose the Israeli inner-committee for Political and Security Affairs’ decisions to legalize the 9 settlement outposts, and the start of discussing settlement projects to build thousands of housing units in a number of settlements in the occupied West Bank including Jerusalem. Knowing that about 335 housing units distributed on 1100 dunums were approved, therefore, the legalization of those outposts will encircle the private lands of Palestinian farmers, making it impossible to access them.

Besides the legalization of the aforementioned settlement outposts, the Cabinet also decided to invite the Supreme Council for Planning and Building in the West Bank to convene soon and to approve the construction of thousands of new settlement units in order to expand existing settlements and to develop services in those outposts that government works to legalize, 3 in the Nablus Governorate, namely “Givat Harel” built on the lands of Sinjil, Qaryut, “Givat Arnon” on the lands of Yanun, and “Malachi Hashalom” on the lands of Al-Mughayer, and 2 in the Hebron Governorate, namely “Abigail” and “Asahel”, south of Hebron, and 1ne in the Bethlehem Governorate, “Mitzpe Yehuda” and 1 on“Beit Hogla”, on the lands of Jericho, “Sadi Boaz”, near the Al-Khader town, and “Shehret” on the lands of Kafr Al-Deek in Salfit Governorate.

Within the context of implementing the construction plan in the settlements, the Israeli government intends to approve 43 plans to build about 9409 new housing units to expand existing settlements, revive evacuated settlements, and strengthen isolated and random outposts deep in the occupied West Bank, specifically in areas where it intends to tighten restrictions on Palestinian construction.
According to Israeli sources, the new plans include 1,000 settlement units in ‘Ma ale Adumim’, east of occupied Jerusalem, and 400 settlement units in ‘Kiryat Arba’ in the Hebron area, as well as 400 units in the ‘Nativ Ha avot’ settlement outpost that was evacuated in 2018.

The Cabinet also decided to hold a session soon to approve the construction of new settlement units-;- and it will approve 43 new construction plans, including 23 plans pre-final stage, and 20 plans for final approval. The plans include 100 settlement units in ‘Elon Moreh’, 212 in ‘Rehalim’ and 380 in ‘Kedumim’-;- 32 settlement units in ‘Nokdim’, 60 in ‘Elon Shvut’, 100 in ‘Elon Moreh’, 179 in ‘Einav’, 100 in ‘Mevo Horon’, 90 in ‘Dolf’, 189 in ‘Zeit Raanan’, and 100 in ‘Sansana’ and 45 in ‘Fered Yericho’

The pre-final stage plans also include plans to build 32 housing units in ‘Tapuah’, 74 in ‘Tzufim’, 409 in ‘Ma ale Amos’, 114 in ‘Rimonim’, 96 in ‘Emanuel’, and 433 in ‘Netiv Ha avot’, knowing that these are outpost that were evacuated in June 2018, by decision of the Israeli Supreme Court. The pre-final stage plans also include plans to build 32 housing units in ‘Tapuah’, 74 in ‘Tzufim’, 409 in ‘Ma ale Amos’, 114 in ‘Rimonim’, 96 in ‘Emanuel’, and 433 in ‘Netiv Ha avot’, knowing that these are outpost that were evacuated in June 2018, by decision of the Israeli Supreme Court.

Moreover, the Israeli Knesset approved in preliminary reading a bill to cancel withdrawal from the northern West Bank, which will allow settlers to return to 3 settlements in the northern West Bank from which Israel withdrew after Sharon s unilateral separation plan from the Palestinians in 2005. The law that was approved enables settlers to return to 4 dismantled settlements, namely: ‘Ganim’,’"Kadim’, ‘Homesh’ and ‘Sanor.’

List of Israeli Assaults over the Last Week Documented by the National Bureau:
Jerusalem:
• Calling on Jewish rabbis and worshipers to carry guns on Saturdays, especially, during prayer in synagogues.
• Forcing citizens to demolish their homes under the pretext of not having licenses in the Al-Issawiya town, and handing suspending demolition, summons, and stopping building orders on houses in the village that were built years ago nder the same pretext.
• Demolishing a vehicle repair shop in Shuafat under the pretext of building without a permrit, and a commercial facility in Silwan.

Ramallah:
• Damaging 3 vehicles, assaulting a house, and breaking a solar power unit in Turmusaya, north of Ramallah.

Bethlehem:
• Demolishing order a mosque in the village of Marah Mualla in the Um Saed area, south of Bethlehem, under the pretext of not having a license.
• Demolishing a barracks and a sheep farm in Al-Walaja village
• A citizen from the village of Husan sustained injuries and bruises after settlers attacked him. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, and his vehicle was attacked and its windows were smashed.

Nablus:
• A number of citizens suffocated with gas in Asira al-Qibliya, and their vehicles were attacked with stones near the town of Burin.
• A citizen from the village of Beit Imrin sustained bruises after being attacked by settlers. Moreover, they attacked 2 schools, and houses in the village and threw stones at them, smashing windows of more than 15 houses.
• Burning vehicle in the Orif town.
Jenin:
• Notifying 14 citizens from the village of Toura, southwest of Jenin of stopping work in their homes.
• Seizing a vehicle near Barta a Checkpoint, southwest of Jenin.
• Preventing The Ya`bad Municipality’s workers from constructing and rehabilitating several secondary roads in the Amreha area, and arrested the bulldozer driver.

Qalqilia:
• Establishing a settlement outpost east of the village of Farata, setting up tents and raising flags, and the settlers brought with them flocks of sheep to graze on the citizens lands, electricity generators, and tin sheets. The targeted lands belong to the villages of Tal, Jeet, and Farata between Nablus and Qalqilya.

Jordan Valley:
• Erecting a livestock tnt for settlers near in Al-Hilweh in the northern Jordan Valley, in the Bayoud area, Knowing that these lands are closed by the occupation.




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