Israel planning mass expansion of West Bank settlement bloc

freedomclub SG

Israel planning mass expansion of West Bank settlement bloc

Despite the state's formal commitment not to expand West Bank settlements, a government agency has been promoting plans over the past two years to construct thousands of housing units east of the Green Line, Haaretz has learned.

The plans, which have not yet been approved by the government, were drawn up by the Civil Administration, the government agency responsible for nonmilitary matters in the West Bank. Details of the plans appear in the minutes of the agency's environmental subcommittee, which were obtained by the B'Tselem organization under the Freedom of Information Act.

The plans propose the initial construction of 550 apartments in Gva'ot, located near Alon Shvut in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, followed by construction of another 4,450 units at a later stage. At present, Gva'ot is inhabited by 12 families. The neighboring settlement of Bat Ayin, which has about 120 families, is slated to receive another 2,000 apartments, according to the plans.

Rimonim will get another 254 apartments if the plans are approved, and expansion plans are also in the works for Einav and Mevo Dotan. All three of these settlements are east of the separation fence.

Ma'aleh Adumim has included planned construction in the E-1 corridor in its sewage treatment plans. That corridor, which links Ma'aleh Adumim to Jerusalem, is eventually slated to hold some 3,500 apartments.

Nearby Kfar Adumim's sewage treatment plan predicts that the settlement will double its population "in the coming years," to 5,600 inhabitants. And in Eshkolot, the Civil Administration instructed the settlement to draw up a sewage plan adequate for a population five times its current one.

A Civil Administration spokesman said that its "environmental subcommittee does not discuss approval for housing units at all, but deals with the professional aspects of the area's environmental needs, sometimes at the theoretical level."

frakfrakfrak SG

Have you read Deuteronomy Chapter 28? It's quite a good read.

BJK SG

Sure Israel will expand the settlements in West Bank. Who or which country dare to say anything. Is is a shame for other world leaders to keep quiet. US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is now in Israel and she has restated US “unshakeable” support for Israel, whatever type of government emerges from current coalition talks. What will designate PM Netanyahu do when he is the PM – he will be more bolden in building settlements and implement other harsh policies against the palestinians.
Hamas (Gaza) and Hizbollah(southern Lebonan) better not fire a single rocket into Israel as the consequences will be more disasterous than previously carried out by Israel’s IDF.

dotaro SG

Hamas (Gaza) and Hizbollah(southern Lebonan) better not fire a single rocket into Israel as the consequences will be more disasterous than previously carried out by Israel’s IDF.

Why do they want to fire rockets in the first place?
Why hide in residents' homes to carry out attacks?

frakfrakfrak SG

The Qassam rockets are cheap unguided short range low yeild rockets designed to create a security buffer zone between areas settled by the Palestinians and the enroaching Isreali settlers. As such the Qassams are a defensive weapon as can be seen from the low casualty rate. Isreali claims of whatever whatever are all bullshit.

Fuck the Zionists and their supporters.

Shotgun SG

Fuck the Zionists and their supporters.

The low casualty rates is because the motards can't do anything right. What kinda useless defensive weapon is that if itself can only be defended by surrounding it with women and children?

klivee SG

ISRAEL IS RIGHT .. hamas fire rocket for fk .

nothing better to do ?

dotaro SG

As long as these people keep thinking that Israel has OCCUPIED the land, these people will continue to haress Israel.

BJK SG

Even Israel's Human Rights Group called Gaza and West Bank occupied territories. Below is an extract from B'tselem's webpage and do visit www.B'tselem.org. for other details:

"B'TSELEM - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories was established in 1989 by a group of prominent academics, attorneys, journalists, and Knesset members. It endeavors to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel.

B'Tselem in Hebrew literally means "in the image of," and is also used as a synonym for human dignity. The word is taken from Genesis 1:27 "And God created humans in his image. In the image of God did He create him." It is in this spirit that the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that "All human beings are born equal in dignity and rights."

As an Israeli human rights organization, B'Tselem acts primarily to change Israeli policy in the Occupied Territories and ensure that its government, which rules the Occupied Territories, protects the human rights of residents there and complies with its obligations under international law"

reyes SG

israel and palestine problem are like singapore and malaysia.

Never ending, the history and past feud will continue to dominate their relationship.

i dont think anybody can have a solution for them.

Deino SG

yea...and they're gonna make the population of the palestines grow so that they can have another blood harvest...

BJK SG

Some people still in denial that West Bank & Gaza are occupied by Israel. I append below another extract from today BBC webpage on petition by Israel human rights group against Israel mining operation in West Bank:

"An Israeli human rights group has filed a petition at the High Court demanding an immediate halt to Israeli mining operations in the West Bank.

The group, Yesh Din, accuses Israel of breaking international law by exploiting the occupied territory's resources for its own gain.

It says Israel has never conducted a thorough review of the practice.

But Israel says the procedures are in line with both international law and agreements with the Palestinians.

Yesh Din cites military documents which show nine million of the 12 million tonnes of rock and gravel mined in the West Bank each year are sold in Israel - and says Israel is "addicted to the exploitation".

It says its High Court petition addresses "the illegal practice of brutal economic exploitation of a conquered territory to serve the exclusive economic needs of the occupying power".

'Pillage'

"According to international law, this kind of activity is a violation of occupation laws as well as of human rights laws and, in certain cases, might be defined as pillage," says the petition.

Long-term Israeli construction plans show the authorities intend to rely on the continued use of materials taken from the West Bank over the next 30 years, says the group, leaving the territory "empty of natural resources".

Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, has rejected the accusations."