This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
Haaretz said Israel's Civil Administration wants Shvut Rahel, Rehelim, Hayovel, Migron, and other outposts legalized. Its own High Court ruled Migron illegal. Months ago it ordered dismantling and its residents evicted. If challenged, it suggests similar rulings against all 100 unauthorized outposts would follow.
Of course, all Israeli settlements are illegal, as well as 12 annexed Jerusalem neighborhoods and East Jerusalem settler enclaves. International law is clear and unequivocal. Fourth Geneva's Article 49 states:
"The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies."
Israel spurns it, other international laws, and its own when it comes to Palestine.
Etkes thinks settlers knew Civil Administration plans when building outposts. If so, it shows government complicity in what it calls "unauthorized."
Maps obtained, in fact, name communities that don't exist. They include:
- Shlomzion on Palestinian Aqraba community land:
- Lev Hashomron in Kafr Haja;
- Mevo Adumin in Azariya and Abu Dis; and
- Mitzpeh Zanoah and Mitzpeh Lahav in south Mount Hebron.
Maps marked 81 sites on 114,000 dunams in Palestinian controlled areas A and B. The remaining 506,000 dunams are in Israeli-controlled Area C. Over 90% of the land is east of the Separation Wall.
According to Dror Etkes, it "means the administration flouts the peace process, which is based on the two-state principle." Stealing all valued land excludes the possibility. Of course, Israel always rejected Palestinian independence and does now.
Most earmarked Area C areas are classified state lands, despite all of them belonging to Palestine. About 7,600 dunams are called "Jewish land" and 12,800 remain unclassified.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
