Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.
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August 23, 2024
- Smotrich Tours Land Near Bethlehem He Now Controls, Threatens Systematic Demolition of Palestinian Buildings
- Following Pogrom in Jit, Borrel Threatens EU Sanctions Against Israeli Ministers
- New Outpost Reported Near Jericho
- IDF Invades Ramallah Neighborhoods to Demolish Two Homes
- The Israeli Government Has Transferred 150,000+ Guns to Settlers
- Peace Now Releases New Settlements Map
- Bonus Reads
Smotrich Tours Land Near Bethlehem He Now Controls, Threatens Systematic Demolition of Palestinian Buildings
On August 18th, Bezalel Smotrich staged a tour of a large swath of land in Area B near Bethlehem which was recently transferred into his hands by the Israeli military. While there, Smotrich told announced that he is advancing immediate plans to scale up systematic demolitions of Palestinian buildings in the area – a saying, “we will roll up our sleeves, the State of Israel returns to being the owner of the house.”
In July, Peace Now reported that the Israeli Commander of the Central Command signed two orders granting the Israeli government vast planning authorities an additional 3% or 41,300 acres (167,000 dunams) of the West Bank, in the areas to the east of and between Bethlehem and Hebron. These lands constitute what is referred to as the “Agreed-Upon Reserve” as delineated by the Wye Agreement in 1998, at which time the Palestinian Authority was granted civilian control (areas A & B according to the Oslo Accords), much to the dismay of settlers and their government allies who have been agitating for control over an ever-increasing amount of land in the West Bank in order, at least in part, to demolish Palestinian construction in the area.The first order granted Israeli authority to operate in the entire “Agreed-Upon Reserve”, and the second order made construction in the areas illegal – establishing guidelines for Israeli authorities to demolish any/all Palestinian buildings if they were built after 1998 (the Wye Agreement).
Peace now reports:
“One of the arguments made by settlers against Palestinian construction in these Areas is that it harms important natural values. However, this claim is full of hypocrisy. First, as mentioned, the Agreed-Upon Reserve is called “Green Area” by virtue of the agreement. The territory determined by professionals who found that it indeed holds worthy natural values deserving protection, and its precise boundaries were not set. Moreover, at the same cabinet meeting a month ago, where it was decided to start demolishing Palestinian homes in the Agreed-Upon Reserve, it was also decided to establish a new settlement on the lands of Battir village (Nahal Heletz settlement). This settlement is intended to be established in the heart of a site declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site in danger. Thus, it is difficult to argue that nature preservation is at the forefront of the cabinet ministers’ priorities. Lastly, there are many cases in which settlements harm real nature reserves, but authorities are not eager to address them.”
Following Pogrom in Jit, Borrel Threatens EU Sanctions Against Israeli Ministers
In the week since settlers from the Havat Gilad outpost led a pogrom against the Palestinian village of Jit – resulting in the murder of 1 Palestinian, injuries to many others, and widespread fire damage of homes,vehicles, and property – sustained international criticism of the Israeli government’s non-response has finally resulted in the arrest of four suspects.
The U.S. vocally criticized the Israeli government for failing to curb settler violence, and European Union Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell Fonteles announced that he is advancing sanctions against violent settlers and complicit Israeli government ministers. One possible target for sanctions is the Amana settler group, which was recently sanctioned by the Canadian government. Peace Now has produced a new succinct report revealing the depths to which Amana finances and leads illegal settlement activity – making it an obvious and impactful target for serious international sanctions regimes.
New Outpost Reported Near Jericho
Palestinian sources report that settlers have established a new outpost north of Jericho, near the Auja spring.
IDF Invades Ramallah Neighborhoods to Demolish Two Homes
On August 12th a large Israeli force arrived in neighborhoods on the outskirts of Ramallah to demolish two Palestinian homes that were alleged to be the homes of Palestinians accused of participating in a violent attack targeting Israelis. During the IDF’s incursion – which included hundreds of Israeli soldiers and tens of military vehicles – two Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli forces, and at least nine others sustained injuries. OCHA reports that, in addition to the two homes which were detonated, “16 other residences were damaged, and 12 households comprising 49 people, including four children, were forced to temporarily evacuate their homes at midnight.”
The Israeli Government Has Transferred 150,000+ Guns to Settlers
Visualizing Palestine has released a new visual showing the huge number of military grade guns that have been transferred to settlers by the Israeli government since October 7, 2023 – – and how the increase in number of guns has fueled the establishment of over 800 new settler militias and police forces. This has coincided, predictably, with the increase in frequency and severity of settler attacks on Palestinians — and the total impunity within which settlers are allowed to continue their terrorism.
Check out the graphics and underlying data here.
Peace Now Releases New Settlements Map
Peace Now has published a new highly detailed map of West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements.
Along with the map, Peace Now provided a new graphic capturing the current state of the settlement enterprise in the West Bank, where there are:
- 478,000 settlers;
- 147 settlements;
- 201 outposts (90 of which are argricultural/farming outposts).
Bonus Reads
- “Injuries during Israeli military incursion into Qalqilya area-town” (Wafa News)