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REPORT ON IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

A Bimonthly Publication of the Foundation for Middle East Peace Volume 17 Number 1 January-February 2007 WORDS ALONE WILL NOT END OCCUPATION Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has choice between the entire land of to our Palestinian neighbors, hoping distinguished himself in his first year as without a Jewish state, or a that it will not be rejected. Prime Minister by his unprecedented Jewish state without the entire land Olmert’s adoption of the Ben Gurion rhetorical support for a large-scale evac- of Israel—we chose a Jewish state model is instructive in another and per- uation of land and settlements in the without the entire land of Israel”. haps more telling way: Not only did . No Israeli leader since 1967 This historic choice made by Ben- Ben Gurion patent the “no partner” has been as forthright in invoking the Gurion at the conclusion of the war mantra of an era marked by stalemate need for an Israeli withdrawal from of independence was painful, but and war, it was Ben Gurion after all areas that Olmert himself long-consid- courageous, heart-wrenching, and who championed the policy—born in ered an integral part of Israel. But along sober. Cherished and beloved parts of the pre-state era—of creating territorial with his professed support for with- our homeland—the cradle of our his- facts on the ground as outposts marking drawal, Olmert, like Israel’s founding tory—remained beyond the border, the perimeter of what, in the aftermath prime minister, David Ben Gurion, has but a solid Jewish majority was guar- of the first war in Palestine, would used a ready and potent alibi—Arab anteed in the State of Israel. become the State of Israel. rejectionism—to explain his failure to Time passed, Arab animosity and Ben Gurion’s tenure was marked by do so. terrorism resulted in more war, and continuing enmity and conflict between In a November 2006 speech marking some 40 years ago, Israel was again Israel and its Arab neighbors, including a memorial ceremony for Ben Gurion faced with the difficult choice: many a slow-burning battle against Palestinian and his wife, Olmert said, good people advocated the vision of infiltration from the West Bank and Three years ago, in my capacity as Greater Israel. , not unlike the current con- vice prime minister for Prime Minis- David Ben-Gurion, already a flict by attrition on the Gaza-Israel ter Sharon, I delivered a speech retired statesman, ruled that in frontier. This era of confrontation was here and quoted from David Ben- exchange for true peace, Israel must broken not by Ben Gurion—whose Gurion’s address at a 1949 relinquish a vast majority of the terri- legacy was one of state building, not debate on the armistice agreements, tories occupied in the Six Day War. peacemaking—but by Ben Gurion’s in which he said: Much has happened since then: facts political nemesis, , “. . . when we were faced with the were established on the ground, who made peace with Egypt. agreements were signed, the interna- Like Ben Gurion, Olmert excels at tional and regional arena changed creating facts on the ground. Notwith- Please visit our website to see its beyond recognition. The bloody con- standing his rhetorical support for with- new look and improved navigation. flict with the has not drawing from occupied territory, under Sign up to receive the Report by ended. Ben-Gurion’s basic diagnosis his watch, the settler population in the e-mail, to be notified of events in remained valid and continues to West Bank (excluding East ) Washington, D.C., and more. Visit guide—with the necessary amend- increased by nearly 6 percent in 2006, us at www.fmep.org. ments—the position of Israeli gov- more than quadruple the 1.4 percent ernments in our peace policy today. growth rate in 2005. There were Also in this issue: Already at the time of Israel’s 268,379 living in the West Bank Valley Short Takes 3 birth, Ben-Gurion extended his hand at the end of 2006, according to the Settlement Time Line 4–6 in peace to the Arab nations. His Israeli Interior Ministry, compared to Short Takes 6 hand was rejected, but it remains extended. I extend my hand in peace WORDS ALONE, continued on page 7 TO OUR READERS FOUNDATION FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE The rash of ad hominem criticism of for- 1967, it “chose to become a colonial society. mer president Jimmy Carter’s best-selling In effect, we established an apartheid Merle Thorpe, Jr. Palestine Peace Not Apartheid is the latest regime.” Founder example of the dedicated effort of Ameri- Israel is a troubled young nation that (1917–1994) can groups and individuals who describe deserves special respect because of the themselves as “pro-Israel” to discourage tragedies of Jewish history. Nevertheless, it Philip C. Wilcox, Jr. criticism of Israel’s policies toward the is a nation like others that is capable of President Palestinians. good and bad. It is a disservice to Israel Geoffrey Aronson Many of the attacks on Carter’s book and to the United States to shield Israel Director, Research and and charges that he is “anti-Israel” focus on from serious criticism of its domination of Publications, Editor, Report on his use of the words apartheid and colonial- its Palestinian neighbors, a policy that has Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories ism to describe Israeli policies in the occu- brought grief to Israelis as well as to pied territories. Yet few of his critics Palestinians. This reluctance enables Israel Nitzan Goldberger address the substance of his criticisms. to live in a bubble, freed from the con- Editorial Assistant Fewer still have acknowledged that his straints of international life. It also enables Matthew Skarzynski analysis mirrors regular criticism by Israeli its leaders to pursue policies that in today’s Intern journalists, historians, and politicians who world are considered unacceptable and are often use the terms apartheid and colonial- widely opposed by Israelis themselves as TRUSTEES ism to describe Israeli policies of settle- incompatible with Israel’s security and its ment, control, and separation in the occu- self-identity as a modern, Jewish, demo- Lucius D. Battle pied territories. For example, in 2002, cratic state. Landrum R. Bolling Michael BenYair, the attorney general of Calvin H. Cobb, Jr. Israel from 1993 to 1996, wrote that after James J. Cromwell Israel’s occupation of Palestinian lands in Peter Gubser Stephen Hartwell —————— ◆ —————— Richard S.T. Marsh Richard W. Murphy Jean C. Newsom Gail Pressberg William B. Quandt Nicholas A. Veliotes

The Foundation, a non- profit I.R.C. 501(c)(3) organization, supports peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians through mutual recognition and a negotiated division of historic Pales- tine. It publishes the bi- monthly Report on Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories. Copyright © 2007

2 ❖ Report on Israeli Settlement January-February 2007 SHORT TAKES

New Settlement Planned for Former Gaza Settlers Jordan Valley Settlement Population, 1983–2004 Soon after the Defense Ministry has approved the building of a new section of the settlement of 2004 2000 1995 1983 Maskiyot in the northern Jordan Valley, international Almog 142 167 107 57 opposition forced the ministry to freeze the plan. 166 164 157 100 Defense Minister Amir Peretz personally signed the Bet HaArava 69 55 27 N/A building permits for 30 new residential units there, Beqa’ot 152 144 143 150 marking the first time in almost a decade that Israel Gilgal 164 180 172 118 has formally (re-)established a new settlement in the Gittit 161 100 128 113 occupied territories. The settlement was initially Hamra 125 147 146 177 established in 1981 by a paramilitary () unit. 120 N/A N/A N/A According to Arutz 7, there are already “several per- Kalya 260 260 252 102 manent residents living in a handful of buildings on Ma’ale Efraim 1,456 1,480 1,296 909 the site, as well as 50 religious students who attend a Massu’a 140 148 143 160 pre-military academy there.” 360 113 252 293 The plans include the construction of 30 houses 119 306 112 133 intended for families who were evacuated from the Netiv haGedud 132 139 149 155 Katif bloc as part of the disengagement from Gaza in Niran53566399 August 2005, 20 families from the former Gaza set- No’omi 127 121 158 23 tlement of Shirat Hayam and another 10 families Peza’el 215 224 N/A N/A from other settlements in Gaza’s Katif bloc. The con- Ro’i 115 141 141 102 struction is the first phase of an expansion that will Rotem 24* N/A N/A N/A ultimately comprise 100 residential units. Dozens of 517 399 309 N/A families of evacuees from are reported to 296 308 303 153 want to come to live in the new settlement. Vered Yericho 161 164 139 151 Nadav Shragai, Ha’aretz, December 26, 2006; 101 125 87 75 Hana Levi Julian, “Peretz May Cave to International 141 114 77 37 Pressure and Nix Housing,” Arutz 7, January Total 5,292 5,055 4,361 3,107 1, 2007; Daniel Ben Simon, Ha’aretz, January 5, 2007 ————————————— *2003 data. Sources: “List of Localities: Their Population and Codes,” 12.31.1999; 12.31.2004; “List of Localities: Geographic Characteristics, and IDF Stops 2,000 Palestinians Returning to Jordan Population, 1948–1995,” 1995. Valley Israel is preventing some 2,000 Palestinians who have left the Jordan Valley from returning to the area, in an handing them over to Israeli farmers contravenes the law in effort to keep them from demanding their land back. effect in the territories. . . . Thousands of dunams of land have been illegally transferred The settlement authorities apparently did not report to the to settlements and army bases in the area. house and land buyers, or to the mortgage banks that issued The Civil Administration has confirmed the existence of a them loans, that they were involved in what was essentially list that had been known as the “List of 100,” which now land theft, as per Mazuz’s definition. bears the names of the 2,000 banned Palestinians. All the According to the most recent state comptroller’s report and requests of the people on the list to return to the territories military sources, the Jordan Valley land that has been handed under the principle of family unification, or even for short vis- over for the illegal construction of settlements and army bases its, have been rejected for about 30 years, when the ban was amounts to thousands of dunams. first instituted. The Civil Administration cites security con- In a few instances, the absentee property has been trans- cerns as the reason for its rejections. ferred to Palestinian residents living in the area, in exchange In his testimony before the commission of inquiry into the for plots of land they owned. evacuation of the illegal West Bank settlement of Amona, The Civil Administration said it was studying the comp- Attorney General Menachem Mazuz has defined the estab- troller’s report and was working to fix the problems cited in lishment of settlements on private land as “land theft”. . . . the report. Using the absentee property to establish settlements and Akiva Eldar, Ha’aretz, March 14, 2006

January-February 2007 Report on Israeli Settlement ❖ 3 SETTLEMENT TIME LINE

September 10 Ha’aretz reports that the Mosque, but the mosque is kept open for had been picking olives near the settlement. (IDF) are demanding Jewish worshippers. (OCHA) Israeli police obtained their release. that Palestinian farmers not allow Israeli and (OCHA) Ha’aretz reports the IDF and police increas- foreign volunteers to escort them during the ing their efforts to enable Palestinian farmers Settlers from Avigail outpost plow land olive harvest, despite deteriorating security to reach their lands across the separation belonging to Palestinian farmers from the conditions. barrier. Restraining orders have been issued village of Um Faggarah. (OCHA) September 20 The Israeli Civil Adminis- to five right-wing activists living in the West October 25 A settler is shot in the hand by tration issues an eviction order to a Palestin- Bank involved in confrontations with a Palestinian near . (Arutz 7) ian woman from Deir Istiya to evacuate her Palestinians and the IDF. The orders forbid land (40 dunams), which Israeli authorities them to leave their settlements. Settlers attack and injure five Palestinians claim is state land. (OCHA) from Far’ata, Qalqilya, near the Havat Gil’ad October 10 Seven dunams of olive trees in outpost. The Palestinians were picking September 20–26 Settlers from Karmel al-Lubban al-Sharqiya, , are burned, olives. One settler is injured. (OCHA) open the settlement’s sewage pipes on agri- allegedly by settlers from Eli. (OCHA) cultural lands belonging to Palestinian farm- October 26 Israel’s High Court of Justice Ma’ariv reports on a plan to build a five-star, ers from Yatta. (OCHA) rules against Palestinian plaintiffs from vil- 250-room hotel in the settlement of Qalya, lages near the settlements of Emmanuel, September 21 The Israel Lands Adminis- north of the Dead Sea. , and Ma’ale Shomron. The tration issues tenders for 88 plots in the October 11 Ma’ariv reports that Finance court concluded that since the IDF is obli- Ariel settlement, 56 in the Minister Abraham Hirscheson purchased gated to allow Palestinian farmers access to settlement, and 20 in the Karnei Shomron three dunams in the Golan Heights settle- their land through gates access along the settlement. There are 17,652 settlers current- ment of Qela. Tenders for 300 dunams in separation barrier, the court need not inter- ly living in Ariel, 5,931 settlers in Alfei the area have been published, 250 of which fere with the IDF’s decision to erect the sep- Menashe, and 6,635 in Karnei Shomron. have already been sold. There are more than aration barrier in the area. (Ha’aretz) (Ma’ariv) 50 families living in the area, and 100 addi- October 27 Yerushalaim reports on a plan September 22 Two settlers attack and tional families are expected to join the settle- by the Defense Ministry to construct a tun- injure three Palestinian boys from Awarta, ment by summer 2007. nel between the Palestinian villages of Bido Nablus. (OCHA) October 12 Police arrest 10 youths from and Ramallah for Palestinian vehicles only. September 26 Ma’ariv reports that some the West Bank settlement of Hashmonaim Settlers from Givat Ze’ev would continue to buildings on the Ariel College campus were suspected of attacking and beating local use Road 436 to access Jerusalem. built without permits. Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. October 28 Settlers from Tel Rumeida, (Ha’aretz) September 27 Settlers from Kiryat Arba , damage the water pipes of Palestin- plow 15 dunams belonging to Palestinians October 15 Defense Minister Amir Peretz ian homes for the fifth time in two months. from Hebron’s al-Bweira neighborhood. announces his plans to meet with settler (OCHA) (OCHA) leaders to discuss voluntary evacuation of A group of settlers from Tel Rumeida attack The IDF denies Muslim worshippers access unauthorized settlement outposts in the West Bank. (Ha’aretz) and injure a female international volunteer to the Ibrahimi Mosque, in Hebron, but the helping a Palestinian family pick olives on mosque remains open to Jewish worshippers. October 17 The IDF issues demolition their land near the settlement. (OCHA) (OCHA) orders for ten houses in Farun village, Tulkarem, built without permits. (OCHA) October 31 Yediot Aharonot reports the set- September 29 Yediot Aharonot reports that tlers of Nahliel turning to the courts to one year after Israel’s withdrawal from four October 18 Israeli soldiers fire in the air to remove a radical from their settle- settlements in the northern West Bank, IDF prevent Palestinians from reaching their ment. The rabbi and students had refused to forces will return to increase the security of lands in Wadi Ahmad in Beit Jala, leave voluntarily. The IDF had threatened to nearby areas. Bethlehem. (OCHA) stop protecting the settlement after students October 3 reports that more October 20 Near Bruqin village, Palestin- from the yeshiva attacked them with eggs. than 3,500 housing units are currently being ians stone and injure a settler driving on the November 1 Yediot Aharonot reports the built in West Bank settlements, compared to bypass road between Road 5 and the Deir removal of five empty caravans in the out- 4,144 units under construction in October Ballut checkpoint. (OCHA) posts of Migron and Ma’ale Mikmash, and 2005. (Ha’aretz) October 21 Settlers from Eli cut down plans to remove four more. Evacuation October 5 Settlers enter Al-Nabi Yunis olive trees and detain two Palestinians from orders had been issued for the caravans, but Mosque in Hebron, to perform prayers and al-Lubban al-Sharqiya for two hours. they were instead transferred to other settle- rituals under the protection of IDF soldiers. (OCHA) ments in the area. (OCHA) October 24 Settlers from Karnei Shomron Nineteen right-wing activists are removed October 8 The IDF denies access to detain two Palestinians from Jinsafut, from the West Bank and banned from Palestinian worshippers to the Ibrahim Qalqilya, for two hours. The Palestinians returning in order to prevent them from

4 ❖ Report on Israeli Settlement January-February 2007 SETTLEMENT TIME LINE committing violent acts against Palestinians November 10 Yerushalaim reports a work their olive harvest after settlers tied and Israeli security forces. (Ma’ariv) decrease in demolition orders for illegal two dogs to their trees. housing construction in East Jerusalem from November 2 Arutz 7 reports a Palestinian November 26 Human rights organizations January through October 2006, but an group associated with the Popular Resistance welcome remarks by Attorney General Meni increase in demolition orders in West Jerusa- Committee claiming to have successfully Mazuz that disregard of the rule of law by lem. Fifty-six demolition orders were issued fired a Nasser 1 missile at the set- the settlers in the West Bank is a grave situ- for East Jerusalem in 2006, compared to 76 tlement in the West Bank. The IDF denies ation and that the state is not doing every- in 2005, and 31 demolition orders were the report. thing within its power to stop it. (Ha’aretz) issued in West Jerusalem in 2006, compared Ma’ariv reports on a new settler reconnais- to 13 in 2004. Israel’s High Court of Justice rules in favor sance patrol intended to monitor and docu- of the route of the separation barrier as it is November 12 Settlers from Beit Haggai, ment the Palestinian olive harvest. Patrols currently planned at Bir Nabala, north of Hebron, Kiryat Arba, , and include three teams of 12 people, including Jerusalem. (Yediot Aharonot) an expert on olive harvesting. The patrol was march in the West Bank to protest deterio- November 27 Ha’aretz reports comments created in cooperation with the rating security conditions. The protest was by a leading military source that a ban on Council and the Foundation for Eretz triggered by an attempted shooting two days carrying Palestinians aboard Israeli vehicles Yisrael. earlier. (Arutz 7) in the West Bank will only apply along the Ma’ariv reports on Civil Administration November 4 The IDF prevents Palestinian , not throughout the West Bank. farmers from Dir al-Hatib, near Nablus, plans to add 150 lawyers and building from harvesting olives in order to prevent inspectors in an effort to reign in lawlessness and outpost construction in West Bank set- clashes between Palestinians and hundreds Housing Sales of visitors who spent the weekend in the set- tlements. tlement of . (Ha’aretz) November 13 Yediot Aharonot reports on The Marker reports a drop in hous- ing sales in West Bank settlements and The IDF issues six demolition orders for efforts by the Palestinian Authority to regain Jerusalem (including East Jerusalem) Palestinian homes in the villages of Um possession of documents on land ownership during May to August 2006 compared Lasafa, al-Deirat, and Khillet al-Mai as well in Jerusalem seized five years prior by Israel to the same period in 2005. There were as a mosque in the Palestinian village of al- from the Orient House. 543 apartments sold in Jerusalem dur- Twani, south of Hebron. (OCHA) Chairman Benzi Lieber- ing this period, compared to 891 in The IDF demolishes a three-story Palestin- man announces his resignation. His expected 2005—a drop of 39.1 percent. A small- ian home in Bethlehem during a military successor is chairman of the in er decrease in sales—8.9 percent—was operation that resulted in the death of its Mount Hebron, Tzviki Bar-Chi. (Ma’ariv) reported in the West Bank during owner. (OCHA) The Anata village council reports the this period, growing to 14.6 percent November 5 Settlers driving on Road 60 issuance of military orders confiscating 1,328 during the first eight months of 2006. near the settlement of Kiryat Arba open fire dunams of land in East Jerusalem. The Throughout Israel, 11,200 apartments at a Palestinian from Hebron, injuring him. council claims that the land is intended for were on the market at the end of (OCHA) expansion of the Almon settlement near August 2006, of which 2.3 percent Ma’ale Adumim. (OCHA) (257) are in West Bank settlements— November 7 Settlers from Kiryat Arba fire an amount roughly comparable to the at and injure a Palestinian from Hebron as November 14 Settlers from Susiya plow settler percentage of Israel’s population. he grazed his sheep near the settlement’s five dunams of Palestinian land near the There were only 6,429 housing fence. (OCHA) Palestinian village of the same name. starts in the period July to September, November 8 An Israeli court orders 71 (OCHA) compared to 9,081 in the same quarter Palestinians from 13 Bedouin families to Ma’ariv reports a decrease in the level of in 2005, a fall of 30 percent. There was immediately vacate land near Deir Nidham, violence near the West Bank settlement of a 26 percent decrease in the number of Ramallah, on the grounds that the land is since restraining orders were issued apartments whose construction has state land. The Bedouins moved to the area to right-wing activists. been completed. In the West Bank, in 1969 and claim that the land belongs to 1,270 housing starts (7.1 percent of the Palestinians living in the United States. November 16 Yediot Aharonot reports that total) were reported in the January to (OCHA) a tour of outposts near Ramallah revealed 15 September 2006 period. In Jerusalem structures, some permanent, in the Neve November 9 The Labor Party approves the (East and West) construction was Erez outpost, and new trailers and recently nomination of Minister of Strategic Affairs begun on 2,100 units (9.4 percent of finished permanent structures at Nofei Avigdor Leiberman to replace outgoing the total). Porat, Palgei Mayim, and Zayit Raanan. minister Ofir Pines as a member of the com- Yosi Greenstein, Ma’ariv, mittee responsible for the implementation of November 19 Ha’aretz reports that Pale- December 4 and 6, 2006; the Sasson report on settlement outposts. stinians from the village of Kedum, near the Marker, November 6, 2006 (Yediot Aharonot) settlement of , were unable to

January-February 2007 Report on Israeli Settlement ❖ 5 SHORT TAKES

YESHA Leader: “Time to Change Direction and Grow” highway to the Galilee. The Mountain Ridge communities, such as and Yitzhar, will become centers of organic Veteran YESHA leader and agriculture and holism, and in the central Shomron, such as head Benzi Lieberman says it’s time to “change direction,” Ariel, we will have academia, commerce and tourism.” replace politics with growth, and “Israeli-ize” the / Hillel Fendel, Arutz 7, October 16, 2006 settlement enterprise. “With the melting away of [Prime Minister Olmert’s] ————————————— convergence plan [to unilaterally withdraw from most of For the First Time: No Religious-National YESHA],” Lieberman said Sunday, “we have decided to Majority in Settlements change direction and go towards Israeli-izing the Shomron region. The Sebastia conception brought us this far, but now The 2005 Statistical Yearbook published by Ariel College it’s time for a new language, a different type of building.” reports that 40% of settlers are secular, 13% are Orthodox, Sebastia is the area where the YESHA settlement enter- and the rest, 57%, are religious-nationalist. This is the first prise started over three decades ago when pioneers “coerced” time the religious-national public does not constitute a major- the Rabin government to permit settlement simply by refus- ity in settlements. However, the religious-national public, who ing to leave. was responsible for the settlement enterprise, remains the “There is no reason why the communities should remain so largest segment of the Israeli public in the West Bank. There small,” he later explained to Arutz 7. “Why is still are currently 260,000 settlers in 140 settlements: 68 populated only a few hundred families after so many years? And the towns, 3 cities, and 9 kibbutzim, 14 local councils and six same with Elon Moreh, , , and others. It is time to regional councils. The two most secular areas are Ma’ale stop being so selective, and to open the gates and grow.” Adumim and Ariel. Jewish population growth in Judea and Samaria has long Nadav Shargai, Ha’aretz, November 20, 2006 been far higher than [in] the rest of the country. The Central ————————————— Bureau of Statistics confirms that YESHA’s average annual growth rate of 5.5% is some three times higher than the rest What Does a Man Have in Life Other Than a Few Olives? of Israel. Lieberman wants even more, however. On Tuesday this week, at 11:30 exactly, 75-year-old Somia “The destruction of Gush Katif,” he said, “has taught us Hader Abdallah stood at the opening of the gate that sepa- that we must speak in a new language; we must leave the rates her village, Dir al-Husen near Tulkarem, and her olive ghetto and replace it with a fabric of life that includes every- groves, which is on the other side of the separation barrier. one—and this is dependent on the communities themselves. The precision is very important, because the gate opens only They must get out and sell themselves. The community of three times a day, and even that is as a special gesture to olive Itamar, for instance, should not be known only for its ideolo- harvesters. One must make it through the gate and return, gy, but also for its organic eggs and similar products.” and the permit check can take a while. Lieberman noted that the College of Judea and Samaria in Abdallah was tired and sad. Tired because her workday in Ariel is itself an element that blurs the Green Line border her groves started, like every day in the season, at five in the between YESHA and the rest of Israel. “The fact that there morning immediately following the first prayer. Sad because are 9,000 students studying here and no one asks them their the patrol road along the separation barrier was built on land political opinions is indicative,” he said. that was sacrificed from her olive grove. “It’s a horrible feel- Another area that is appropriate to this kind of thinking, ing,” she said. “This land is burning underneath my feet. Two Lieberman said, “is the industrial zone, just 17 kilo- hundred good trees went.” meters east of Petach Tikvah.” This past Thursday and Friday, According to data provided by the United Nations, 9 mil- many thousands of people attended a fair at Barkan, just west lion olive trees are being grown in the areas of the Palestinian of Ariel, purchasing a wide range of goods at bargain prices. Authority, and their production constitutes 22 percent of the “We want to develop this area,” Lieberman explained, “and overall Palestinian agricultural output. Yet these are just num- market it as the place to shop in the region. We have to blur bers. For the farmers of Dir al-Husen, it is their life and the the lines of this area as just a politically charged place.” basis for their living. Talk of the deep connection between the Barkan is the country’s second largest industrial zone, with Palestinian and his olive tree is not a cliché; it’s the truth. more than 100 businesses located on a 350-acre compound. It “This is the tree of my country,” said 25-year-old Aiman employs 5,500 people, a third of whom are local Arabs. Jibara with pride, as he bent over the land with olives in his Lieberman said that three areas of the Shomron are being hands. “This tree is like Palestine: even if you burn it, it will targeted for specific types of development: “The northern grow again.” Shomron will be billed as a tourist site—with beautiful forests Lili Galili, Ha’aretz, November 3, 2006 and more; people barely even realize that it’s just off the main

6 ❖ Report on Israeli Settlement January-February 2007 WORDS ALONE, continued from page 1 GOLAN UPDATE

253,748 in 2005, a 5.8 percent increase. New settlements— Hirscheson Builds Home in Golan Heights both those formally authorized under Israeli law and others without authorization but with the state’s active connivance— Finance Minister Avraham Hirscheson recently concluded have been created or expanded. the purchase of three dunams (3/4 acre) in the Golan Olmert, however, has been far less adept at dominating the Heights for the purpose of building a house for himself and diplomatic stage. He told the Chinese press agency Xinhua on his two sons in the settlement of Matzok-Orvim. Matzok- January 9, 2007, “A year ago, I believed that we would be able Orvim is actually a new neighborhood that expands the set- to [withdraw forces and settlers from part of the West Bank] tlement of Qela. unilaterally. However, it should be said that our experience in Tenders for 300 dunams in the area have been published, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip is not encouraging. We pulled 250 of which have already been sold. There are over 50 fami- out of Lebanon unilaterally, and see what happened. We lies currently living in the area, and 100 additional families pulled out of the Gaza Strip completely, to the international are expected to join the settlement by summer 2007. border, and every day they are firing Qassam rockets at Yuval Lidor, Ma’ariv, October 11, 2006 Israelis. Under the existing circumstances, it would be more ————————————— practical to achieve a two-state solution through negotiations rather than [unilateral] withdrawal.” Settlements in the Golan Heights It has always been a misnomer to categorize as unilateral Israel’s retreat from south Lebanon in May 2000 and the The southern Golan Heights is today one of Israel’s most Gaza Strip in September 2005. There were articulate if bustling tourist areas, and a few settlements, like Had Nes, unspoken Arab partners for both moves. Hezbollah and Ma’ale Gamla, Ramot, and Hamat Gader, are already consid- , respectively, were engaged in a nuanced, discreet dis- ered powerful tourist attractions. This tourism has generated course with Israel, one not conducted in the traditional man- massive development, flourishing tourist businesses, and job ner across the negotiating table, but one characterized by opportunities in all the areas that accompany tourism— independent, uncoordinated actions by each party that they restaurants, coffeehouses, maintenance services, and tour believed would answer the core needs required by each for the guides. successful withdrawal of Israel forces on both frontiers. “Talk of withdrawals will keep coming, but even the Yet under Olmert’s unsteady tenure, the withdrawals car- finance minister, Avraham Hirscheson, has declared his ried out by his two immediate predecessors have imploded, intensions of purchasing a home in one of the settlements in re-igniting the contest to determine the shape of the next the Golan Heights, and declared it an area of strategic invest- diplomatic plan. Olmert still speaks of extending “Israel’s ment.” hand in peace” as Ben Gurion did, not least for the prosaic Avi Bar-Ali, Marker, November 28, 2006 need to fill the diplomatic vacuum resulting from the failure ————————————— of so-called ‘unilateralism’ with a process patented in Jerusalem rather than in Washington or heaven forbid, Bar-On Prepares for a Building Plan Riyadh, Cairo, or Ramallah. along Border with Syria Israel today is awash with diplomatic ideas, whose com- Interior Minister Roni Bar-On (Kadima) intends to mon feature is the preservation of expansive Israeli security, advance the process of approving new plans for areas close to territorial, and settlement interests in the West Bank and east the border with Syria. In a tour of the Golan Heights last Jerusalem. week, Bar-On was made aware of increasing construction The prospects for ideas promoted in turn by Olmert, activity on the Syrian side along the border in the Syria city Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Amir Peretz of Qunitra. Unlike in previous years, when Syria was building and opposition leader Yossi Beilin—not to mention those outposts, current construction is for civilian purposes. championed in the moribund road map, in the Arab League’s Following that incident, Bar-On declared that Israel needs to Beirut declaration, and by the Palestinians—remain unknown. mimic Syrian behavior and speed up construction in the Far more certain than the vague prospect of negotiations, Golan Heights. . . . Bar-On intends on doing this by lifting territorial withdrawal, and peace is the relentless creation of the bureaucratic obstacles for those interested in building in settlement facts on the ground by Ben Gurion’s heirs that are the area, as well as increasing the manpower in the govern- catalogued in the Settlement Report. Their deeds speak loud- ment offices related to planning and approving construction. er than any words. ◆ Mazal Mualem, Ha’aretz, December 19, 2006 —————————————

January-February 2007 Report on Israeli Settlement ❖ 7 WEAK PRIME MINISTER — STRONG SETTLEMENTS

Evacuation of outposts is a classic example of MK Avigdor I personally remember the empty settlements during the Lieberman’s importance in the government. Had we not intifada, when some settlements looked like deserted and neg- joined the government [coalition], [Prime Minister Ehud] lected army camps. Today those areas are the shop windows in Olmert would have been forced to swear in [a representative the brochures Bar-Chi is distributing, as if evacuation and from] the Labor Party who is committed to the evacuation of dismantling does not threaten them. illegal outposts—at the price of our Jewish brothers. Basically, Bar-Chi has an explanation for why his remote area is with our presence in the coalition, we have in essence brought thriving: Olmert’s weakness. The failure of the Lebanon war the process to a halt—we do not need a written commitment last summer destabilizes Olmert but secures the very settle- [to know] that outposts won’t be evacuated. ments that Olmert had once wanted to evacuate. “People From a Ha’aretz Interview with Astarina Tartman, understand that Olmert can’t even move a millimeter. Its not Spokesperson of Yisrael Beiteinu, like Sharon, who promised, and then to our sorrow, kept his December 18, 2006 promise.” In an interview with Der Spiegel last week, Olmert admitted that he does not have the political strength to dis- This week I ran into Zviki Bar-Chi, head of the local mantle settlements. council in Mount Hebron. . . . Bar-Chi swears that south From a Kol Ha’Zeman interview with Mount Hebron is in fact “a bustling and developing strip of Zviki Bar-Chi, Head of the Local Council in land,” that today attracts tens of families. He even marvels at Mount Hebron, December 15, 2006 the high number of secular settlers that are sweeping the area.

Why do we want a two-state solution? We want a two-state solution because we envisage the future of Israel not just having borders with Jordan, Syria or Egypt. The future of Israelis, if I was to put myself in your shoes, is to be welcomed from Morocco on the Atlantic to Oman on the Indian Ocean. I think that is the prize for the Israelis. But that comes at a price and that is the future of the Palestinians. So although we’re talking politics, I think that we have a physical prob- lem and we’re running out of time, maybe the wall, maybe the settlements, the lack of hope for the Palestinians will bring us to a point in time in the near future where a two-state solution is no longer anything concrete to talk about, then what happens? If we don't solve the Israeli- Palestinian issue, then we may never be able to solve the Arab-Israeli issue. Is this what we want to give our children? Do they have to be brought up like we were brought up . . . in conflict or do we want to give them hope? King Abdullah II of Jordan, Ha’aretz, Janaury 19, 2007

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