Settlement & Annexation Report: June 16, 2022

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

**The regular FMEP Settlement & Annexation report is on break, and is planned to return around the first week of August. In the meantime, we are pleased to offer you links to the main settlement-related stories of the past week**

June 16, 2022

1. Biden Admin–Israel

2. Expanding/Consolidating De Facto Annexation & Apartheid

3. Settler/IDF Violence

4. Masafer Yatta Ethnic Cleansing

5. Settlements at the Center of Domestic Israeli Politics

6. Norway & the Accurate Labeling of Settlement Goods

7. Differentiation for We (Israeli Govt) but Not for Thee (everyone else)

8. Bonus Reads

Biden Admin–Israel

US Asks Israel to Dial Back Oppression of Palestinians—But Just During Biden’s Visit (Common Dreams 6/15/22) [“One critic wryly observed that Israel ‘can resume killing, dispossessing, and persecuting’ Palestinians ‘without restrictions once Biden leaves.’”]

US pushing Israel to avoid unilateral steps in lead-up to Biden visit (Times of Israel 6/15/22)

Scoop: U.S. asks Israel to avoid actions that could create tensions ahead of Biden visit (Axios 6/15/22) Also see Tweet from Terrestrial Jerusalem’s Daniel Seidemann: “Great news for Israel!! The final statutory hearing on E-1 – a move vetoed by every POTUS since 1996 and a move no Israeli govt dared make – is scheduled for July 18, 3 days AFTER the Biden visit, so it’s cool! So Israel can go ahead w/ E-1.”

An unsettled matter in Biden’s Middle East (Politico 6/14/22) [“The lack of clarity about the Biden team’s views on the legality of settlements underscores, first, that Trump aides were savvy in making many of their moves toward the Israelis and Palestinians hard to switch back.”]

Expanding/Consolidating De Facto Annexation & Apartheid

B’tselem Twitter thread 6/16/22: “Throughout May 22, on orders of the Jerusalem Municipality and the Civil Administration, 29 structures were demolished in the parts of the West Bank annexed to Jerusalem’s municipal boundaries and in adjacent areas lying within the al-Quds District of the Palestinian Authority. The demolished structures included 20 homes, six of which were demolished by their owners. Twelve were occupied, and their demolition left 59 people, including 30 minors, homeless. Eight additional homes were under construction and slated to house a family of seven, including one minor, and for the future residence of five newly-wed young men. A part of another demolished home under construction was slated to house a young couple. The nine remaining structures were non-residential, and five were used for businesses that supported at least 45 people.”

Israeli authorities order four Palestinian siblings to evict [abandon] their land in a Bethlehem-area village of Wadi Fukin (WAFA 6/14/22)

Judea-Samaria leaders planning quarter-million acre national park (Israel Hayom 6/13/22) [“An ambitious new plan from leaders in Judea and Samaria calls for the establishment of a new national park on nearly 1 million dunams (247,000 acres) of land between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, which would transform the area into a tourist attraction. The area in question begins in the west of Kochav Hashahar and extends to the Herodian site in eastern Gush Etzion. According to the plan, the park will include approximately half the land bordering the Dead Sea, from Qasr al-Yahud – the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism – to the Darga and Hazazon ravines. The territory is considered the only open land separating Judea and Samaria, and the political ramifications of implementing the new plan are still unclear.”]

Israel’s E1 Building Plan: The Most Strategic, Consensual – and Frozen – Project (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs 6/13/22)

Settler/IDF Violence

Israeli settlers assault Palestinian in Nablus-district town & Two Palestinians sustain wounds in settler attack near Nablus (WAFA 6/16/22)

West Bank: How Nablus became the main hub for Israeli settler violence (Middle East Eye 6/16/22)

Under the Israeli Commander’s Nose: Nablus Has Become Settlers’ Violent Playground (Haaretz 6/15/22) [“Israeli defense officials are seeing a sharp rise in attacks on Palestinians, and settlers previously thought to be ‘mainstream’ are joining the ultra-radicals”]

Israeli settlers attack Palestinian commuters on a northern West Bank road (WAFA 6/14/22)

B’Tselem on Twitter 6/14/22: “This morning Mahmoud Rateb Hussein discovered that settlers had cut down eight ancient olive trees in his grove in Qaryut. Photo credit: the local council. For more updates on recent settler and military attacks in Qaryut: Settler Violence = State Violence”

The Settlers’ Brigade Commander (Haaretz 6/13/22)

Army stands by as settlers attack activists in Masafer Yatta (+972 Magazine 6/14/22) [“A settler smashed an activist’s car and returned safely to his outpost, after soldiers violently dispersed a protest against Palestinian expulsion.”]

Two Left-wing Activists Wounded as Settler Hurls Stones in the West Bank (Haaretz 6/10/22)

Twitter thread 6/10/22 with video of settler attack on activists

Masafer Yatta Ethnic Cleansing

IDF to Carry Out Live-fire War Games Around Several Palestinian Villages Under Threat of Eviction (Haaretz 6/16/22) Also see Tweet from Btselem: “Alternative headline: Israel continues efforts to expel Palestinians in Masafer Yatta”

The Israeli government is trying to destroy my village – we need your help (The Independent/Basel Adra, 6/15/22)

Israeli Army Raids Palestinian Villages for ‘Intel Mapping’ (After Cutting Practice of ‘Intel Mapping’) (Haaretz 6/14/22) [“During the raid, soldiers logged and photographed residents of Masafer Yatta, where 1,000 Palestinians face eviction. Residents worry the intel gathered will be used to expel them”]

Good Shepherd Collective thread on Twitter 6/14/22: “Last night, hours after delivering four new demolition orders to the people of Masafer Yatta who are facing the existential threat of forced displacement, Israeli forces raided the village of Atuwani after midnight. They woke sleeping children and parents with sound bombs. This is the most recent in a series of targeted raids on the village of Atuwani, a village known internationally for its resistance against settler-colonialism. The raids happen randomly, provoking fear and insecurity and creating lasting anxiety for community members. When we talk about systematic oppression, we cannot limit our analysis to physical violence, baseless and prolonged incarceration, and mass displacement. We must also consider the long term health impacts—the daily wear—of the violence and intimidation, the lack of security. These raids are an attempt to weaken the steadfastness of Palestinian communities that continue to demonstrate their refusal to be intimidated. We must #StandwithMasaferYatta to stand in solidarity as Palestinians #SaveMasaferYatta…”

Twitter thread from B’Tselem (with video) 6/12/22: “This is not a drill: Over the weekend, the Israeli military began what appears to have been preparations for the expulsion of some 1,000 Palestinian residents of Masafer Yatta. Starting Friday evening and throughout Saturday, soldiers arrived at the communities of Khirbet a-Taban, Khirbet al-Fakhit, Khirbet Khilet a-Dabe’, Khirbet a-Safai a-Tatha, Khirbet a-Safai al-Foqa, Khirbet al-Majaz and Khirbet Jenbah patrolling among the residents’ homes, photographing ID cards and demanding to know who lived in each house. For years, Israel has been implementing a policy designed to make the residents leave their homes in order to take over their land.Recently, Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled – in a judgment replete with lies, misrepresentation and errors – that there was no legal barrier to the expulsion. With this ruling in the background, the “census” conducted in Masafer Yatta over the weekend is a worrying development. Read more about the ruling allowing the State to commit a war crime: Supreme Court rules: Israel above the law”

Largest Palestinian Displacement in Decades Looms After Israeli Court Ruling (US News 6/12/22)

Settlements at the Center of Domestic Israeli Politics

Orbach will not vote with coalition until Judea and Samaria law passed (Arutz Sheva 6/13/22) [“Yamina faction chairman says he will not vote for coalition bills until Judea and Samaria Regulations law is passed.”]

Settlement councils demand Yesha leader quit over backing coalition West Bank bill (i24 News 6/13/22)

Yesha leader faces rebellion for backing coalition bill crucial to settlers (Times of Israel 6/13/22)

Infighting in Israel imperils legal safeguards from West Bank settlers (Washington Post 6/12/22)

Norway & the Accurate Labeling of Settlement Goods

A Reminder From Norway (Haaretz/Akiva Eldar 6/13/22)

Israel threatens Norway with ‘adverse’ impact following change in settlement labels (Middle East Monitor 6/13/22)

[Accurately] Labeling of Judea and Samaria goods is about discrimination, not law, say experts (Jewish News Syndicate 6/13/22)

Norway to label products from Israeli settlements (AFP 6/12/22)

Norway mandates labelling of products from Israeli settlements (Middle East Eye 6/12/22)

Arab League welcomes Norway’s decision to label products from Israeli settlements (Arab News 6/12/22)

Israel slams Norway’s move to label products from settlements (YNet/AFP 6/12/22)

Differentiation for We (Israeli Govt) but Not for Thee (everyone else)

Settlements excluded from EU cultural program joined by Israel (Israel Hayom 6/13/22)

Israel enters EU culture program which excludes West Bank settlements (Jerusalem Post 6/12/22)

Settlement Cultural Institutions Left Out of EU Deal May Get Israel’s Help (Haaretz 6/12/22)

Israel bristles as Norway mandates labels for produce from West Bank, Golan (Times of Israel 6/11/22)

Bonus Reads

Hidden In Plain Sight: US Nonprofits As Drivers of Illegal Israeli Settlements (Just Security/Elana Hodges 6/10/22)

“…So far, U.S. nonprofits that are responsible for funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to sustain and expand illegal Israeli settlements have largely escaped scrutiny. Indeed, these organizations maintain 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, providing them access to substantial tax breaks. While these nonprofits have so far evaded legal or other material consequences, their activity has been a source of longstanding efforts to seek redress against them. U.S. tax law is a promising and largely untapped source of accountability…”

Booklet #261: An Example of Israel’s Legal System in the West Bank (Arab Center Washington/Jonathan Kuttab 6/13/22)

“The maintenance of separate legal and administrative structures for Israeli settlements and Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank is well documented in the booklets that Israel uses to “legislate” in the occupied territories. Importantly, this practice meets the very definition of apartheid as detailed in international law, while the settlements themselves are also illegal. An examination of Booklet #261 and other Israeli “legislation” in the occupied territories therefore not only offers a detailed look at a crucial aspect of the occupation, but it also provides the opportunity to witness apartheid in action. Moreover, the booklets themselves could provide crucial evidence of Israel’s crime, should the country ever be brought before the International Criminal Court.”

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

June 9, 2022

1. E-1 & Al-Walaja

2. UN Commission of Inquiry Issues 1st Report

3. Renewing [or not] Israeli Legalized Apartheid in the West Bank

4. More Settlements, Land Grab, Apartheid, Violence

5. Jerusalem

6. Masafer Yatta Ethnic Cleansing

7. Bonus Read

E-1 & Al-Walaja

Alert – Israeli Authorities Advance New Settlement Plan on Al-Walaja Lands (Ir Amim & Bimkom, 6/9/22) [“The Israel Civil Administration (ICA) has indicated its intent to deposit for public review the outline plan (TPS 401-4-1) for “Har Gilo West,” a new settlement south of Jerusalem on Al-Walaja lands (Area C), which will abut the built-up section of the village. Unless halted, the plan will be formally published for deposit in the public records within days, kicking off the 60-day period for submitting objections – a crucial step in advancing outline plans towards their approval.”] Also see: Israel to build new settlement near Bethlehem (Middle East Monitor 6/8/22)

An Urgent and Dire Warning about E-1 (Terrestrial Jerusalem 6/8/22) [“Overshadowed by events on the ground around the killing of Palestinian journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh and the Jerusalem Day Flag March, a major development occurred on Jerusalem Day itself which has potentially devastating ramifications. The Government of Israel announced that on July 18, the final hearing on the notorious settlement project of E-1, would be held by the Higher Jerusalem Planning Committee. If, as anticipated, the Plan is approved by the committee, we will be just two strokes of a pen away from the final statutory approval of E-1.]”

UN Commission of Inquiry Issues 1st Report

The Report:

Text of report – including a lot of facts/analysis related to settlements, settler violence, etc.

New Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, issues first report (UN/OCHA 6/76/22)

Occupation, discrimination driving Israel-Palestine conflict, recurring violence (UN 6/7/22)

Media coverage:

UN-mandated rights inquiry rebukes Israel for seeking ‘complete control’ (Reuters 6/7/22)

UN probe blames Israel for perpetuating conflict with Palestinians (Times of Israel 6/7/22)

Responses:

MFA response to the report of the Human Rights Council’s Commission of Inquiry published today (Israeli Foreign Ministry 6/8/22) [“The Commission of Inquiry and the biased report it published are the result of the HRC’s extreme anti-Israel bias. The Commission members, who claim to be objective, were only appointed to their roles because of their public and well-known anti-Israel stances, in direct opposition to the rules set out by the United Nations.”]

US slams ‘one-sided’ UN probe blaming Israel for perpetuating the conflict (Times of Israel 6/8/22) [official press statement]

Statement on the Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry on Gaza Report (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 6/8/22) [“The cause of advancing human rights in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is not served by the disproportionate focus on Israel.”]

Renewing [or not] Israeli Legalized Apartheid in the West Bank

Before the vote:

‘Is there an alternative?’: MK Rozin says Meretz has no option on settlement bill (Times of Israel 6/4/22)

Israel’s government faces survival test with settlement bill (Al-Monitor 6/3/22)

In doomsday move, Knesset may affirm settlers don’t live in Israel – analysis [“To show that Bennett’s government is weak, politicians may reject the law that gives settlers in the West Bank the same legislative status as an Israeli resident.”] (Jerusalem Post 6/3/22)

Israel: Doubt over bill ‘constituting apartheid’ in West Bank throws government off (Middle East Eye 6/2/22)

Report: MK Silman to oppose bill renewing application of Israeli law to settlers (Times of Israel 6/2/22)

After the vote:

Want to dismantle Israeli apartheid? Start with this law (+972 Magazine 6/8/22)

What the failure of legal jurisdiction bill could mean for Israelis in Judea and Samaria [spoiler: not much] (Jewish News Syndicate 6/8/22)

Israel: Self-interest the winner in government’s settler bill defeat (Middle East Eye 6/8/22)

The Settler-Protection Law No Israeli Government Can Survive Without (Jewschool 6/8/22) [“It is crucial to emphasize that that the discrimination embodied in these regulations is based on ethnicity, not merely citizenship. Settlers entitled to the range of Israeli laws listed in the regulations include both Israeli citizens and people ‘entitled to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return.’”]

Smotrich: Our first priority is to overthrow the government [“Religious Zionism leader Bezalel Smotrich explained his party’s vote last night against the Judea and Samaria Law: ‘Our first commitment to Israel and the Settlement enterprise is to overthrow the government. To my friends in the Settlement enterprise: The sky will not fall down just because of this law.’”] (Arutz Sheva 6/7/22)

Settler leader says Netanyahu and allies ‘spitting on West Bank settlers’ (YNet 6/8/22)

Sa’ar to try again to advance settler law bill, admits coalition may be on last legs (Times of Israel 6/7/22)

Israel’s Government Teeters Again, Losing Vote on Law that Supports West Bank Settlers (New York Times 6/7/22)

Lapid says MKs who can’t back coalition ‘should leave,’ after some torpedo key bill (Times of Israel 6/7/22)

Judea and Samaria law fails in the Knesset [“2 govt members, MKs Ganaim and Rinawie Zoabi, vote against bill applying Israeli law in Judea and Samaria. Silman absent from vote.“] (Arutz Sheva 6/6/22)

Israel: Failure of settlement bill would create ‘absolute chaos’ for West Bank settlers (i24 News 6/6/22)

Israeli coalition suffers loss, faces uncertain prospects (Associated Press 6/6/22)

More Settlements, Land Grab, Apartheid, Violence

Israel settlers rebuild illegal outpost in occupied West Bank (Middle East Monitor 6/9/22)

Regavim: Israel has failed to formulate policy on Judea and Samaria (Arutz Sheva 6/9/22)

Israeli settlers torch wheat crops in Nablus-district town (WAFA 6/9/22)

Settlers uproot and break about 190 olive seedlings near Turmusaya – vandalizing grove for second time this year (B’Tselem 6/8/22)

***Under Settler Pressure, Israel Extends Antiquities Authority’s Powers Into West Bank (Haaretz 6/7/22)***

Settlers threaten 10 new outposts during Biden visit amid Evyatar dispute (Israel Hayom 6/6/22)

Palestinians in a northern West Bank village prevented by Israeli soldiers from working on their lands (WAFA 6/7/22)

Israel seizes a large tract of Palestinian cultivated land northwest of Hebron (WAFA 6/6/22)

Hamas slams Israel’s decision to build 820 settlement units (Middle East Monitor 6/4/22)

Jerusalem

Israeli court rules in favor of settler takeover of high-profile Christian hotel in Jerusalem (WAFA 6/9/22) Also see: It’s Final: Ateret Cohanim’s Purchase of Jerusalem Old City Properties is Legal (Jewish Press 6/9/22); Israeli Supreme Court Supports the Radicals Against the Patriarchate of Jerusalem ( Patriarchate of Jerusalem 6/8/22)

EU Heads of Mission and likeminded countries visit Wadi Qaddoum in East Jerusalem (WAFA 6/7/22)

Ir Amim on Twitter 6/7/22: Thread – “In light of the impending demolition of a 4-story residential building in Wadi Qaddum, EJ – home to over 70 Palestinians – representatives of EUREP, EU Member States & likeminded countries along w @ochaopt & @UNRWA met today w the families facing imminent displacement. Their building is subject to demolition under the pretext of lacking a bldg permit. Construction permits are nearly impossible for Palestinians to procure bc of discriminatory Israeli urban planning policies in EJ that are driven by political and demographic considerations. The families called upon the international community to compel Israel to fulfill its obligation to uphold their basic right to housing and shelter. #SaveSilwan”

Imminent Israeli demolition of a building in East Jerusalem may leave 74 Palestinians homeless – UN (WAFA 6/6/22)

Masafer Yatta Ethnic Cleansing

Basel al-Adra 6/9/22: Tweet – “In January, the occupation police raided one of the towns in my area and with a truck ran over and killed Suleiman Hathlin, an activist for freedom in Masafer Yatta. Today, settlers destroyed his tomb. The hatred and racism continues even after his death.” [with photos]

Life in the firing zone: the occupation of Masafer Yatta (The Guardian 6/8/22)

Basel al-Adra 6/7/22: Tweet – “Today a soldier entered Taban, a village in Masafer Yatta, and gave residents demolition orders for all they have: Their homes, water wells, roads – to be destroyed probably this week. A community erased. WE’RE BEING ETHNICALLY CLEANSED AND THE WORLD’S SILENT. SaveMasaferYatta”

Israeli military forces Palestinian to demolish section of his home in Masafer Yatta area (WAFA 6/6/22)

Bonus Read

The Israel Defense Forces and Settlements Are One and the Same (Israel Harel/Haaretz 6/7/22) [“Because military doctrine, the outcome of Zionist ideology, determines that ‘the army and the settlements are one,’ any deviation from that is surrender to politicization.”]

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

May 19, 2022

1. Settlements at the Center of Israeli Policy

2. Welcoming Biden with More Settlements & Land Grab

3. Jerusalem

4. Settler Terrorism Continues, Enabled by IDF Tolerance/Support

5. Israel Goes Forward with Masafer Yatta Ethnic Cleansing

6. Illegal Outpost (Still) at the Center of Israeli Domestic Politics

7. International Community

8. Bonus Read

Settlements at the Center of Israeli Policy

Minister: Vote on renewing civil law for settlers a test for coalition survivability (Times of Israel 5/31/22)

Sa’ar warns coalition’s future depends on renewal of application of Israeli law to settlers (Times of Israel 5/31/22)

Lacking votes, coalition pulls bid to extend application of Israeli law to settlers (Times of Israel 5/30/22) [“Originally enacted in the aftermath of the 1967 Six Day War, the law remains an ‘emergency measure’ that must be renewed every five years. Last passed in 2017, it is set to expire at the end of June.”]

Israeli Commander Says Army, Settlements Are ‘One and the Same’ (Haaretz 5/30/22) [“An Israeli commander said Sunday that ‘the army and the settlements are one and the same,’ while speaking at a yeshiva in the West Bank settlement of Elon Moreh… ‘It has often been said that the army and the settlements work together. I disagree with that, I think the army and the settlement enterprise are one and the same,’ Zweig said…”] Also see: IDF commander censured after saying IDF and settlements ‘one and the same’ (Jerusalem Post 6/1/22)

Twitter thread (with video) from Basel Adra 6/1/22: “Insane violence. Today, 21 people, my neighbors, were evicted in Masafer Yatta. I saw kids come back from school to find their home gone. They’re destroying us. A shameless occupation with a cruel, announced plan, to turn our towns into a military training zone. The woman crying in the video, her name is Wadha. Soldiers destroyed her home in May shortly after the the occupation ruled to evict thousands of people here. Since then, she slept in a tent with her kids. Today they CAME BACK, specially to destroy her tent. No limits. No heart. Our towns have existed long before 1948 – but the occupation declared our land a ‘firing zone’ in the eighties. Why? Recently it was uncovered, in Israeli documents – they said the reason was to evict our villages in Masafer Yatta. Now they’re doing it. Help us resist. Speak up.”

Progressive Lawmakers Demand Stop to Israeli “War Crime” in Masafer Yatta (Jewish Currents 5/31/22) Also see: press release from Rep. Bush (D-MO)

This is how Israel plans to annex the occupied West Bank (Middle East Monitor 5/30/22, by Ramzi Baroud) [“What is happening in Masafer Yatta is not only the largest ethnic cleansing scheme to be carried out by Israel since 1967, but the move should also be considered as the first step in a much larger scheme of illegal land misappropriation, ethnic cleansing and official mass annexation.”]

Two Palestinian-owned homes in Masafer Yatta receive Israeli demolition orders (WAFA 5/30/22)

Supreme Court rules: Israel above the law (B’Tselem 5/29/22)

Illegal Outpost (Still) at the Center of Israeli Domestic Politics

Footage Casts Doubt on Israel’s Claim to Enforce Ban on Evacuated Outpost [“A ban on the West Bank settlement of Homesh forbids outsiders from entering, but many Israelis successfully evade them, as steps to enforce the law are not always taken“] (Haaretz 6/2/22)

Peace Now’s Protest at the Illegal Outpost of Homesh (Peace Now 6/1/22)

There’s no place like Homesh: The West Bank’s most politically charged hilltop (Times of Israel 5/31/22)

Homesh will be evacuated but not now, Gantz says (Jerusalem Post 5/30/22)

Israel tells top court it will demolish Homesh outpost (i24 News 5/29/22)

Government tells court it’ll raze Homesh outpost, but won’t give timeline (Times of Israel 5/29/22)

Hundreds of settlers clash with Palestinians around illegal West Bank outpost (Times of Israel 5/28/22)

Police, left-wing activists clash ahead of planned protest at illegal outpost Homesh (Times of Israel 5/28/22)

International Community

Tweet from Yishai Fleisher (Spokesman for the settlements) 5/31/22: “An honor to host #Arizona Governor @DougDucey – the FIRST sitting US governor to visit #Hebron and the Tomb of the Forefathers and Mothers!! Tour led by Hebron’s awesome Director General Hebron @UriKarzen” [linked to Ducey’s 5/20/22 tweet from the Hebron settlements)

Israel Prize winners call for Belgium to boycott West Bank products (Jerusalem Post 5/31/22)

Israeli police clash with anti-settlement activists, 3 arrested (Middle East Monitor 5/29/22)

Joint EU statement: Israeli settlements are a clear violation of international law (WAFA 5/27/22)

Ambassador David Friedman: Israel must ‘grow up’ and decide its eastern border (Jewish News Syndicate 5/26/22) Also see: Israel shouldn’t let the US dictate its final borders, Friedman says (Jerusalem Post 5/28/22 – excerpt – “Friedman urged Israelis not to abandon their sovereignty plans and to begin to prepare a national consensus for what its final borders should be based on US President Donald Trump’s peace plan.”)

Bonus Read

Will Someone Finally Say Israel Has Lost It? (Haaretz 5/31/22)

“’The Arabs are raising their heads. They’re taking liberties,’ complained Efrat Raz, a resident of the unauthorized, illegal outpost of Kida, to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. Because he was killed, we know that her husband Noam Raz was a member of the Yamam police counterterrorism force that raided Jenin on May 13 and bombarded a house while its residents, including 11 children, slept inside. The armed men of the force also took a father and his daughter as human shields.

“How many residents of the illegal settlements and illegal/unauthorized outposts serve enthusiastically, with devotion and high spirits in units that terrorize Palestinian children and induce trauma and fury in them for their entire lives? How many of their wives – and it’s reasonable to assume that they themselves – think “the Arabs are raising their heads?” How many of those wearing the white shirts that we saw in Sunday’s march of horrors in Jerusalem dream about joining the Yamam?

“It would be important if they set the policy under which the role of the army and its policing branches is to protect and deepen the settlement enterprise. But the opposite is true: For over 50 years the messianic-nationalist stream has served as a convenient tool in the hands of secular Israeli governments, which worked diligently on advancing the Zionist project while grabbing the remnants of the Palestinian space, captured in 1967. A tool, let us repeat. A means…”

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

May 19, 2022

1. Welcoming Biden with More Settlements & Land Grab

2. Settler Terrorism Continues, Enabled by IDF Tolerance/Support

3. Escalating Battle Over Key Illegal Outpost

4. America’s Settler Advocates Go on the Offensive

5. Bonus Read

Welcoming Biden with More Settlements, Land Grab, Apartheid

The Minister of Defense approved the declaration of the largest “Nature Reserve” in 25 years in the West Bank [5,445 acres south of Jericho] (Peace Now 5/25/22)

Israel legalises settlement outpost in Hebron (Middle East Monitor 5/25/22) Also see: Israel legalizes colonial settlement outpost south of Hebron (WAFA 5/25/22)

Ahead of Biden visit, Israel launches biggest eviction of Palestinians in decades (Washington Post 5/22/22) Also see: In the firing zone: evictions begin in West Bank villages after court ruling (The Guardian 5/22/22), Israel says this book justifies Masafer Yatta expulsions. Its author begs to differ (+972 Magazine 5/25/22)

Settler Terrorism Continues, Enabled by IDF Tolerance/Support

Israeli settlers assault and injure three Palestinians near Nablus (WAFA 5/26/22)

60 Palestinians injured by Israeli violence in Nablus region [“Israeli settlers stormed the village of Burqa and the town of Huwarah, near Nablus, escorted by the Israeli army, and were confronted by Palestinians.”] (The New Arab 5/26/22)

Israeli settlers set Palestinian-owned vehicle on fire near Nablus (WAFA 5/25/22)

Infant seriously hurt when Israeli settlers spray pepper into his parent’s car in north of West Bank (WAFA 5/24/22)

Israeli forces erect watchtowers at entrances of Hebron-district neighborhood (WAFA 5/24/22)

Army filmed protecting settlers taking down Palestinian flag in West Bank town (Times of Israel 5/20/22)

Israeli settlers continue to raze Palestinian land in northern Jordan Valley (WAFA 5/20/22)

Israeli settler runs over a child south of Nablus (WAFA 5/20/22)

Escalating Battle Over Key Illegal Outpost

Homesh to be evacuated – again [“The Bennett-led government appears to have caved to leftist demands and the fledgling community of Homesh will face another evacuation.”] (Arutz Sheva 5/26/22)

‘Evacuation of Homesh settlement may be final nail in government’s coffin’ (YNet 5/25/22)

Illegal Outpost Must Go, Israeli Minister Says, as Colleague Promises the Exact Opposite (Haaretz 5/25/22)

Right-wing Israel MKs threaten to bring down gov’t if illegal settler outpost is dismantled (Middle East Monitor 5/25/22)

Knesset to vote on repealing Disengagement Law that makes Homesh illegal (Jerusalem Post 5/25/22)

Shaked to do ‘everything’ to prevent evacuation of illegal West Bank outpost Homesh (Times of Israel 5/25/22)

Next coalition crisis? Ahead of High Court debate, Gantz says Homesh to be evacuated (Times of Israel 5/24/22)

Right-wing MKs visit Homesh ahead of Knesset vote to repeal disengagement (Jerusalem Post 5/22/22)

America’s Settler Advocates Go on the Offensive

Blasting Israeli Settlement Construction Will Get Biden Nowhere – Settlement growth in the West Bank is a product of population pressure, not policy. (Elliot Abrams/Foreign Policy, 5/23/22)Jewish Settlements in Judea & Samaria, a.k.a. the “West Bank”: A Legal Defense (American Center for Law and Justice, 5/19/22)

Bonus Read

The New Battle in the Israeli Right’s Relentless War on Palestinians (Haaretz 5/24/25)

“…Between being squeezed off their land, the constant threat of demolition or expulsion, starved of water, vulnerable to rising, brazen settler violence and tired of fighting just to survive, many leave for Palestinian cities or towns – Areas A or B – serving the overarching Israeli political aim: the fewest possible number of Palestinians in Area C.

“But proof of Area C’s towering importance to Israel is the psychological warfare, in recent years, over the truth itself. The most bitterly fought aspects of the Israeli Palestinian conflict have always been subject to manipulation of ‘narrative.’ Lately, Israel’s narrative is that Area C is threatened by – wait for it – a Palestinian takeover.”

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

May 19, 2022

1. Ethnic Cleansing Advances in Masafer Yatta

2. Settler Impunity/Supremacy, Backed Israeli Government/Military

Settlers take over another building in Hebron
Never Enough Outposts!

3. Israel Government Policy of Settlement Expansion & Apartheid

4. International Community – Inconsequential Concerns

5. Jerusalem

6. Bonus Reads

Ethnic Cleansing Advances in Masafer Yatta

Israel demolishes homes of 8 families – 47 people, including 19 minors – and 4 agricultural structures in South Hebron Hills after High Court approves expulsion of more than 1,000 area residents (B’Tselem 5/18/22)

Israeli settlers chop down olive trees, destroy crops in Masafer Yatta area (WAFA 5/18/22)

Video – Israeli settlers scuffle with [euphemism for: “are harassed/attacked by”] Palestinian protesters (Associated Press 5/18/22)

Fear of Displacement Hovering Over Masafer Yatta [EN/AR] [UN/Relief Web 5/17/22]

“‘When you have a home, you can close the door and feel safe inside’. This is what Reem said the day her house was demolished in 2019. Today, Reem as well as over 2,000 Palestinians face yet another imminent threat of displacement in Masafer Yatta.”

Tweets from journalist/activist Basel Al-Adra:

5/17/22: “You make dinner, clean your room, go to bed, and know tomorrow morning bulldozers might crush your home. Recently that’s reality for us in Masafer Yatta after the Occupation decided to destroy our villages so ‘the army can train’ in place of them. Imagine how that feels.”
5/18/22: “Cruelty: Soldiers stop my neighbor’s tractor, confiscate it, and fine him 8,000 Shekels (3 monthly salaries) – for carrying building blocks in it. His family’s home was demolished 4 days ago. Ethnic cleansing in Masafer Yatta, 2022. Educate yourself about this. Urgently.”
5/14/22: “See this kid? He’s 10. I give him a ride to school, sometimes. 3 days ago, the occupation bulldozed his home, in Masafer Yatta. Since then he’s been living in a tent, that used to be a sheep pen, with his mom, dad, and 6 siblings. ‘We barely sleep’, he told me. #SaveMasaferYatta“

—————————————————————-

Settlers Impunity/Supremacy, Backed Israeli Government/Military

–>Settlers Take Over Another Building in Hebron [& then agree to leave but on condition that they get to come back…]

Settlers Leave Hebron Building They Took Over, but Say Army ‘Won’t Let Arabs Invade’ (Haaretz 5/16/22)

IDF to guard new Hebron building, settlers leave until permit approved – An Israeli flag still waved from the top of the structure and a blue and white sign with the words Beit Tekumah hung from its wall. (Jerusalem Post 5/16/22)

Jewish Settlers Take Over Hebron Building, Ignoring Palestinian’s Ownership Claim (Haaretz 5/15/22)

Settlers said to occupy building in Hebron without a permit (Times of Israel 5/15/22)

Israeli settlers forcibly seize Palestinian-owned building in Hebron (Middle East Eye 5/13/22)

–>Never Enough Outposts!

‘They Don’t Want Evyatar – We’ll Build 10 Others’: How a Settlement Outpost Is Born (Haaretz 5/14/22)

Radical Israeli settler group plans to create 10 new illegal settlements in the West Bank (The New Arab 5/15/22)

—————————————————————-

Israel Government Policy of Settlement Expansion & Apartheid

Palestinians Eight Times More Likely to Face Home Demolition Than Settlers (Haaretz 5/18/22)

Israeli army demolishes Palestinian-owned house despite its location in an area controlled by the Palestinians [Area A] (WAFA 5/18/22)

PM says ‘settlement, security and aliyah’ form Zionist response to terrorism (Israel Hayom 5/17/22)

Israeli PM welcomes expansion of West Bank settlements (ABC News 5/17/22)

Israel Prime Minister makes controversial visit to West Bank settlement (Middle East Monitor 5/17/22)

Dozens Protest Bennett’s First Settlement Visit Since Becoming Prime Minister (Haaretz 5/17/22)

Gantz in Washington Wednesday to Defend ‘Settlements,’ Israeli Measures in West Bank (Asharq Al-Awsat 5/17/22)

UN envoy condemns latest Israeli settlement expansion plan (Modern Diplomacy 5/15/22)

In first since becoming PM, Bennett to visit W. Bank settlement (Jerusalem Post 5/15/22)

European nations urge Israel to scrap plans for new settlement homes (Times of Israel 5/14/22)

—————————————————————-

International Community – Inconsequential Concerns

Canada: settlement ‘Product of Israel’ labels break law, rules federal food inspection agency (Middle East Monitor 5/18/22)

Biden’s trip to Israel is getting trickier by the day (Responsible Statecraft 5/18/22)

Ahead of Possible Biden Visit, Israel, US Tread Carefully on Settlement Expansion (The MediaLine 5/18/22)

Israeli PM ignores Macron’s concerns, welcomes settlement expansion (The Arab Weekly 5/18/22)

Macron talks down settlement activity with Bennett as PM visits Elkana (Jerusalem Post 5/17/22)

—————————————————————-

Jerusalem

Jerusalem Day Flag March to proceed through Damascus Gate (Jerusalem Post 5/18/22)

Israeli municipality forces Palestinian in East Jerusalem to demolish his own home (WAFA 5/14/22)

Opponents of Jerusalem cable car lose Supreme Court case – Court green lights project, expected to boost tourism and ease traffic around Jerusalem holy sites; Palestinian opponent say the project would erase their heritage in areas they seek for a future state (YNet 5/15/22)

Twitter thread from Ir Amim 5/15/22: “BREAKING: The cable car project has been largely spearheaded by the ELAD settler organization working in cooperation with state bodies. The planned route will funnel tourist traffic into the hub of ELAD’s settler operations in Silwan, the City of David. The aim here is to alter the Palestinian space by superimposing exclusively Jewish narrative over the area and expand Jewish presence through residential settlement (settler takeovers of Palestinian homes) and settler-operated tourist sites.”

—————————————————————-

Bonus Read

The imperial roots of ‘shrinking the conflict’ (+972 Magazine 5/17/22)

“Various academic studies indicate that over the last two decades, limiting Palestinian movement has become a major part of the day-to-day management of the Israeli occupation. The settlers themselves are well aware of this: for example, the real estate company ‘Lev Hahar Yazamut,’ which markets homes in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, recently launched a campaign entitled ‘The New Pioneers,’ aimed at ‘families who see community and settlement as a top value, but would be happy to live in a spacious 197 square meters, 5 bedroom home.’ The campaign included the imperative: ‘You shall not live in a settlement that lacks a bypass road leading to it.’…”

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

May 12, 2022

1. Massive Expansion of West Bank Settlements

Israel Advances Massive Settlement Expansion
Biden Admin Pro Forma Objection Highlights US Impotence/Complicity/Hypocrisy
Israeli Govt to US: Your Concerns Don’t Concern Us
Related Stories

2. Jerusalem

3. South Hebron Hills

4. Across the West Bank

5. Bonus read

Massive Expansion of West Bank Settlements

–>Israel Advances Massive Settlement Expansion

Israel advances plans for over 4,000 new West Bank settler homes (Jerusalem Post 5/12/22) [“Israel advanced and approved plans for 4,427 West Bank settler homes on Thursday, ignoring a US request that it refrain from such activity. One outpost, Mitzpe Dani was given final approval as a new neighborhood of the Ma’aleh Mikhmas settlement, at the meeting of the Higher Planning Council for Judea and Samaria when it convened for the first time this year. The council allowed for plans to be deposited that transform the Mizpe Lachish outpost into a new neighborhood of the Negahot settlement and would authorize conservation land in Gush Etzion in an area known as Oz V’Gaon. A 180-room hotel is attached to that project.”] Also see: Israel approves 2,700 housing units in illegal West Bank settlements (The Guardian 5/12/22); Israel authorizes plans for 4,427 West Bank settlement homes – More than half of units got final approval for construction; interior minister hails retroactive legalization of two outposts as a ‘celebration for the settlement movement’ (Times of Israel 5/12/22)

The government is promoting 4,500 housing units in the settlements (Peace Now 5/9/22 – full details, incl: “Among the plans submitted for approval: Retroactive approval of three illegal outposts; a fivefold expansion of the Shvut Rachel settlement south of Nablus with 534 new housing units; doubling the size of the Dolev Settlement west of Ramallah with 454 housing units; 120 housing units in Kiryat Arba next to Hebron; Adding 332 dunams to the Ariel Industrial Zone; and 1061 housing units in Beitar Illit west of Bethlehem.”)

Israel’s new settlement plan is a ‘blatant challenge’ to US, says Palestinian Authority (Middle East Eye 5/7/22)

Israel to approve 4,000 housing units for Jewish settlers in occupied West Bank (Axios 5/6/22)

Israel set to advance 4,000 settlement homes, testing US opposition (Times of Israel 5/6/22)

Israel to approve some 4,000 West Bank housing units next week – A majority of the allotted housing units will be in ultra-Orthodox settlements (i24 News 5/6/22)

Danny Seidemann (Terrestrial Jerusalem) on Twitter 5/6/22: “In 2010, Netanyahu greeted VP Biden in Jerusalem by announcing 1600 settlement units in E Jrslm. ‘It’s only a plan’ we said. 12 years on & the kids living in these ‘only a plan’ homes are real cute. Not to be outdone, we’re getting started early this time” Linked to Haaretz 5/6/22 article – Israel to Advance Some 4,000 West Bank Housing Units for Jews Next Week

–>Biden Admin Pro Forma Objection Highlights US Impotence/Complicity/Hypocrisy

US slams slated settlement approvals: ‘Deeply damages prospect for 2 state solution’ [“Pressed whether there would be repercussions for Jerusalem if it moves forward with the expansion beyond the Green Line, Porter declined to offer any, instead referring to a long-used US talking point calling on the sides ‘to avoid unilateral steps that exacerbate tensions.’”] (Times of Israel 5/7/22)

While welcoming the US State Department’s position on Israeli settlements, Foreign Ministry says it is not enough (WAFA 5/7/22)

US ‘strongly opposes’ Israel’s plan to expand settlements, but Biden’s visit still scheduled (JTA 5/6/22)

US asks Israel to stop settlement construction pending Biden visit (Jerusalem Post 5/6/22)

–>Israeli Govt to US: Your Concerns Don’t Concern Us

Israel to advance plans for 1,000 Palestinian homes in West Bank’s Area C – official – Last time such approvals were granted, the majority of the 1,300 were for houses already built; this move comes as Defense Ministry greenlights 4,400 new Jewish settlement homes (Times of Israel 5/12/22]

Lapid: Israel doesn’t need permission from the US to build in settlements (Jerusalem Post, 5/10/22) [also see: Why is Joe Biden so obsessed with Israeli settlements? (Jerusalem Post 5/9/22)]

Israel should be smarter about settlement announcements [“If the government believes that it should build, then by all means it should build. But do it in a way that won’t embarrass Washington. Especially when it comes to Biden.”] (Jerusalem Post 5/10/22) [also see Tweet response from Danny Seidemann: “No. Israel should not be smarter about settlement announcements. We should be smarter about settlements. By not building any more of them.”]

Israeli officials say cancelation of settlement building would bring down government (i24 News 5/8/22) Also see response from journalist/analyst Dalia Hatuqa on Twitter 5/8/22: “If we don’t commit war crimes, then our coalition will fail is a very convincing and righteous argument”]

Coalition would fall if settlement homes plan not okayed, officials said to tell US (Times of Israel 5/7/22)

Barak Ravid (Axios) on Twitter 5/6/22: “Israeli officials told Biden administration officials that if no new building was approved in the settlements, the government could collapse due to the fragile state of the coalition”. Also see response from the Arab Center’s Yousef Munayyer on Twitter 5/6/22: “We must commit war crimes to keep our coalition together is not really the excuse you think it is”

–>Related Stories

***For first time in 24 years, another local council established in Samaria*** (Israel Hayom 5/10/22) [settler leader Yossi Dagan: “The path to one million Jews [living] in Samaria is more large communities, which will become urban centers and attract masses of people. History has shown that unifying councils under one local council in Judea and Samaria contributes to growth and prosperity.”]

Ombudsman decries lack of funds to protect border towns, settlements from attacks (Times of Israel)

Ra’am pressured to exit coalition over Israel’s settlement expansion plan (Israel Hayom 5/8/22)

From the Settlers to Biden, Israel’s West Bank Plans Try to Appease Almost All (Haaretz 5/7/22)

Jerusalem

Israel demolition in East Jerusalem leaves 35 homeless (AFP 5/11/22)

Israel approves 1600 settlement units in Jerusalem as Bennett says ‘no foreign intervention’ on Al-Aqsa (The New Arab 5/11/22) [Also see: Over 3,000 new homes approved for Jerusalem (5/9/22)

West Jerusalem Israeli municipality demolishes Palestinian-owned building in occupied East Jerusalem (WAFA 5/10/22)

Israel notifies for demolition of two-storey apartment building in Silwan (WAFA 5/8/22)

South Hebron Hills

Israeli forces deliver stop-construction notices against 19 structures in southern Hebron (WAFA 5/11/22)

Israel levels Palestinian homes ahead of settlement approval (AP 5/12/22)

Israel’s High Court Rules in Favor of Forced Population Transfer (+972 Magazine 5/10/22)

EU blasts Israeli plan to evict Palestinian families in occupied West Bank (Al Anadolu 5/10/22)

PA calls for ICC probe into Israeli plan to expel Palestinians from Hebron (Middle East Monitor 5/10/22)

WATCH: Soldiers assault +972 writer Basil al-Adraa [Al-Adraa, who regularly reports on army and settler violence, was beaten while documenting Israeli soldiers near his West Bank village.] (+972 Magazine 5/8/22)

Israeli settlers chop off olive trees south of Hebron (WAFA 5/8/22)

Another Phase of the Palestinian Nakba, With Israeli Court Approval (Haaretz/Hagai El-Ad, 5/9/22)

Across the West Bank

Israel Police lack resources to probe land fraud in West Bank’s Area C (Jerusalem Post 5/10/22)

Settlers uproot olive trees, damage room in a West Bank town (WAFA 5/10/22)

Israel opens ‘settler-only’ road covered in barbed wire in Bethlehem (The New Arab 5/10/22)

Months after 4G service okayed, plodding talks keep Palestinian networks throttled – Officials slam Israeli ‘delaying tactics’ and say Jerusalem is offering barely any cellular bandwidth for Palestinians — even as it expands Israeli networks in settlements (Times of Israel 5/10/22)

Palestinians Wounded by Israeli Soldiers’ Rubber-coated Bullets After Reporting Settler Attack [“Three Palestinian family members say Israeli settlers hurled stones at their house and beat them. Soldiers called to the scene used riot control gear, leaving the three hospitalized”] (Haaretz 5/9/22)

Settlers attack vehicles east of Hebron (WAFA 5/8/22)Settlers torch a junk car business north of Hebron (WAFA 5/8/22)

Palestinian shepherd assaulted, wounded by settlers south of Hebron (WAFA 5/6/22)

Israeli settlers attack Palestinian vehicles with stones near Bethlehem (WAFA 5/6/22)

Israeli settlers torch vehicles, vandalize property in West Bank (WAFA 5/6/22)

Israeli settlers chop off trees, embark on a new outpost in West Bank (WAFA 5/5/22)

Israeli authorities expropriate 22,000 dunums of land near Jericho (WAFA 5/5/22)

Bonus Read

A Palestinian Family Is Brutally Attacked by Settlers, Then Interrogated by Police (Haaretz 5/6/22)

“Dozens of settlers swooped down on a Palestinian family tending its olive grove, throwing stones and beating them. Three Palestinians were wounded; the eldest remains hospitalized. When the family filed a complaint, they were interrogated for allegedly throwing rocks.”

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

May 5, 2022

Green Light for Ethnic Cleansing in South Hebron Hills
SA/DD – Same Apartheid/Different Day
Settlement Developments – West Bank (general)
Targeting Settlers
Legalizing Violence Outposts
Bonus Reads

Green Light for Ethnic Cleansing in South Hebron Hills

Media

Supreme Court paves way for razing eight Palestinian hamlets (YNet 5/5/22)
High Court greenlights expulsion of 1,300 Palestinians from army firing zone (Times of Israel 5/5/22)
Israeli Top Court Approves Eviction of Eight Palestinian Villages After Decades-long Battle (Haaretz 5/5/22)
Israeli court paves way for eviction of 1,000 Palestinians from West Bank area (The Guardian 5/5/22)

Selected immediate analysis/commentary on Twitter

Basel Adra 5/4/22: “The occupation court just decided: My community will be destroyed. I live in Massafer Yatta, Palestine. An unjust 23 year long trial ended today with a verdict of mass eviction. The army can now place us on trucks, 2,400 people, and expel us from our ancient villages, one by one.”

Thread from B’tselem 5/5/22: “After 20 years of legal proceedings, Israel’s High Court of Justice ruled that the forcible transfer of hundreds of Palestinians from their homes – for the clear purpose of taking over their lands in the service of Jewish interests – is legal. Proving once again that the occupied cannot expect justice from the occupier’s court, the decision, weaving baseless legal interpretation with decontextualized facts, makes it clear that there is no crime which the HCJ justices won’t find a way to legitimize. [emphasis added] Employing sugarcoated language, hypocrisy, and lies, the justices once again fulfilled their role in Israel’s regime of Jewish supremacy and paved the way for the crime of forcible transfer to be committed. Reversing reality: the ruling cast Palestinian victims as the “unlawful” offenders, while portraying the apartheid regime as the victim. The international community must prevent the forcible transfer of Masafer Yatta communities and make sure, should this crime be committed, that those responsible – including government members, military top echelons and the supreme court justices – will be held accountable.”

Thread from Michael Sfard, renowned Israeli lawyer, 5/5/22: “Yesterday, on the eve of Memorial Day and almost secretly, the Israeli Supreme Court published its ruling regarding the legality of the eviction orders of thousands of Palestinians living in the south Hebron Hills in an area declared as a firing zone (No. 918). The court rejected the residents’ petition thus ending proceedings Lasting more than 20 years in which the danger of deportation hovers over thousands of Palestinians living in the declared “firing zone”. The ruling rejected the claim that the prohibition of forcible transfer set forth in international law is customary and binding. Judge Mintz ruled that this was a treaty norm, that is, one that expresses agreements between states but is not enforceable in a domestic court. Beyond the fact that this is a cruel decision that could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe, this rationale denying that the prohibition on forced transfer is customary law is nothing less than an embarrassing legal error. So basic that it can be said that its equivalent in political science is to deny the claim that freedom of expression is a principle and characteristic of a democratic regime. The prohibition on forced transfer is perhaps one of the oldest in the prohibitions of modern war laws. In 1863, in the midst of the American Civil War, Professor Francis Lieber formulated at the request of President Lincoln a draft code codifying the principles of the laws of war of the period. Lincoln published it as a legally binding proclamation, known as the “Lieber Code .” Article 23 of the Code established the most basic prohibitions on the occupation army, alongside the prohibition of murder and enslavement of the citizens of the Occupied Territories, is the prohibition on “removal of civilians to remote areas.” This principle developed into an explicit and clear prohibition of international law on both deportations (i.e. across the border) and forced transfer (i.e. within the country) and this prohibition was enshrined in the 1949 Geneva Convention and its violation was defined as a war crime the Nuremberg Military Court and a crime against humanity the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Red Cross also stated in a comprehensive study that the prohibition on forced transfer is a binding custom. And it makes so much sense. The world we live in is a world where slavery is forbidden, the murder of civilians is forbidden and deportation is forbidden. It seems to me that this is an intuitive moral principle.So beyond the fact that the Israeli High Court yesterday put thousands of Palestinians in danger of forced transfer and this is, of course, the most serious thing, it also failed in my opinion to apply relevant law and made a serious legal error.”

Thread from ACRI 5/5/22: “Without warning in the middle of the night, the Israeli High Court of Justice published a verdict with unprecedented consequences. The ruling allows the expulsion of approximately one thousand women, men, children and elderly Palestinians from Masfer Yatta. This follows 22 years of local residents waging a legal battle in the High Court against the evacuation orders issued by the army. In the early 1980s, the army declared the homes and private lands of these civilians as a fire training zone. In the early 2000s the evacuation orders were issued, and now the High Court has officially authorized leaving entire families, with their children and their elderly, without a roof over their heads.”

Thread from Breaking the Silence 5/5/22: “After 20+ yrs of legal battles, Israel’s Supreme Ct has published its decision regarding a petition by residents of Masafer Yatta against their impending eviction from their land. The petition was rejected. The forced removal of >1000 Palestinians from their land is now imminent. This will be one of the biggest forced evictions of Palestinians since 1967, on the pretext that the land is needed as a military training area, even though archival documents show it was designated that way specifically to curtail Palestinian growth there. This deplorable decision was handed down at 11pm on the eve of Israeli Independence Day,when public attention to the news is at perhaps its lowest. The Supreme Court has given the go-ahead to this cruel landgrab while cynically using IDF soldiers & national security as an excuse…”

Thread from +972’s Haggai Matar 5/5/22: “…There is one more thing to say about the timing: This ruling was published on the eve of the Israeli Independent Day. It seems the judges of the High Court wanted to reaffirm that Jewish supremacy is the only law of the land. It’s also worth mentioning that Israeli officials have made it clear that the “military training grounds” declared on top of Palestinian villages were INTENDED to push Palestinians out. This is not a side effect of the army’s declaration and the court approval – it is the goal.”

Thread from Yair Wallach 5/5/22: “The Israeli Supreme Court rejected yesterday the appeal by #MasaferYatta population against their forced removal by the military. The ruling, written by a judge who lives in a West Bank settlement, claims that forced removal is not against international law. David Mintz, who ruled that forced removal of occupied population is legal under international law, was born in the UK, immigrated to Israel as a child, and lives in the settlement Dolev in the West Bank. This is a very serious development – it charts the road ahead towards mass forced removal of population within the occupied territories. I don’t expect to see change immediately but the direction of travel is clear.”

Thread from Chris Doyle (CAABU) 5/5/22: “The judge who issues this ruling, enabling forcible transfer, a war crime, is a settler born in England, David Mintz. Judge Mintz is himself party to a war crime. Mintz lives in the illegal settlement of Dolev, not far from Ramallah, on land confiscated from Palestinian villages. It is also a settlement that as ever is expanding. Netanyahu promised a new neighbourhood there in 2019.”

More legal analysis from Itay Ephstein (Norwegian Refugee Council) 5/5/22, concluding “Adding insult to injury, the Court charged the petitioners – impoverished #Palestinians from #MasaferYatta – with fees of 40K ILS (12K USD), payable to the coffers of #Israel, the occupying power.”

Em Hilton 5/5/22: “On this Independence Day, Israel reminds us that the Nakba is ongoing. #SaveMasaferYatta”

Lara Friedman (FMEP) 5/5/22: (commenting on article about Russia formalizing occupation of Ukraine) “Reminder as you read the article below: the Israeli High Court – the court of last appeal in an allegedly liberal, Western democracy allied closely with the US – just delivered a ruling legitimizing the mass forcible transfer of civilians from occupied territories.”

Targeting this same area, even before the Court ruling

Israeli settlers place mobile home in Masafer Yatta, a prelude to taking over land (WAFA 5/4/22)
Israeli forces seize gardening tools south of Hebron (WAFA 5/4/22)
Settlers destroy, steal crops belonging to Palestinians in Masafer Yatta area (WAFA 5/3/22)
Israeli settlers assault shepherd east of Ramallah (WAFA 5/3/22)
Israeli forces deny shepherds access to water wells south of Hebron (WAFA 5/3/22)
After blocking West Bank road, settlers open fire and wound Palestinians (+972 Magazine 4/27/22)

SA/DD – Same Apartheid/Different Day

Israel tightens grip on West Bank with planned restrictions (ABC News 5/5/22)

ICG’s Mairav Zonszein on Twitter 5/3/22: “Defense Minister Benny Gantz expected to authorize thousands of new settlement units in occupied West Bank, as part of what Bennett’s party is posing as a demand to keep coalition intact. He reportedly has been waiting till end of Ramadan to do so, according to @GLZRadio”

New Israeli Border Policies Track, Trace, and Restrict Palestinian Visitors to the West Bank [“if you’re a Jewish American traveling to visit your family in an Israeli settlement, you don’t have a problem.”] (Jewish Currents 5/3/22)

Americans Are Flying to Israel to Displace Palestinians (Al Jazeera+ 5/3/22)

Israel approves new 31-unit settlement construction in Hebron (Middle East Monitor 4/29/22)

The Israeli army is making millions by seizing Palestinian tractors [“Data shows the military, with settler backing, is intensifying its confiscation of Palestinian agricultural equipment while profiting from release fees.”] (+972 Magazine 5/1/22)

Settlement Developments – West Bank (general)

Israeli settlers seize large tract of Palestinian land south of Bethlehem (WAFA 5/5/22)

Settlers close major West Bank traffic artery to Palestinian traffic (WAFA 5/5/22)

Dror Etkes/Naboth’s Vineyard on Twitter 5/4/22: thread opening with — “The Civil Administration is not willing to pass on to us the results of a land “survey” that was conducted in Jabal Sabih, a place where in recent years one of the records of settlement madness was broken when an outpost was established there that settlers call ‘Eviatar’.”…

Israeli settlers graze their cattle on Palestinians groves south of Bethlehem (WAFA 5/5/22)

Israeli settlers continue to level Palestinian land in northern Jordan Valley (WAFA 5/4/22)

Israeli forces deliver two demolition notices in East Jerusalem area (WAFA 5/3/22)

Israeli Settlers destroy agricultural rooms west of Salfit (WAFA 5/3/22)

West Bank: Israeli settlement guard killed in drive-by shooting – A 27-year-old Palestinian was later killed by soldiers in unrelated army raid near Qalqilya (Middle East Eye 4/29/22)

Targeting Settlers

Right slams gov’t for IDF removal of three West Bank settler caravans (Jerusalem Post 3/2/22)

Hamas claims Ariel terror shooting, vows it ‘won’t be the last’ (Times of Israel 5/2/22)

Israeli forces arrest suspected killers of Jewish settlement guard (The Guardian 4/30/22)

Deadly West Bank attacks follow Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa (Al Jazeera 4/30/22)

Settlers raze Palestinian land in Nablus (Middle East Monitor 4/29/22)

Legalizing Violence Outposts

Excerpt from Yesh Din email update dated 5/4/22 (subscribe for Yesh Din’s email updates here):

The MOD [Ministry of Defense] is advancing the authorization of Tapuach Ma’arav [Tapuach West], located on the lands of the village Yasuf, and Adei Ad, located on the lands of Turmusayya, Jalud and Qaryut. Adei Ad and Tapuach West, two of the most violent outposts in the West Bank, are both being fast-tracked for retroactive ‘legalization’, rewarding the acts of violent settlers and nullifying the rights of Palestinian landowners.

On Monday, May 9, a hearing will be held in the Planning Committee of the Civil Administration in Beit El in objections to the proposed plan to ‘regularize’ the illegal outpost Tapuach West. The objections were filed by Yesh Din and Bimkom on behalf of residents of the village of Yasuf. Implementation of this plan will result in the de facto establishment of a new settlement in violation of international law and at the expense of the rights to property and freedom of movement of the residents of Yasuf.

“This hearing comes mere weeks after the Civil Administration rejected an objection to the expansion of the jurisdiction of the new settlement Amichai to include the illegal outpost Adei Ad. The objection was filed by Yesh Din on behalf of residents from the villages Turmusaya, Qaryut and Jalud…

“…For two decades the outpost Tapuach West has been infamous as one of the most violent outposts in the West Bank. The outposts’ residents are comprised mainly of Kahanist hilltop youth, who commit frequent and severe attacks against Palestinian residents of Yasuf and other nearby villages. Yesh Din has documented dozens of incidents in which settlers from Tapuach West violently attacked residents of Yasuf, destroyed trees and other crops, burned a mosque in Yasuf, and regularly trespass on the villagers’ private lands.

“Now, rather than enforcing the law on the illegal outpost, the settlers from Tapuach West are being rewarded for their violent tactics, as Israeli authorities actively promote the retroactive ‘regularization’ of the outpost as a new settlement.

“…Another clear example of the GOI rewarding violent settlers is the MOD’s decision to expand the jurisdiction of the new settlement Amihai, established in 2017 as ‘compensation’ for the evacuation of Amona. The expanded jurisdiction will include hundreds of dunams east of Amihai, including the location of the illegal and violent outpost of Adei Ad…In The Road to Dispossession – a Case Study of the Outpost of Adei Ad, a comprehensive report published by Yesh Din, we demonstrate how violence is used as a tool to take over Palestinian land leading to dispossession and violation of their right to property, and how lack of law enforcement on illegal construction as well as on violent and property offences is in fact indirect support of the Israeli authorities to such acts.”

Bonus Reads

Institute for Curriculum Services: How an Israel Lobby Group Infiltrated US Education (Mintpress News 5/4/22) [“Requested ICS changes to public school textbooks included: — Replace ‘settlers’ with ‘communities,’ ‘occupation’ with ‘control of,’ ‘wall’ with ‘security fence,’ ‘occupied territories’ with ‘captured areas,’ and ‘militant’ with ‘terrorist.’ — Discourage students from conducting open internet research, and instead recommend the Anti-Defamation League’s website and the JewishVirtualLibrary.org. — Delete all references to ‘Palestinian Territories.’ — Change maps to recognize Israeli annexation of East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, instead of classifying these areas as occupied.”

A European Citizens Initiative to ban settlement products (EuroMed Rights 5/3/22)

West Bank settlers are an existential liability to Israel (Arab News 5/3/22)

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

April 21, 2022

Settler Violence/Terror, Israeli Army/Govt Role
Land Grab
Israeli Courts, Israeli Policies
Apartheid/Annexation, in Action

Settler Violence/Terror, Israeli Army/Govt Role

Palestinians Attacked Near Settlement; 62-year-old Hospitalized With Head Injury (“The three Palestinians say several dozen settlers from nearby Ma’aleh Amos attacked them with stones, clubs and pepper spray”) (Haaretz 4/27/22) Also see 4/26/22 Tweets (with photos) about the attack, from Basel Adra and the Good Shepherd Collective

Israeli government in cahoots with extremist outpost settlers (Arab News 4/26/22)

Settlers Play Chicken With the Israeli Army in the West Bank (Haaretz 4/25/22)

Israel’s Settler Defense Forces (Haaretz 4/25/22)

West Bank: more attacks on Palestinians by Israeli Jewish settlers (Middle East Monitor 4/25/22)

Israeli settlers attack shepherds in occupied Bethlehem (Middle East Monitor 4/23/22)

Israeli settlers, backed by soldiers, attack Palestinians in Hebron’s old town, damage shops and vehicles (WAFA 4/23/22)

If the PA Is Responsible for Palestinian Violence, Who ‘Ratifies’ Jewish Terrorism? (Haaretz 4/12/22)

Land Grab

Israel’s Attorney General Plans to Deal With Illegal West Bank Outposts Despite Conflict of Interest [“The Israeli attorney general has a conflict of interest in dealing with some West Bank settlements because she represented a regional council beyond the Green Line while a lawyer in private practice, but nevertheless intends on dealing with broader issues relating to this council. Upon taking office in February, Gali Baharav-Miara signed a conflict of interest agreement regarding the Samaria Regional Council – the local government for Jewish settlements in the northern West Bank. However, she still intends on dealing with a number of issues related to the council such as retroactive authorization for the West Bank outpost of Evyatar, linking unauthorized outposts in the council’s territory to the electricity grid, and the unauthorized outpost of Homesh.”] (Haaretz 4/27/22)

Israeli settlers raze farmlands in Nablus-district villages (WAFA 4/28/22)

Israeli settlers bulldoze land in northern Jordan Valley to expand existing illegal settlement (WAFA 4/24/22)

Settlers uproot olive saplings for Palestinian farmers east of Nablus (4/24/22)

Israeli Courts, Israeli Policies

Top Court Asks Israel to Explain How It Plans to Stop Settler Land Grab – “The Israeli Civil Administration gave the residents of the Nokdim settlement 15 days to explain how their construction on private Palestinian land does not constitute incursion” (Haaretz 4/27/22)

Israel: Seven settlers convicted over wedding where they mocked dead [murdered] Palestinian toddler (Middle East Eye 4/27/22) Also see report in Times of Israel

Israeli Court Orders Rehearing in Sheikh Jarrah Family’s Case, Postponing Eviction (Haaretz 4/26/22) [Also see Tweet from B’Tselem’s Sarit Michaeli: “Kicking the can down the road for another few weeks or months. This is all we can expect until Israel is forced to announce a total moratorium on demolitions and evictions of Palestinian families in the Occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem.” (linked to Twitter thread from Ir Amim)

Homesh, Evyatar must be coalition red lines – right-wing politicians (Jerusalem Post 4/23/22)

Apartheid/Annexation, in Action

Israel’s housing policies in occupied Palestinian territory amount to racial segregation – UN experts (UN/Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 4/27/22)

A microcosm of Palestinian struggle: One family’s life in Hebron [“The al-Jaabaris are one of several families in Hebron whose home is sandwiched between Israeli settlements.”] (Al Jazeera 4/26/22)

Israel’s Independence Day Air Show to Fly Over Hebron Settlement for First Time [“Settler leader hails ‘another brick in the building of the land and the settlement in Judea and Samaria’ in the Air Force’s decision to fly over more parts of the West Bank”] (Haaretz 4/24/22) Also see Jerusalem Post

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

April 21, 2022

Israeli Apartheid/Supremeacy in Action: Outposts Edition
Israeli Supremacy/Apartheid in Action: Elsewhere in the West Bank
Oops! Biden Admin Normalizes & Publicizes Settlement Wine
Deeper Dives

Israeli Apartheid/Supremacy in Action: Outposts Edition

Tweet from +972 Magazine’s Haggai Matar 4/19/22:

“One of the essential problems of media coverage about Israel-Palestine is that a march of thousands of settlers on private Palestinian land, backed by armed soldiers, are not considered “violent”, whereas a Palestinian standing on their land to defend it with a stone – is”

Start of Twitter thread from Haaretz’s Hagar Shezaf 4/19/22, translated from Hebrew:

“In preparation for the settlers’ march to Homs, the military blocked all exits of the nearby Palestinian village of Burqa to Route 60, which is the main road. At the moment, palestinian vehicles on the road are also not allowed to cross at all. Photo: Saddam Salah….” )

Twitter thread from the Good Shepherd Collective 4/19/22:

“Racism and colonization in action. At least 3 Israeli MKs were photographed today in Homesh, an Israeli outpost near Burqa, north of Nablus. MK Silman was seen alongside Bezalel Smotrich, co-founder of Regavim and Itamar Ben Gvir, linked to the Israel Land Fund. The settlers marched in response to the state’s resistance to the re-colonization of this land after the evacuation of Homesh in 2005. This demonstrates the role these settler activists-turned-politicians have in accelerating the agenda of land theft. #DefundRacism…”

Media reports:

Israelis march to West Bank’s Homesh, amid tensions with Palestinians (Jerusalem Post 4/20/22)

Eight Palestinian protesters injured by Israeli soldiers as settlers march in West Bank (PBS NewsHour 4/19/22)

Israeli settlers march in West Bank amid wave of unrest (ABC News 4/19/22)

Palestinians injured after Israeli settlers march to outpost (Al Jazeera 4/19/22)

Palestinians clash with troops in West Bank as settlers march to former settlement (Times of Israel 4/19/22)

Palestinians, Israeli Forces Clash as Thousands March to Evacuated West Bank Outpost

(Haaretz 4/19/22)

Thousands plan march to dismantled West Bank settlement over IDF’s initial objection (Times of Israel 4/18/22)

Israeli Apartheid/Supremacy in Action: Elsewhere in the West Bank

Twitter thread from South Hebron Hills activist Basil Adra 4/20/22:

“120,000 Palestinians live in the southern city of Yatta. These people have a single municipal park and this morning ten cars of Israeli occupation forces closed it off to residents in order to allow about 40 Israeli settlers to go in the park. [with photos] In this video, the soldier expels the school students and prevents them from going to their homes, until the settlers finish talking and leave. This provocation occurred by the occupation forces and settlers in area A [with video].”

Twitter thread from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence, 4/20/22:

“Right now, on the road to Jinba in #MasaferYatta, the Israeli army has stopped five Palestinian teachers on their way to school in so-called Firing Zone 918. School has started and the soldiers refuse to answer any questions. There are eight Israeli soldiers here with assault rifles blocking the passage of Palestinian teachers carrying only books and pens. One of the soldiers with long hair and religious garb sneered at a teacher, ‘Once I’m out of my uniform, you’ll see what I can really do to you.’ He is clearly a settler doing his reserve service. The soldiers have now confiscated the car, claiming that it is unregistered (mushtuba). This regime of car registration in the occupied West Bank is yet another bureaucratic tool of Israeli state oppression, as discussed here…Some settlers drove up and started asking us solidarity activists why we were filming, and we explained the the teachers’ situation. One of settlers mocked us, saying that we were making propaganda, and then called one of us a ‘Nazi.’” [with photos & video]

Tweet from B’tselem’s Sarit Michaeli 4/20/22:

“Thousands of Jewish settlers picnic in a closed military zone (i.e. where it’s literally illegal for them to be), protected by the Israeli army. Five Palestinian villages put under lockdown and teargassed for protesting. Israeli apartheid in a nutshell.”

Tweet from B’Selem’s Sarit Michael 4/18/22

“Super important: settlers are enjoying a government cash bonanza to spy on Palestinian rural communities and harass them. Story based on @KNavot work details the state funded “unarmed settler militias” set up in area c. Worth running through google translate.”

Media reports:

IDF to impose closure on Judea and Samaria until Saturday (Jewish News Syndicate 4/21/22)

Israel closes Ibrahimi Mosque to Palestinian worshippers, holds concert for settlers (Middle East Monitor 4/19/22)

Upcoming JNF Vote Could Pave Way for More West Bank Land Purchases (Haaretz 4/18/22)

Israeli Settlers Block Reopening of West Bank Road to Palestinians After Two Decades (Haaretz 4/18/22)

Oops! Biden Admin Normalizes/Publicizes Settlement Wine

Tweet 4/15/22 from Doug Emhoff including photo of seder table, with wine from West Bank settlement winery (Psagot) prominently displayed.
Tweet 4/16/22 from Israeli journalist Yuna Leibzon noting the presence of wine from a West Bank settlement winery on the seder table.
Tweet 4/16/22 from Herbie Ziskend, senior communications advisor to Vice President Harris, stating: “The wine served at the Seder was in no way intended to be an expression of policy.”
Tweet 4/16/22 from David Friedman, former US ambassador to Israel: “Next year I would recommend that the Second Family serve the “Friedman” vintage from the Psagot Winery. I may be biased but I think it’s very good.”

Media reports:

Madam Vice President: Psagot is a racist settlement (Arab News 4/20/22)

Left-wing Jewish American orgs. blast Biden admin. for serving wine from Israeli settlement (Jerusalem Post 4/18/22)

Vice President Harris Serves Israeli Settlement Wine at Passover Event (Haaretz 4/17/22)

US: Kamala Harris serves wine made in illegal Israeli settlement during Passover seder (Middle East Eye 4/17/22)

Deeper Dives

In Masafer Yatta, activism is not a choice but a necessity (+972 Magazine 4/21/22)

Excerpt: “… I decided to become an activist after witnessing the increasing violence of settlers in my village. I remember, for example, returning from school one day when I was in the third grade to find that a settler had chased after my uncle and his herd of goats, stabbing one of the goats 14 times. The threat of violence from the settlers of Havat Ma’on, which is illegal even under Israeli law, also extended to us children. As a result, in 2004 we started having to walk to school under military escort: instead of investigating the settlers’ crimes, Israel decided to send a military jeep twice a day to accompany the children, because that is what was necessary to protect us from the settlers. This absurd situation continues to this day.”

Confiscating Palestinian Land for a Horse Farm (Human Rights Watch 4/21/22)

Excerpt: “If the purpose of this buffer was to keep would-be assailants far from potential targets, it seems not all of Sha’arei Tikvah’s residents got the message. For years, some of them have been passing through the settlement’s original fence to operate horse farms in the buffer zone. The farms sit on land next to the barrier, which in this area consists not of a wall but a high chain-link fence. North of that fence, the Palestinian owners of the land have a clear view of Israelis riding horses among their olive trees.”

The women at the heart of Beita’s resistance (+972 Magazine 4/20/22)

Excerpt: “A general feeling of fatigue has spread under the brunt of escalating state-backed settler violence, punitive measures by the Israeli army, and a Palestinian Authority that is both rife with corruption and shows no interest in sustaining a national movement. But for the three months of round-the-clock resistance, Abu Shamsa is certain that the work of the women’s collective helped sustain the protests.”

When a Military Commander Takes Orders From Settlers (Zahava Galon/Haaretz 4/18/22)

Excerpt: “For decades, the settlers have effectively been the commanders on the ground. Company commanders frequently meet settler leaders in their sectors. Soldiers receive direct commands from settlement security coordinators.”

Professor’s saga highlights nationalists’ reach in Israel (Washington Post 4/17/22)

Excerpt: “Goldreich, 65, and hundreds of other academics signed a petition last year calling on the European Union to halt funding for Ariel University, located in the West Bank, saying it legitimized Israeli settlements. In a research partnership with the EU launched last year, Israel itself agreed not to include the university, along with other West Bank institutions.The outcry prompted the country’s then-education minister to refuse to approve the nomination, saying Goldreich may have violated a 2011 anti-boycott law, and sparked a yearlong legal battle that ended last month when the Supreme Court decided the current education minister, who had also denied Goldreich the prize, must grant it. ‘A person who calls for a boycott on an Israeli academic institution is not worthy of an official prize from the state of Israel, be his achievements what they may,’ Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton, from the nationalist New Hope party, tweeted after the ruling.“

Al-Haq Sends Urgent Appeal to UN Special Procedures on Intensified Violence against Palestinians by Colonial Settlers (Al Haq 4/14/22; text of appeal here)

Excerpt: “The appeal highlights alarming forms and levels of colonial settler violence throughout Palestine in 2021, and intensified price tag attacks in particular, after the killing of a colonial settler by allegedly two Palestinians on 16 December 2021, and recent attacks by Palestinians inside the Green Line since 27 March 2022. While increase of colonial settler attacks have been observed as acts of reprisals after the aforementioned attacks, Al-Haq stresses that colonial settler violence is a direct result of the settlement enterprise illegally initiated and expanded by the Israeli occupying authorities, and has been allowed to continue and escalate due to Israel’s systematic failure to conduct effective investigations and prosecutions of the offending colonial settlers, creating a climate of impunity, as well as the international community’s failure to bring to end Israel’s systematic violations of international law.”

Welcome to FMEP’s Weekly Settlement Report, covering everything you need to know about Israeli settlement activity this week.

To subscribe to this report, please click here.

April 14, 2022

Violence/Terrorism
Forging Ahead with “Silicon Wadi” in East Jerusalem
Israel Domestic Politics & Support for Settlements/Outposts/Annexation
Spotlight on Al Walaja
Deep Dive with OCHA

Violence/Terrorism

Center for Jewish Nonviolence 4/14/22: “Yesterday morning, at 2 locations in the South Hebron Hills, settlers + army respectively expeled Palestinian shepherds as they were grazing their flocks. Settlers + the army work together toward a common goal: force out Palestinian residents to make way for more Jewish settlers” [with video]

Israeli settlers assault, injure Palestinian American attending to his land (+972 Magazine 4/13/22)

Qaryut, Nablus District: Settlers filmed stealing water pipes from a farming area after driving farmers away in the presence of soldiers (B’Tselem 4/13/22)

PA officer admits to terror attack plan on Israeli settlement – report (Jerusalem Post 4/11/22)

Settlers gather on Tulkarem-Nablus road, attack Palestinian vehicles (WAFA 4/11/22)

Rare Administrative Detention for Jewish Israeli Approved by Defense Minister Gantz – The man, who lives in the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar, recently finished serving a year in prison for attacking a Palestinian when he was a minor (Haaretz 4/11/22)

Settlers stop Palestinian vehicles travelling on West Bank roads (Middle East Monitor 4/11/22)

Elderly Palestinian man beaten, wounded by Israeli settlers in Tulkarm (WAFA 4/9/22)

Forging Ahead with “Silicon Wadi” in East Jerusalem

Government approves first high-tech hub in east Jerusalem (Israel Hayom 4/10/22)

Background:

Dozens of Palestinian commercial facilities in Jerusalem receive demolition orders from the Israeli municipality (WAFA 2/7/22)
Local Planning Committee Advances Controversial “Silicon Wadi” Plan (Ir Amim 10/13/21)
How Israel is planning to evict Palestinians from East Jerusalem to make way for ‘Silicon Wadi’ (The New Arab 8/20/21)
‘Silicon Wadi’ hi-tech park approved in east Jerusalem (Jerusalem Post 11/2/20)
UAE firms touted to join Israeli ‘Silicon Wadi’ project in East Jerusalem (Middle East Eye 10/22/20)
Israeli official: Arab East Jerusalem can become regional tech R&D hub (Gulf News 10/11/20)
‘Silicon Wadi’: Israel’s latest plans to impose control over Jerusalem’s Old City (Middle East Eye 6/24/20)
As mammoth high-tech hub is eyed for East Jerusalem, will it benefit locals? (Times of Israel 6/14/20)
Israel’s ‘Silicon Valley’ to further fragment East Jerusalem (Al-Monitor 6/10/20)
200 east Jerusalem businesses to be demolished for ‘Silicon Wadi’ (Jerusalem Post 6/2/20)

Israeli Domestic Politics & Support for Settlements/Outposts/Annexation

Israeli Commander Invokes ‘Promised Land’ in West Bank Op ‘Endangering Troops’ — “We get to restore the honor to this land and the people of Israel,’ regional military commander tells soldiers securing settler-led repair works at vandalized Joseph’s Tomb in the West Bank amid rising tensions” (Haaretz 4/13/22)

Pro-boycott academic to donate Israel Prize grant to anti-settlement groups (YNet 4/13/22)

Bennett: It’s Judea and Samaria, not the West Bank (Jerusalem Post 4/12/22)

Israel Okays Connecting Illegal West Bank Outposts to Power Grid (Haaretz 4/12/22)

Justice Ministry greenlights connecting illegal West Bank outposts to power (Times of Israel 4/11/22)

No movement on settlement issues in Orbach’s ultimatum (Jerusalem Post 4/11/22)

Yesha Council launches campaign against Israeli government over silent settlement freeze (Jewish News Syndicate 4/8/22)

Spotlight on Al Walaja

In a Village Divided, Palestinians See Their Hold on Territory Eroding (New York Times 4/10/22) [“…Many of the major events that have shaped this corner of the Middle East have left their mark on Walaja — once a swath of terraced farmland with an ancient olive tree. Today, it serves as a pointed example of how decades of war, diplomatic agreements, Israeli settlement building, laws and regulations have carved up the West Bank and whittled away at territory under Palestinian control.”]

Deep Dive with OCHA

Occupied Palestinian territory: Protection of Civilians Report | 22 March – 4 April 2022 (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 4/11/22)

Settlement-related excerpts:

“…On 29 March, a Palestinian man from Ya’bad (Jenin) shot and killed three Israelis, including a police officer, and two foreigners, and injured others in central Israel. The assailant, who had reportedly entered Israel without a permit, was shot and killed by the abovementioned police officer, who later died of his wounds. The following day, a 30-year-old Palestinian man stabbed and injured an Israeli settler near Gush Etzion settlement block (Bethlehem) and was subsequently shot and killed by another settler. The bodies of both assailants are withheld by the Israeli authorities, as of the end of the reporting period.”

“….Overall, 441 Palestinians, including 84 children, were injured by Israeli forces across the West Bank, more than twice as many as in the previous reporting period. Most of the injuries (289) were recorded near Beita and Beit Dajan (both in Nablus), and Kafr Qaddum (Qalqiliya), in demonstrations against settlements…”

“On 27 March, Israeli settlers took over the first floor of the Petra Hotel in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Israeli Police facilitated the move, despite court cases pending since 2004. During the incident, verbal and physical confrontations between Palestinians, Israeli settlers, and Israeli forces were reported nearby, and three Palestinians were arrested.”

“Israeli settlers injured five Palestinians, and people known or believed to be settlers damaged Palestinian property in 35 instances, representing a 75 per cent increase compared with the previous reporting period. The injuries occurred in four separate incidents, when settlers physically assaulted a Palestinian man grazing livestock near Jinba (Hebron), and a man farming his land near Kafr ad Dik (Salfit) and after settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Huwwara and Deir Sharaf (both in Nablus) injuring three Palestinian men and causing damage to their vehicles. In six other incidents, about 255 Palestinian-owned trees and saplings were uprooted or vandalized near Israeli settlements next to Al Lubban ash Sharqiya (Nablus), Turmus’ayya (Ramallah), Ash Shuyukh (Hebron), and Kafr Qaddum (Qalqiliya). In eleven incidents in Ramallah, Nablus, Jerusalem, Qalqiliya, Salfit and in the Sheikh Jarrah area of East Jerusalem, Israeli settlers punctured the tires of 83 Palestinian-owned cars and attacked nine homes, causing damage to windows and wrote graffiti on the walls. Nine additional incidents were recorded in Salfit, Hebron, Ramallah, and Qalqiliya where agricultural equipment and livestock were stolen and a well and three water tanks were damaged. In another nine incidents, settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles near Jerusalem, Hebron and Nablus causing damage to at least ten vehicles.”

“People known or believed to be Palestinians injured three Israeli settlers and damaged ten Israeli vehicles. Six Israeli settlers were injured by stone-throwing near Nablus, Ramallah and Jerusalem. Israeli-plated vehicles were damaged by stones or Molotov cocktails thrown at them in 13 incidents.”