ninathedog (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} ninathedog) wrote,@ 2005-11-25 03:21:00 |
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"...but stealing stones from the earth? The occupation never ceases to surprise us.”
B’Tselem calls for compensation for demolished home
http://www.palestinenet.org/english/arc
nov/week4/241105/report1.htm
Amin Abu Warda, Nablus 10:30 am 24.11.05
The Israeli human rights center B’Tselem has demanded that the Israeli army compensate the owner of a home in the Nur Shams Refugee Camp near Tulkarm after his house was partially demolished in Israeli shelling last month. B’Tselem said the Israeli army opened fire at an inhabited home in the refugee camp before shelling it with rockets.
They said the soldiers did not bother to tell the people inside, including small children, to get out of the house. Instead the residents were awoken after their home went up in flames while they were still inside. Although the inhabitants were able to escape from the burning house, the soldiers did not take any measures to put out the fire.
According to B’Tselem, the house was partially demolished and no longer inhabitable. The military attorney general called for an investigation into the incident and for compensation to be paid to the residents for damages inflicted on them.
The military attorney also submitted a request to the Israel High Court to discuss the use of human shields after Israeli defense minister Shaul Mofaz stated his intention to address the high court and explain the importance of this measure. His request was submitted following the high court decision on October 6, 2005, which banned the use of Palestinian citizens in military operations.
Since the start of the Aqsa Intifada, especially during Israeli army raids into Palestinian residential areas such as during Operation Protective Shield, Israeli soldiers have used Palestinians as human shields. Soldiers usually pick a person at random and make him protect the soldiers with his body during dangerous military operations.
..............
Tibi says Israeli government defying international law
http://www.palestinenet.org/english/arc
nov/week4/221105/report3.htm
Mustapha Sabri, Qalqilya 10:20 am 22.11.05
Secretary General of the Arab Movement for Change, Ahmad Tibi told PNN on Monday that the occupation and the State of Israel is defying and challenging international law as stated in the Sixth Geneva Convention, Article 77 by insisting on keeping Palestinian prisoners of the Gaza Strip in prison after the end of the occupation.
“Article 77 of the aforementioned convention stipulates that the end of military rule in an area obligates the occupying party to transfer all prisoners to the liberated area,” said Tibi.
“In accordance with this article, attorney Osama Saadi from the Arab Movement for Change has submitted a legal appeal to the Israel High Court for the release of Gaza Strip prisoners. However, the Israeli prosecutor general insists that these prisoners from the Gaza Strip remain in prison on claims that violence is still ongoing in this liberated area.”
Tibi said the high court judge asked the prosecutor general if the occupation of the West Bank is still present while in Gaza it has ended. The prosecutor said he could not answer the query but would discuss it with other parties. Therefore, the court hearing was postponed for one month.
Tibi said he is very serious in submitting the appeal to the high court, saying he wants the occupation to be put on trial for going against international law and for not adhering to legal standards by holding thousands of Palestinian prisoners from Gaza.
..............
Israeli authorities steal boulders, destroy
archeological ruins for sake of wall
http://www.palestinenet.org/english/arc
week4/231105/report2.htm
Mustapha Sabri, Qalqilya 11:30 am 23.11.05
The settlement of Ariel is the biggest of all West Bank settlements and was upgraded to city status by the Israeli government. Its population has reached approximately 18,000 settlers.
For its Palestinian neighbors from the villages of Marda, Iskaka, Yasouf, Kifl Hares, Burqin and Salfeet, Ariel is a constant menace.
There is around-the-clock security for the settlement, which affects anyone living in its vicinity and sewage water channeled from the settlement into adjacent Palestinian land has resulted in environmental hazards.
This is not all. Settlers have even stolen boulders near Ariel to use as a border along the separation wall built around the settlement.
Head of the tourism and archeology department in the Salfit district told PNN that the Israeli occupation has already destroyed archeological ruins dating back to the Byzantine era, which constitute an important part of the area’s history.
These ruins used to be rest stops for Christian pilgrims coming from Antakia to the holy lands. In addition, these ruins were the first beginnings of human colonization in Palestine.
“Through this destruction, the occupation aims at concealing any landmarks that point to the presence of civilizations in Palestine.” The director continued, “This is considered cultural and humanistic terrorism by a state that claims it is democratic,” saying the tourism ministry is following this issue at the highest levels.
Journalist Khaled Maalie from Salfit says the occupation insisted on uprooting Khirbet Al Sharjara (ruins), north of Salfeet. It brought heavy machinery and bulldozers to level the ruins, especially the boulders, which they broke to pieces.
At first, says Maalie, their intentions were not clear. However, it soon became apparent that they were taking the boulders to build a border along the wall encircling Ariel.
“In my work as a journalist, I have seen many types of confiscations. We have heard of stealing land and water, but stealing stones from the earth? The occupation never ceases to surprise us.”
Hence, not only have settlers benefited from the fruits of Palestinian land, they now have their stones to beautify the wall around Ariel.
“What is strange is that the stones were not placed on several kilometers around the wall, which is strangulating the Palestinians. They have only been placed on the sector facing the settlers for aesthetic purposes,” says Maalie.
“If anyone other than the Israeli occupation had done something like this, the international community would be up in arms. They would have considered it the destruction of human heritage.”
B’Tselem calls for compensation for demolished home
http://www.palestinenet.org/english/arc
nov/week4/241105/report1.htm
Amin Abu Warda, Nablus 10:30 am 24.11.05
The Israeli human rights center B’Tselem has demanded that the Israeli army compensate the owner of a home in the Nur Shams Refugee Camp near Tulkarm after his house was partially demolished in Israeli shelling last month. B’Tselem said the Israeli army opened fire at an inhabited home in the refugee camp before shelling it with rockets.
They said the soldiers did not bother to tell the people inside, including small children, to get out of the house. Instead the residents were awoken after their home went up in flames while they were still inside. Although the inhabitants were able to escape from the burning house, the soldiers did not take any measures to put out the fire.
According to B’Tselem, the house was partially demolished and no longer inhabitable. The military attorney general called for an investigation into the incident and for compensation to be paid to the residents for damages inflicted on them.
The military attorney also submitted a request to the Israel High Court to discuss the use of human shields after Israeli defense minister Shaul Mofaz stated his intention to address the high court and explain the importance of this measure. His request was submitted following the high court decision on October 6, 2005, which banned the use of Palestinian citizens in military operations.
Since the start of the Aqsa Intifada, especially during Israeli army raids into Palestinian residential areas such as during Operation Protective Shield, Israeli soldiers have used Palestinians as human shields. Soldiers usually pick a person at random and make him protect the soldiers with his body during dangerous military operations.
..............
Tibi says Israeli government defying international law
http://www.palestinenet.org/english/arc
nov/week4/221105/report3.htm
Mustapha Sabri, Qalqilya 10:20 am 22.11.05
Secretary General of the Arab Movement for Change, Ahmad Tibi told PNN on Monday that the occupation and the State of Israel is defying and challenging international law as stated in the Sixth Geneva Convention, Article 77 by insisting on keeping Palestinian prisoners of the Gaza Strip in prison after the end of the occupation.
“Article 77 of the aforementioned convention stipulates that the end of military rule in an area obligates the occupying party to transfer all prisoners to the liberated area,” said Tibi.
“In accordance with this article, attorney Osama Saadi from the Arab Movement for Change has submitted a legal appeal to the Israel High Court for the release of Gaza Strip prisoners. However, the Israeli prosecutor general insists that these prisoners from the Gaza Strip remain in prison on claims that violence is still ongoing in this liberated area.”
Tibi said the high court judge asked the prosecutor general if the occupation of the West Bank is still present while in Gaza it has ended. The prosecutor said he could not answer the query but would discuss it with other parties. Therefore, the court hearing was postponed for one month.
Tibi said he is very serious in submitting the appeal to the high court, saying he wants the occupation to be put on trial for going against international law and for not adhering to legal standards by holding thousands of Palestinian prisoners from Gaza.
..............
Israeli authorities steal boulders, destroy
archeological ruins for sake of wall
http://www.palestinenet.org/english/arc
week4/231105/report2.htm
Mustapha Sabri, Qalqilya 11:30 am 23.11.05
The settlement of Ariel is the biggest of all West Bank settlements and was upgraded to city status by the Israeli government. Its population has reached approximately 18,000 settlers.
For its Palestinian neighbors from the villages of Marda, Iskaka, Yasouf, Kifl Hares, Burqin and Salfeet, Ariel is a constant menace.
There is around-the-clock security for the settlement, which affects anyone living in its vicinity and sewage water channeled from the settlement into adjacent Palestinian land has resulted in environmental hazards.
This is not all. Settlers have even stolen boulders near Ariel to use as a border along the separation wall built around the settlement.
Head of the tourism and archeology department in the Salfit district told PNN that the Israeli occupation has already destroyed archeological ruins dating back to the Byzantine era, which constitute an important part of the area’s history.
These ruins used to be rest stops for Christian pilgrims coming from Antakia to the holy lands. In addition, these ruins were the first beginnings of human colonization in Palestine.
“Through this destruction, the occupation aims at concealing any landmarks that point to the presence of civilizations in Palestine.” The director continued, “This is considered cultural and humanistic terrorism by a state that claims it is democratic,” saying the tourism ministry is following this issue at the highest levels.
Journalist Khaled Maalie from Salfit says the occupation insisted on uprooting Khirbet Al Sharjara (ruins), north of Salfeet. It brought heavy machinery and bulldozers to level the ruins, especially the boulders, which they broke to pieces.
At first, says Maalie, their intentions were not clear. However, it soon became apparent that they were taking the boulders to build a border along the wall encircling Ariel.
“In my work as a journalist, I have seen many types of confiscations. We have heard of stealing land and water, but stealing stones from the earth? The occupation never ceases to surprise us.”
Hence, not only have settlers benefited from the fruits of Palestinian land, they now have their stones to beautify the wall around Ariel.
“What is strange is that the stones were not placed on several kilometers around the wall, which is strangulating the Palestinians. They have only been placed on the sector facing the settlers for aesthetic purposes,” says Maalie.
“If anyone other than the Israeli occupation had done something like this, the international community would be up in arms. They would have considered it the destruction of human heritage.”
