JEWISH SETTLEMENT EXPANSION IN THE WEST BANK FORMALLY APPROVED

AS PALESTINIAN HOUSE DEMOLITION CONTINUES

29 August 1996

On 26 August, the Israeli government formally announced the creation of a new neighborhood in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Sefer, near Ramallah. The government, in an open violation of Article 31, sections 6 and 7 of the Taba Agreement (Oslo II), has agreed to a 900 unit construction project for the settlement. This announcement follows on the heels of the presentation of plans to add over 5000 units to existing settlements in the West Bank.

In addition, in Hebron the expansion of the by-pass road connecting Kiryat Arba and Givat Harsina (the hotly contested Jewish settlements located in and around Hebron) was announced by the Israeli army, along with the demolition orders served against the homes of 23 families to make way for the road. The road is to be widened to 20 meters and extended to 1200 meters, connecting the area to a military camp. It is widely believed that this camp will become a new settlement.

While the Israeli government pursues its objectives of settlement expansion and Jewish-only by-pass road construction, on 28 August two more Palestinian homes were demolished in the north of the West Bank, leaving 37 people homeless.

• The home of Abdel Raouf Redah Amer in Mazha village near Qalqilya was destroyed for having no permit. This 400 meter home housed his family of 25 people and a small blacksmith's workshop.
• The home of Omar Ahmed Qassem, in Harris village near Salfit, was destroyed also for having no permit. This 140 square meter home housed his 12 member family.

Through these latest actions, the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has officially clarified their intention to break from the Oslo accords. The agreements come to throughout these negotiations have lost their meaning in the face of the continuing dispossession of Palestinians from their homes and lands. LAWE - The Palestinian Society for Human Rights and the Environment condemns these recent moves taken by the government of PM Netanyahu, and views with grave concern the inevitable escalation of political tension in this area as the local population becomes more desperate with the current situation.

LAWE - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAWE is also an affiliate member of the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights.