Palestinian village faces demolition by Israel

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Palestinians in this hamlet have clung to their arid acres for decades, living without proper electricity or water while Israel provides both to Jewish settlers on nearby hills. But the end now seems near for Susiya: Demolition orders distributed last week by the Israelis aim to destroy virtually the entire village.

Before it does, Israel could encounter an international complication: Several European countries, with traditional Israel ally Germany in the lead, have funded solar panels, wind turbines and wells to make life in area villages more bearable. A diplomatic incident may loom.

"They are turning us into refugees on our own land," said resident Mohammed Nawaja, principal of a 35-student elementary school that consists of four tents slated for removal."

more

A Community to be destroyed

Why Susya is "Illegal"

<snip>

"Israel plans to demolish the entire village of Susya. Defending the proposed demolition, the "Defense/Security" section of the settler news site Arutz Sheva (they file anything relating to Arabs under "defense" or "security&quot calls Susya an "illegal Arab outpost in the southern Hevron Hills." Their arguments are lousy and typical apologetics for Israel’s unjust land policies in the West Bank.

Arutz Sheva, like the Israeli government, claims that Susya, and other Palestinian villages in Area C, are built without permits and are therefore "illegal." That is to say, if "the Arabs" were only to build with permits, they would be legal, and Israel would not destroy their houses (or, in this case, their entire village).

But there is no "law." In the West Bank there is one set of laws for Jews and another set entirely for Arabs.

While it is likely true that Susya residents did not seek permits from the Israeli Civil Administration, that fact needs to be put in context. It is virtually impossible for an Arab living in Area C (over 60% of the West Bank under complete Israeli civil and military control since the Oslo Accords) to receive a permit to build. According to Israeli planning rights group Bimkom, from 2000-2008, an average of 95% of Palestinian requests for building permits in Area C were rejected. 95%.

In other words, a Palestinian from Susya could, hypothetically, apply for a permit on the 5% off-chance that it will be accepted. If the permit is not granted, on the 95% on-chance, the house will be moved directly into the Israeli Civil Administration's sites, and Israel will likely demolish the house."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/06/20/why-susya-is-illegal.html

[azurnoir]

1. a visual of what is happening in Area C

[King_David]

2. Who could possibly take a visual seriously ,

When it talks about 'Ethnic Cleansing" and "Bantustans' wrt Israel.

Obviously its a visual with a sinister agenda.

[azurnoir]

3. so tell us are the numbers that graphic has listed untrue

or is it that you simply do not like the wording?

[King_David]

4. Did not even read it...

Saw the words Bantustan and Ethnic Cleansing,decided it was garbage,nonsense that was not worth even a nano second of my time ,looking even further.

The whole visual is thus discredited and worthless. (even if there was a small true fact in it, no balanced person will take it seriously)

[azurnoir]

5. oh well if you say so lol at least for you it is

but it seems you do not distinguish between your opinion and what others may think some of us do not make empirical sounding proclamations about what anyone balanced will think

[shira]

8. I'm disappointed they didn't include the Judaization of Area C and slow-mo genocide.

Also, no mention of Zionist terror pigs, penis shrinking rays, and horny gum that corrupts Palestinian youth.

The Zionists had their tentacles of influence in that article, no doubt.

[Scurrilous]

6. Hundreds protest plan to demolish entire Palestinian village

<snip>

"Over 500 Israelis and Palestinians from near and far gathered in Susya (southern West Bank) on Friday to protest plans by Israeli authorities to demolish the Palestinian village in its entirety. Despite being a peaceful and nonviolent demonstration, the army fired stun grenades, tear gas, and threatened to use “skunk” water. One protestor was injured in the head by a stun grenade and required stitches.

Susya – located in Area C of the West Bank under full Israeli control – is under threat of destruction, following the June 7 interim injunction by the High Court of Justice to stop construction in the village, and subsequent Civil Administration orders for the 52 structures that comprise it.

Palestinian and Israeli protestors attempted to walk to the archeological site developed by Israel in Susya, from which the Palestinian residents were originally expelled in 1986 after Israeli archeologists found the remnants of a synagogue. The army quickly announced that it was an illegal protest and demanded we turn back and go home. They used stun grenades and tear gas to disperse the crowds, resulting in one injury. The army also had truck on hand to fire “skunk” water, which they threatened to use but ultimately did not. There were no arrests."

http://972mag.com/hundreds-protest-plan-to-demolish-palestinian-village/49098/

[Individualism]

7. Israeli version of imminent domain we have that in America sadly to.

[Mosby]

11. the phrase is "eminent domain"

Last edited Mon Jun 25, 2012, 11:21 PM - Edit history (1)

In the US it is usually found in the form of easements, which are used to widen roads etc.

[Scurrilous]

9. Rights groups: State practices 'zoning Apartheid'

Left-leaning groups accuse Civil Administration of grossly discriminating against Palestinians seeking to build in West Bank

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4246578,00.html

<snip>

"Civil rights groups advocating for Palestinian residents of the Israeli-controlled territories of the West Bank have accused the State of discriminating against villages seeking to expand.

For nearly two decades, a temporary agreement between Israel and the Palestinians has allowed the Jewish state to maintain full control of Area C, a territory that stretches across 62% of the West Bank and is inhabited by 50,000 Palestinians and over 300,000 Jewish settlers.

NGOs that include the Association for Human Rights in Israel (ACRI) and the Bimkom organization claim that the Civil Administration, which governs the territory, applies unequal policies to Palestinians and Jews in the area, branding the practice as a "zoning Apartheid."

[oberliner]

10. Who knew that Afrikaans word would become so popular?

It's losing all meaning. Like when every mean person is called a "nazi" - a la Jerry Seinfeld.

[azurnoir]

12. from B'tselem on this and more on the histotry involved

Since the expulsion of the village residents in 1986, the Civil Administration has not offered them an alternative place to live, nor prepared a building plan that would enable them to live legally on their lands. The Civil Administration refuses to connect the village to nearby water and electricity infrastructure that Israel built to serve the settlements and outposts, on the grounds that the village has no building plan. In the last few years, solar panels were installed in the village to supply electricity to the residents. In 2011, the Civil Administration demolished fourteen structures in the village, among them ten residential tents in which 87 people lived, including thirty children. Twenty additional demolition orders are pending against other structures in the village, including an elementary school and a well.

The Israeli planning regime in Area C, which is under full Israeli control, allows almost no building or development in the Palestinian villages in these areas. In the South Hebron Hills, Israel’s policy has included expulsion of the residents of other villages. By contrast, Israel has avoided enforcing planning and building laws on the settlers’ outposts erected in the area illegally and without permits (i.e. Havat Ma’on, Avigayil, Mitzpe Yair, Suseya North-West, Nof Nesher and Asaha’el), and has allowed them to connect to the water and electricity infrastructure.

The residents of Susiya claim ownership of about 3,000 dunams of agricultural land, on which there are 30 water holes, close to the Suseya settlement. The army has issued orders prohibiting the residents from entering or farming on a major portion of these lands. In August 2010 the villagers petitioned the HCJ through Rabbis for Human Rights demanding revocation of the orders denying them access to their lands. In February 2011, the State notified the HCJ that the army and the Civil Administration would map the ownership of the lands in the area and in accordance with the results would instruct the forces in the area. So far, mapping has been carried out only for a small area. In addition, when settlers attack the farmers even on lands for which no such orders have been issued, the army and police do not enforce the law.

As the occupying power, Israel is obligated to act for the benefit and welfare of the residents of the occupied area. Israel is violating international law in not preparing a building plan for the village of Susiya while instead attempting to expel its residents.

http://www.btselem.org/planning_and_building/20120614_susiya

[Scurrilous]

13. Thanks.