Amnesty International:Israel engaged in 'illegal conduct' during demolitions of homes

[Tennis]

http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=774914

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- In the wake of a demolition campaign carried out by Israeli forces on Palestinian citizens of Israel in the Israeli city of Qalansawe, Amnesty International Israel on Thursday released a statement condemning possible human rights violations that occurred during the demolitions and accused Israeli forces of acting on “political motives.”

On Tuesday, Israeli forces, including hundreds of Israeli police and more than 20 bulldozers, demolished 11 homes belonging to Palestinian citizens of Israel in the city of Qalansawe in central Israel, sparking clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police, locals said at the time.

Some of the Palestinian families whose homes were demolished were left homeless after the campaign, according to rights groups.

Mayor of Qalansawe, Abd al-Basit Mansour, immediately resigned from his post in reaction to the demolition campaign, underscoring that the city had been fruitlessly waiting for the approval of a master plan for the area for 20 years.

Due to the planning failures in the region, which necessitates that any building plans be approved on the regional rather than local level, Palestinians in Qalansawe and other areas dominated by Palestinian citizens have been forced to build without proper permission from Israeli authorities in order to accommodate an increasing population.

Amnesty International Israel cited several sources as saying that Israeli police were impeding the entry of journalists and representatives of human rights groups to the town, or denying them access outright.

A large portion of police officers were wearing masks on their faces, representatives of the group witnessed.

The group said Israel’s actions “increased their concerns” over possible human rights violations that occurred during the demolitions, and said they suspected an attempt by Israeli forces to “conceal illegal activities.”

The group called the incident “politically unacceptable,” and noted that the Israeli planning authorities in the region have been dysfunctional for decades. However, the mass demolition campaign on Tuesday was “almost unprecedented.”

Despite receiving the demolition orders only a day before the demolitions were carried out, the demolition notices were dated on Dec. 20, a move which the group said was designed to prevent the residents of Qalansawe from appealing the demolition orders.

Residents, however, quickly responded to the demolition notices the day before and began legal proceedings against them. But Israeli forces demolished the homes anyway, despite the right of residents to appeal such decisions.

The actions of Israeli authorities seem to show that the community would be demolished “no matter what,” the group stated.

Amnesty International added that the actions by Israeli authorities raised “alarming questions” regarding Israel’s policies against Palestinian citizens of Israel, noting that residents were forced to deal with unapproved building through paying fines and other administrative means.

The decision to conduct the [demolition] operation, despite the failures of planning authorities to approve building plans for the city, raised “concern over the illegal conduct” of Israeli authorities and the “political motives” that appear to be behind the demolitions, the group concluded.

The day following the demolitions, Palestinian citizens declared a general strike across Israel, which included protests in dozens of Palestinian-majority towns and at least half a million Palestinians participating in the strike.

On Friday, a reported 20,000 Palestinian citizens and supporters took to the streets in Israel to protest against the demolitions, which they claimed was a systematic policy by Israeli authorities to tear apart Palestinian communities in Israel in order to pressure them to leave the region.

Middle East Eye quoted an activist and resident of Qalansawe, Mahasen Rabus, as saying that “the demolition of houses is an Israeli political strategy against Palestinians since 1948, and it is part of a policy to desist on Palestinians living in Israel.”

"Israeli authorities did not allow us to build or expand, and the issuance of building permits has become an almost impossible task. In addition, they refused to extend the borders of Arab cities, so really we had no other option but to build,” adding that the communities would continue demonstrating so long as such policies continue.

Last month, Netanyahu reportedly held meetings when he instructed officials to “work to issue demolition orders for the illegal structures, located in Arab towns in northern and southern Israel, as well as in eastern Jerusalem,” alluding to a Supreme Court ruling to demolish the illegal Israeli Amona outpost constructed in the occupied West Bank in violation of both Israeli and international law.

“There will be no double standards regarding construction,” Israeli media quoted Netanyahu as saying. “There will be equal enforcement of the law in Israel for both Jews and Arabs.”

Earlier in December, Netanyahu commented on the Supreme Court-ordered demolition of Amona by assuring the soon-to-be displaced settlers that he would commit to “enforcing laws” on “illegal construction” in Israel, referring primarily to Palestinian communities that are forced to build without Israeli-issued building permits.

The Jerusalem municipality also vowed to demolish scores of Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem as a result of the ruling to dismantle Amona.

The so-called "Legalization bill," which would legalize dozens of unauthorized Israeli settler outposts in the occupied West Bank was also submitted to Israel's parliament in reaction to the Supreme Court ruling to demolish Amona.

Bedouin communities in the southern Israeli Negev region said a wave of home demolitions there last month came as a direct retaliation from the impending evacuation of Amona.

According to Palestinian NGO Adalah, only 4.6 percent of the housing tenders published by the Israel Land Authority (ILA) in 2015 were dedicated to Palestinian communities in Israel, although the population comprises 20 percent of the population.

The Palestinian population in Israel requires 13,000 new housing units per year, yet in practice only 7,000 housing units are built, mostly by means of private, self-construction, according to the group.

Really disturbing. When is the international community going to act and impose severe sanctions?

Also very disturbing that the press is being prevented from even covering these events.

[Theodarzna]

Israel needs to use better and quicker methods of demolishing homes.

[Mavett]

http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=774914



Really disturbing. When is the international community going to act and impose severe sanctions?

Also very disturbing that the press is being prevented from even covering these events.

Act on what? destroying illegal housing? or the Arab citizens think they are exempt from following laws?

more none news from tennisflooderace

[Tennis]

Act on what? destroying illegal housing? or the Arab citizens think they are exempt from following laws?

more none news from tennisflooderace

Clear discrimination.

Only 4.6 percent of the housing tenders published by the Israel Land Authority (ILA) in 2015 were dedicated to Palestinian communities in Israel, although the population comprises 20 percent of the population.

[Mavett]

Clear discrimination.

Only 4.6 percent of the housing tenders published by the Israel Land Authority (ILA) in 2015 were dedicated to Palestinian communities in Israel, although the population comprises 20 percent of the population.

Illegal construction got removed with accordance to the law, nothing more to it, end of story.

[Tennis]

Illegal construction got removed with accordance to the law, nothing more to it, end of story.

Explain how discrimination with housing permits is acceptable. Please do.

[Mavett]

Explain how discrimination with housing permits is acceptable. Please do.

Discrimination, laughable, Jewish couples suffer from lack of permits and housing as well, but for the most part they don't go around breaking the law and building wherever they fucking please.

[Seranthor]

Explain how discrimination with housing permits is acceptable. Please do.

Are you advocating that the Israelis break the law?

[Tennis]

Discrimination, laughable, Jewish couples suffer from lack of permits and housing as well, but for the most part they don't go around breaking the law and building wherever they fucking please.

Clearly illegal as the article states

Residents, however, quickly responded to the demolition notices the day before and began legal proceedings against them. But Israeli forces demolished the homes anyway, despite the right of residents to appeal such decisions.

Illegal according to the law. Do you support illegal actions by Israel?

- - - Updated - - -

Are you advocating that the Israelis break the law?

Amnesty International has stated that Israel is in the wrong. Did you even read the article dude.

[Mavett]

Clearly illegal as the article states

Residents, however, quickly responded to the demolition notices the day before and began legal proceedings against them. But Israeli forces demolished the homes anyway, despite the right of residents to appeal such decisions.

Illegal according to the law. Do you support illegal actions by Israel?

- - - Updated - - -



Amnesty International has stated that Israel is in the wrong. Did you even read the article dude.

There is no way in hell that they received the notices one day in advance from the ILA, absolute pile of rubbish.

What else an article from maannews would state? gosh.

[Deleted]

Act on what? destroying illegal housing? or the Arab citizens think they are exempt from following laws?

Using laws is just an excuse. Israel didn't approve plans for that area for 20 years. 20 years!!! Can't build anything without approval of Israel, Israel doesn't approve anything because they don't want to. Laws are designed to prevent palestinians from building houses. Do you really see nothing wrong with that?

But nothing will happen. US will as usual block any action against Israel.

[Seranthor]

Amnesty International has stated that Israel is in the wrong. Did you even read the article dude.

Yes, Yes, I read it... the Israelis complying with the laws, demolished buildings that were built illegally. So, again, since you seem so strongly against the Israelis complying with the law I had to ask, if you now are advocating that the Israelis ignore the law and leave those buildings in place. It is a simple question, with a binary answer. Yes or No?

[Mavett]

Using laws is just an excuse. Israel didn't approve plans for that area for 20 years. 20 years!!! Can't build anything without approval of Israel, Israel doesn't approve anything because they don't want to. Laws are designed to prevent palestinians from building houses. Do you really see nothing wrong with that?

But nothing will happen. US will as usual block any action against Israel.

And i appealed for a permit to build an additional room at my house ( would alter an exterior wall ) and it still didn't come through, 2 years and counting, maybe i should cry foul about discrimination as well, or simply go ahead and build and then later get fined and the addition demolished?

[Tennis]

What percent of the requests are made by Palestinians? It says they need more homes than are being built each year to keep up with population. Maybe they shouldn't breed beyond what they're able to support.

If Palestinians are 20% of the population yet Israel is only giving 4% of total permits to them then that is plain discrimination isn't it?

[Khaza-R]

Can we get a Israel/Palestine meta thread? These posts are getting stale, redundant and incessantly repeated by the same few people

[purebalance]

If Palestinians are 20% of the population yet Israel is only giving 4% of total permits to them then that is plain discrimination isn't it?

No it isn't. You're assuming 20% of all requested permits are Palestinian which you haven't provided evidence that they are.

[Tennis]

No it isn't. You're assuming 20% of all requested permits are Palestinian which you haven't provided evidence that they are.

From the article

Despite receiving the demolition orders only a day before the demolitions were carried out, the demolition notices were dated on Dec. 20, a move which the group said was designed to prevent the residents of Qalansawe from appealing the demolition orders.

This isn't how a democracy operates. Do you support this or not?

[Cthulhu 2020]

Israel needs to use better and quicker methods of demolishing homes.

It's only illegal, unethical, and morally bankrupt if you get caught!

[Seranthor]

From the article



This isn't how a democracy operates. Do you support this or not?

I support compliance with the law, certainly you do as well. Dont you? or are you an advocate for ignoring the law?

[Spectral]

Man, if only there was a country in the Middle East where Arab Muslims could live safe from the terror of Israeli Jews. if only...