19 April 1996
NEW CONFISCATIONS IN RAMALLAH AND BETHLEHEM
THE STRANGLING CONTINUES
Land and Water Establishment
PO Box 20873
Jerusalem
Tel: (972) (2) 812364/824559
Fax: (972) (2) 811072
email: lawe@netvision.net.il
While the horrifying violence in Lebanon escalates and continues to occupy international attention, new Israeli orders confiscating Palestinian lands have been quietly published in the Arabic press. The Israeli military just announced another mass confiscation near Ramallah and Bethlehem, dramatically highlighting their total disregard for their obligations not to confiscate Palestinian land and not to alter the status quo before the final status negotiations. But the usual occupation practices of land confiscation, village raids, property destruction and arbitrary arrest continue as an ominous prelude to these negotiations.
Following are details of human rights abuses in the West Bank during the past week:
New Land Confiscation:
On 17 April, the Israeli Military Commander published an announcement in the Arabic daily Al Quds that an unspecified amount of land was to be confiscated near Mazha village, near Tulkarem. He stated that on 18 April a tour would be conducted to show landowners the location of the newly confiscated land, but that the confiscation orders and related maps would only be made available 10 days after the publishing of the announcement.
Also on 17 April, in a similar announcement, the Israeli Military Commander stated that an unspecified amount of land would be confiscated from Nahaleen and Bet Amer villages near Bethlehem. The tour to show affected landowners which land had been taken will take place on 21 April, and the orders and maps would not be made available for another 10 days.
The tone of these two announcements in Al Quds suggests that these confiscations are part of new Israeli army security procedures, to "cleanse" the areas around Jewish settlements of Arab homes or agricultural areas.
Raids and Arrests:
On 13 April, a large group of Israeli soldiers raided Siq el Harthiyye village near Jenin, searched houses and damaged property. They evacuated all the residents of the village, including the elderly, women and children, to the main square of the village.
On 13 April, the Israeli army raided and searched houses in Yamoun village, near Jenin.
Also on 13 April, the Israeli army closed the entrance of Araba village near Jenin, stopping all traffic and checking identification.
On 14 April, the Israeli army surrounded and sealed Kufur Deeq village near Qalqilya and searched houses. The army did not permit residents to enter or leave the area.
On the same day the Israeli army and border police raided the mosque of Naqoura village, near Nablus. The army confiscated books, pictures and other material.
On 15 April, the Israeli military arrested suspected political activists from opposition parties from the villages of Awarta near Nablus, Hossan near Bethlehem and Samuah near Hebron.
Settler Aggression:
On 18 April, settlers from Kefar Tapuah cut and destroyed trees on the property of Mustafa Saleh from Yassouf village near Nablus, and assaulted him and his family.
Also on 18 April, settlers from Ariel cut almonds and fig trees belonging to a farmer from Kufur Harris village near Nablus. He was also assaulted by the settlers.
On 16 April, settlers from Eli near the Arab village of Qariut near Nablus began bulldozing land of the village to link it to their settlement.
LAWE condemns in the strongest possible terms these new confiscations, and the aggression of the Israeli military and the Jewish settlers which mark everyday life under the continued occupation of the West Bank. The continuation of the total closure, now into its second month, and the accompanying economic strangulation of the Palestinian people, coupled with the daily loss of land, destruction of property and oppressive practices can only breed more violence and discontent. These practices are simply obvious violations of the letter and spirit of the previous peace accords. Action must be taken to stop this down-ward spiral, which can only lead to more violence.
LAWE is a grass-roots, Palestinian, non-governmental organization, which seeks to defend human rights through legal advocacy. LAWE is the West Bank affiliate of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.