Vast new settlement plans revealed by court order
The most comprehensive article, from John Reed, is first. Second a Ynet report. Third, Peace Now’s summary of what it found out. Plus Notes and Links
15.08.15, Jerusalem, E1 area, Ma’ale Adumim settlement and Jabal Al Baba Bedouin community. Photo by A. Mazarah/EAPPI
Israel advances planning for controversial West Bank zone
John Reed in Jerusalem, Financial Times
December 28, 2015
An Israeli group that tracks development in illegal West Bank settlements said on Monday that Israel’s housing ministry was proceeding with plans to build on land that the Palestinians have warned will diminish their chances of achieving a viable state.
The plan was condemned by a senior Palestinian figure, but an Israeli official said that no final decision had been made to go ahead with building on the land east of Jerusalem, known as E1.
Peace Now, a non-governmental organisation, said on Monday that it had uncovered plans to build thousands of housing units on E1 and elsewhere in the occupied West Bank in response to a freedom of information request.
The group, whose Settlement Watch arm tracks plans for Jewish housing in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, said that the ministry was working on plans for 55,548 units in West Bank settlements, including more than 8,372 in the E1 area.
“The exposed ministry of housing plans portray a worrying and dangerous picture for the state of Israel and for the two-state solution,” the group said.
Over the years, the US and European countries have warned Israel not to build on E1, which lies between Jerusalem and the large Jewish settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, because it would effectively bisect the West Bank’s northern and southern halves and make it harder for a future Palestinian state to be territorially contiguous.
Peace Now said that the plans also provided for two new settlements in Givat Eitam, south of Bethlehem, and Bitronot/Brosh, in the northern Jordan Valley.
This is further proof that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more interested in pandering to the racist, extremist and settler Israeli population than working to achieve peace and stability
– Hanan Ashrawi, PLO
The Palestinians have accused Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightwing government of building up a ring of settlements on occupied land around Jerusalem, and in doing so burying any chances of reaching agreement on a workable Palestinian state. Most of the outside world considers further building there an obstacle to peace.
“This is further proof that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is more interested in pandering to the racist, extremist and settler Israeli population than working to achieve peace and stability,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, in response to the news.
Mr Netanyahu has said that he supports a return to peace talks without pre-conditions, but the Palestinians and some foreign critics of Israel say his government’s words and actions indicate he does not have the two-state solution as a goal.
In December 2012, after the Palestinians went to the UN to gain recognition as a non-member observer state, Israel’s government announced it was moving ahead with planning and zoning in E1. It shelved the plans after the US cautioned it on settlement activity, and five EU countries summoned their Israeli ambassadors in protest.
An Israeli government official confirmed that the planning for E1 was in place, but that there had been no decision to begin building there. “Planning means an option to go ahead, but it doesn’t mean building will go ahead,” the official said, speaking anonymously.
Ha’aretz, the left-leaning newspaper, reported on Monday that the housing ministry had hired an urban planner in November 2014 to work on building in E1 when Uri Ariel, a member of he far-right Jewish Home party that sits in coalition with Mr Nethanyahu’s Likud, was housing minister. The current minister is Yoav Galant, a member of the centre-right Kulanu party.
Israeli analysts said that Mr Netanyahu or others in development could still halt development of E1, as the proposed construction was still in the planning stage.
“This is not necessarily an indication of serious intent,” said Daniel Seidemann, an attorney who specialises in Israeli-Palestinian relations. “My guess is this is Netanyahu allowing the settlers to let off steam.”
Peace Now: Israel seeking to revive E1 construction plans
According to NGO, Housing Ministry hires architects to prepare new blueprints for the construction of 55,548 Jewish homes in the West Bank, including two new settlements, 8,300 of which would be in area cutting East Jerusalem from the West Bank.
By AFP/Ynet
December 28, 2015
Israel is working to revive and extend plans for new Jewish settler homes in the contentious area of the West Bank known as E1, settler watchdog Peace Now said in a report released on Monday.
In December 2012, after the Palestinians went to the UN to gain recognition as a non-member observer state, Israel’s government announced it was moving ahead with planning and zoning in E1. It shelved the plans after the US cautioned it on settlement activity, and five EU countries summoned their Israeli ambassadors in protest.
An Israeli government official confirmed that the planning for E1 was in place, but that there had been no decision to begin building there. “Planning means an option to go ahead, but it doesn’t mean building will go ahead,” the official said, speaking anonymously.
Ha’aretz, the left-leaning newspaper, reported on Monday that the housing ministry had hired an urban planner in November 2014 to work on building in E1 when Uri Ariel, a member of he far-right Jewish Home party that sits in coalition with Mr Nethanyahu’s Likud, was housing minister. The current minister is Yoav Galant, a member of the centre-right Kulanu party.
Israeli analysts said that Mr Netanyahu or others in development could still halt development of E1, as the proposed construction was still in the planning stage.
“This is not necessarily an indication of serious intent,” said Daniel Seidemann, an attorney who specialises in Israeli-Palestinian relations. “My guess is this is Netanyahu allowing the settlers to let off steam.”
Peace Now: Israel seeking to revive E1 construction plans
According to NGO, Housing Ministry hires architects to prepare new blueprints for the construction of 55,548 Jewish homes in the West Bank, including two new settlements, 8,300 of which would be in area cutting East Jerusalem from the West Bank.
By AFP/ Ynet
December 28, 2015
Israel is working to revive and extend plans for new Jewish settler homes in the contentious area of the West Bank known as E1, settler watchdog Peace Now said in a report released on Monday.
In a report it said was based on government data obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request, the group said the Ministry of Construction and Housing was seeking to build 55,548 units in the West Bank — including two new settlements — of which 8,372 homes would be in E1.
E1 and the adjacent Ma’ale Adumim settlement form an Israeli buffer east of Jerusalem that the Palestinians say would divide the West Bank and badly hurt the possibility of a contiguous Palestinian state.
“The area of Ma’ale Adumim and E1 is one of the most sensitive areas in terms of the chances for two state solution,” Peace Now wrote.
“For these reasons, whenever an Israeli leader tries to promote the plans in E1, the international community strongly condemns them.”
The United States, the United Nations and the European Union oppose all Israeli settlement building but have voiced particular concern about plans for E1.
The Housing Ministry said the plans were drawn up in 2012-13, and last year, it had paid off outstanding contracts with design teams.
“During 2015 there were no activities whatsoever on site E1,” it said. “At no time did the office proceed with housing plans on said site.”
Beit Romano/Madraset Osama*
In 2013, faced with international pressure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vetoed construction of some 1,200 homes there but Peace Now said the Housing Ministry has hired architects to prepare fresh blueprints.
“This planning, which contradicts any possible commitment to a two-state solution, continues,” said Monday’s report, although it added that the plans could be years from fruition.
“They must be approved by the defence minister and then go through the approval process of the Planning Authority,” the English-language report said.
The Peace Now report said more than 55,000 settlement homes are in various stages of planning. Although most of them would take years to be approved, it said nearly 4,000 could be built in the near future.
An Israeli government official stressed the E1 plan is only hypothetical, and no decisions to build have been made.
But Hagit Ofran of Peace Now said the plans nonetheless reflected a vision. “If it wasn’t significant, why do it at all,” she said.
Many of the plans took place under former Housing Minister Uri Ariel, a strong advocate of the settler movement. Peace Now called on the current Housing Minister, Yoav Galant, who took office earlier this year, to cancel the plans.
US-backed peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel collapsed in April 2014 amid bitter mutual recriminations.
A chief grievance of the Palestinians was settlement building on land they claim for a future state.
“The continued settlement growth raises honest questions about Israel’s long-term intentions and will only make separating from the Palestinians much more difficult,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said in a speech in Washington on December 6.
Israel seized the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War. It later annexed East Jerusalem in a move never recognized by the international community.
Today, some 380,000 Israelis live in 135 West Bank settlements, with another 200,000 in East Jerusalem.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Ministry of Housing Plans Exposed
From Peace Now
December 28, 2015
Summary and Main Findings:
In November 2013, following international pressure, Prime Minister Netanyahu cancelled three tenders issued by the Ministry of Housing (MOH) calling for architects to bid for contracts to plan tens of thousands of housing units in settlements, including in E1. One year later, far from the public eye (without any public tender), the MOH hired architects to plan many of those plans. This planning, which contradicts any possible commitment to a two-state solution, continues through the present day.
In July 2013 Peace Now contacted the MOH, asking that it disclose its list of projects in the settlements since 2012, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. Only after Peace Now petitioned to the court, requesting that it compel the MOH to disclose the information, did the MOH revealed partial information: 200 pages with tables containing over 1,000 lines of data. This data, together with other sources, reveal that the MOH is working on projects in settlement valued at over 330 million NIS.
The main elements of this planning are as follows:
The MOH is working on plans for 55,548 units in West Bank settlements, in different phases of planning:
♦ About half of this planning is for construction east of the Separation Barrier.
♦ The plans include more than 8,372 units in the E1 area.
♦ The plans include two brand-new settlements: Givat Eitam (aka, E2, or A-Nahla, located south of Bethlehem), and Bitronot/Brosh, in the northern Jordan Valley.
♦ The plans include the post-facto legalization/approval of at least six illegal outposts
♦ The plans include construction to transform a number of small settlements into bigger towns.
In addition, the MOH is working today on plans for immediate implementation of construction of 3,786 units, 64% of them east of the Separation Barrier.
In addition, the MOH is already funding infrastructure work for the construction of 4,054 units, 70% of them east of the Separation Barrier.
In addition, it appears the MOH has funded a number of illegal projects in settlements.
In addition, the MOH gave at least 1.8 million NIS to local authorities in settlements for campaigns encouraging Israelis to move to settlements.
In addition, the MOH funded the expansion of the Beit Romano* settlement in the heart of Hebron (1 million NIS), and gave another 350,000 NIS for the renovation of the settlers’ “Beitar Club” in Hebron.
In addition, the Ministry of Housing of Housing is planning for settlement expansion in East Jerusalem:
♦ The MOH is planning a new neighborhood in Atarot (10,000 units) between Beit Hanina and Ramalla
♦ The MOH is planning for the expansion of Har Homa to the west (2,000 units).
♦ The MOH is planning for 21 units in the heart of the Muslim Quarter, near Herod’s Gate.
Notes and links
Download the full Peace Now report here, pdf file
This settlement consists of a yeshiva for Jewish religious studies – Yeshivat Shavei Hevron – and an IDF military camp. According to the settlers, the first Beit Romano was constructed in 1879 by Avraham (Haim) Romano, a wealthy Jew from Turkey, as a home for the elderly of the Turkish community. In 1917, the British Mandate Authorities confiscated the building and used it as headquarters and police station.
In 1948, the Jordanians opened a boys’ school at the site called Osama ibn Munqidh. The school was closed by the IDF in 1981/82 for security reasons. In 1980, the Israeli government permitted the restoration and expansion of Beit Romano/Madraset Osama.
Yeshivat Shavei Hevron was established in Beit Romano/Madraset Osama in 1983, and there is a rotation of students twice a year. In July 2008, the Israeli Minister of Defence approved the construction of a multi-storey structure adjacent to the existing Yeshiva as dormitories for additional students. The construction began in 2001, but was halted in March 2002 following a decision by the Israeli High Court of Justice.