Israeli Banks Finance Settlement Constractions under New Laws that Support Annexation of the West Bank

madeeha araj
2018 / 6 / 5

By: Madeeha Araj

Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) disclosed that the largest 7 Israeli banks are providing services that help support, maintain, and expand unlawful settlements by financing their construction in the occupied West Bank in 1967 aggression, including partnering with developers to build homes on land unlawfully seized from Palestinians. The banks’ involvement is -dir-ect and substantial, they acquire a property interest in the development projects and shepherd them till completion. The HWR added the occupier transfers of members of its civilian population into the occupied territory, and the deportation´-or-transfer of members of the population of the territory, are war crimes.
Banks that finance´-or-accompany construction projects in the settlements are partners in settlement expansion because building is made on land declared by the Israeli Authorities as State land, illegally expropriated from the Palestinians, said Sari Bashi. Head of International Human Rights Organization.

Moreover, the Israeli Knesset passed a law in first reading that gives local authorities and municipalities in the occupied territories to grant economic concessions to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, after the law for the legitimization of settlement outposts´-or-the so-called "Settlement Law, which extends sovereignty of the Israeli Higher Education Council on the academic centers in the settlements under the laws that are enacted by the Israeli Knesset.

The new amendment gives for the first time the Interior Minister the power to distribute Arnona and tax revenues from industrial areas inside Israel for Israeli settlements outside the Green Line. This amendment was explained by the need to distribute the revenues of the industrial zones "fairly" to all local authorities and municipalities including settlements in the territories occupied in 1967, which have been excluded from the law so far.

On the other hand, the Knesset approved the first reading of a bill proposed by the Minister of Justice, Aiyelit Shakid, to withdraw from the Supreme Court the right to discuss petitions filed by Palestinians from the occupied territories in 1967. According to the bill, these petitions will be discussed in the Jerusalem District Court. Shakid claimed that the Knesset has taken a major step in making life normal in the West Bank, as we have seen that at the outposts of Amona and Netaf Hafot. "

The Knesset also discussed a bill submitted by former coalition leader, David Beitan and some MKs calling for the cancellation of the so-called "disengagement"´-or-Ariel Sharon s 2005 law, known as the Unilateral Separation law, and consequently allowing settlers to return to evacuated settlements in the northern West Bank, such as, Sanur and Homesh in Jenin Governorate. The Israeli High Court of Justice has rejected a new petition filed by Palestinians from Silwad regarding the recently vacated "outpost of Amona" land, demanding its return to their owners. At the same meeting, sources said that the High Settlement Committee of the Supreme Council of the Civil Administration was to discuss about 31 plans to add housing units to the settlements on the occupied West Bank.

Field, the Supreme Planning Council of the Israeli Civil Administration approved the construction of approximately 2,070 new settlement units in Jerusalem and the West Bank, of which 1,100 settlement units in the occupied West Bank in Gush Etzion and Kiryat Arba settlements south of Hebron, 129 in Har Bracha near Nablus, 166 in the "Eilah Zahav," 53 in Helmish, 19 in Baduil, 17 in Revavah, 13 in Tabuah and 5 in Bani Huber. Furthermore, 206 units were also approved to be built in the Tsufim settlement, 96 in Sinsna and 96 in Nokdim, where Minister of Defense, Avigdor Lieberman lives, 38 in Kfar Etzion, 13 in Einab and 8 in Beit Aryeh, which are built on 88 dunums belonging to the Arab Ta amra village. Besides, the approval of building more than 560 settlement units in Jerusalem settlements, including Kfar Adumim 92 and Har Hadar 10, 92 additional housing units in the " Kfar Adumim ," 135 units in the "Tana Omrim" south of Hebron, 42 units in the Carmel "settlement, 24 units in Maaleh Hefer, 57 "Ngohot," and 45 units have been built and waiting for occupation licenses.

The "Higher Planning Council" in the so-called "Civil Administration" of the Israeli occupation has approved a new settlement plan on 145 dunums, which part of a larger plan to build 322 housing units on an area of 660 dunums, approved in Feb. 2017 on the new "Novi Perishit" neighborhood located within the territory of the Anata village.


A list of Israeli Occupation and Settlers Assaults over The Last Week, Documented by the National Bureau:
Jerusalem:
-;- Allocating NIS 4 million to open new road in the in Neve Tzion Neighborhood east Jerusalem, where a number of public buildings, synagogues, kindergartens and public buildings will be connected.

-;- Ongoing confiscation of parts of the Bab al-Rahma Cemetery adjacent to the wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the benefit of the Judaization projects.

-;- Storming the Silwan town south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and began filming a number of facilities and houses of citizen to demolish them under the pretext of having no licenses.

Hebron:

-;- Handing over 5 demolition orders for residential facilities south of Hebron, which were donated by European parties to support the steadfastness of the population in the Al-Mafraqa area, whose residents are being subjected to displacement by the occupation authorities.

-;- Running over Moh d al-Zaru, 17, near the Ibrahimi Mosque and was admitted to the Hebron Governmental Hospital.

-;- Cutting down 700 grape trees from the lands of the Balotat Awais area east of Hebron next to the bypass road no. "60."

Bethlehem:

-;- Approving a decision no. 404/1/6/5 to establish a bus station including buildings, offices and parking in theKhalit al-Fahm area near Al-Khader town, which means the confiscation of vast areas. The Higher Planning Council of the Israeli Civil Administration approved the construction of 450 settlement units in the Gush Etzion south of Bethlehem including the construction of 170 units in the Neveh Daniel settlement, 84 units in the Kfar Darad settlement, 150 Kfar Etzion settlement.

Nablus:

-;- Shooting youth, Maher Qadus 17 by the security guard of the "Bracha" settlement near the village of Iraq Burin, south of Nablus.

Salfeet:

-;- Digging in the pastoral area near the town of Bruqin, west of Salfit, belonging to farmers from the town to -convert- it for the settlement of Prokhin.

-;- Polluting the environment in the Governorate of Salfit as a result of´-or-by the dumping of wastewater in, citizens of the village of Sarata West of Salfit have complained of the pollution from the factories "Porkan" settlement,

Qalqilia:

-;- Preventing Azzun Municipality from opening agricultural roads in the lands near the security fence belonging to "Ma ale Shamron settlement" and threatened to confiscate equipment and machinery belonging to the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture. Along with a new military order targeting 18 houses in Area C in the north of the town and adjacent to bypass road number "55."

Tubbas:

-;- A military decision to demolish 20 houses in the village of Aqaba east of Tubas under the pretext of non-license, knowing that these buildings were licensed by the Committee for Organization and Building in the village.




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