Archives for 03 October 2014

2 October 2014 – Settlements and other Israeli Violations

Excellency,

I regret to inform you of the continuing turmoil and deterioration of the situation in the Occupied State of Palestine, including East Jerusalem, due to illegal and provocative policies that continue to be pursued by Israel, the occupying Power.  These illegal policies continues to negatively impact and prejudice the situation on the ground, to cause suffering and hardship for the Palestinian people and to inflame already heightened tensions between the two sides.

The international community bears witness, yet again, to Israel’s fixation with its illegal settlement enterprise, which includes the destruction, theft and confiscation of Palestinian lands and properties, the construction and expansion of both settlements and the Wall, as well as the forced displacement of Palestinian families.  Just today, Israel announced that the construction of 2,610 new units for the illegal settlement of “Gi’vat Hamatos” in Beit Safafa in Occupied East Jerusalem that was approved in 2012 will now begin and that the government will publish tenders for construction.  If implemented, these plans would further isolate East Jerusalem from Bethlehem, while facilitating Israel’s attempts to link its illegal settlements of “Gilo” and “Har Homa.” Moreover, in recent weeks, the Israeli government announced plans to forcibly transfer approximately 13,000 Palestinian civilians from the Bedouin communities, the large majority constituting Palestine refugees, from their current areas of residence to the east of Jerusalem to an area near Jericho.  The plan to undertake such a forced transfer, in grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention, is also clearly and directly related to Israel’s illegal settlement schemes, particularly in the so-called “E1” area. [Read more…]