© www.timesofisrael.comMasked Jewish settlers, background, and Palestinians, foreground, hurl stones during clashes in the West Bank.
Plan revealed in response to
Yesh Din petition to evacuate illegal outpost of Adei Ad, east of Shilo, built on private land and home to residents involved in violent acts against Palestinians —
Israel intends to authorize a bloc of five West Bank outposts east of Shilo that covers six square kilometers and includes hundreds of illegal structures. The state submitted the announcement to the High Court of Justice in response a petition filed last year by the human rights group Yesh Din and the owners of the lands in question.
The petition calls for immediate evacuation of the Adei Ad outpost because
it was built without any building permits on private lands, and because outpost residents have been involved in violent acts threatening local security.
Regarding claims of violence by outpost residents toward Palestinian residents, the state asserted that 36 cases were opened in 2014 in the Shilo area and the adjacent Habladim outpost for illegal political acts including attacks and causing property damage. The cases led to 11 indictments against 19 individuals. In 2015, 16 cases were opened, only two of which have led to indictments.
In its response filed Tuesday to the High Court, the state announced its intention to authorize all the Shilo region outposts. To this end, work is being carried out to verify the borders of state lands in the area referred to as "Blue line team," as a preliminary stage for authorizing the outposts.
After the team's work is completed, the state intends to evacuate buildings found to be on private land and authorize the buildings on state land. Sixteen buildings in Adei Ad are estimated to be on private land . . . The state response on Adei Ad suggests
a total lack of enforcement of building violations over the Green Line.
Data indicate that construction in Adei Ad began in the late 1990s, leading to 150 cases of illegal building, including 93 residential structures, nine agricultural structures, 27 instances of land development and 14 general cases.
Despite the large number of cases, action was taken in only five instances to halt further construction. After the outpost was evacuated in 1999, the Civil Administration on three occasions seized portable structures and construction equipment, and twice demolished structures.
Comment: Why not. Israel doesn't consider violence against Palestinians as a crime, nor usurping another country's property illegal.
According to Yesh Din:
These acts of violence are not isolated incidents, not are they simply acts of hate or anger. Rather this brand of violence is part of a sophisticated, wider strategy designed to assert territorial domination over Palestinians in the West Bank.
'No go zones': In one manifestation of settler violence, Palestinians often face armed settlers in areas surrounding settlements and outposts, who create effective "no go zones" which often include private Palestinian land. This ensures that the land is virtually abandoned by its fearful owners.
'Price tag' campaign: In recent years, settlers have launched their "price tag" campaign against State, in which they retaliate during attempts to dismantle outposts by carrying out violent attacks on nearby Palestinian villages, forcing authorities to divert personnel to those areas.
According to international humanitarian law, as the occupying power in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Israel is charged with ensuring the security and safety of the residents of the OPT. Israel has neglected this obligation for decades. The IDF and police are neither prepared nor willing to provide the necessary protection to Palestinians attacked by violent settlers. Law enforcement agencies display repeated failure to conduct proper investigations of these incidents. When convictions are made, Israeli citizens involved in such violent acts are handed light sentences.
Comment: Why not. Israel doesn't consider violence against Palestinians as a crime, nor usurping another country's property illegal.
According to Yesh Din:
These acts of violence are not isolated incidents, not are they simply acts of hate or anger. Rather this brand of violence is part of a sophisticated, wider strategy designed to assert territorial domination over Palestinians in the West Bank. According to international humanitarian law, as the occupying power in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Israel is charged with ensuring the security and safety of the residents of the OPT. Israel has neglected this obligation for decades. The IDF and police are neither prepared nor willing to provide the necessary protection to Palestinians attacked by violent settlers. Law enforcement agencies display repeated failure to conduct proper investigations of these incidents. When convictions are made, Israeli citizens involved in such violent acts are handed light sentences.