Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Israeli Settlement in the Occupied Territories REPORT ON ISRAELI SETTLEMENT IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES A Bimonthly Publication of the Foundation for Middle East Peac e Volum e 20 N umber 1 January-February 2010 A CHASTENED OBAMA SEARCHES FOR A NEGOTIATING STRATEGY By Geoffrey Aronson mitment to progress (see story page 10), nine months. “The United States,” reit - the president’s statements, made on the erated Clinton on January 8, 2010, After a year of well-intentioned but eve of Mitchell’s visit to the region, were “believes that through good faith nego - counterproductive diplomatic effort, widely interpreted as an admission of tiations, the parties can mutually agree President Barack Obama’s interest in failure and lowered expectations (see on an outcome which ends the conflict and ability to achieve a diplomatic solu - story page 7). and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an tion to the conflict between Israel and This atmosphere is being fed by the independent and viable state based on the Palestinians appear to be waning. absence of an agreed upon mechanism the 1967 lines with agreed swaps, and In a common assessment of the for diplomatic engagement, a situation the Israeli goal of a Jewish state with impact of the stunning Republican vic - not experienced since the darkest days secure and recognized borders that tory in the Massachusetts Senate race, of the second intifada. reflect subsequent developments and Ha’aretz’s Aluf Benn wrote, “Obama U.S. officials have recognized since meet Israeli security requirements.” spent his first year in office on fruitless mid-year that their promotion of a set - Both Israeli prime minister Benjamin diplomatic moves that failed to restart tlement freeze was an impediment Natenyahu and Abbas well understand talks between Israel and the Palestin- rather than a gateway to negotiations on that Washington’s aspiration to solve the ians. From now on, it will be harder for issues of final status (see story page 4). conflict creates a contest for each to tilt Obama. Congressional support is essen - The damage sustained in that effort, the new, emerging “rules of the game” in tial to the political process and in the however, has continued to plague U.S. their favor. Neither has been satisfied by current political atmosphere in the efforts to create an agreed foundation Washington’s effort. Obama’s downbeat U.S.—in which the parties are especially for a renewal of talks. “As long as settle - assessment, followed by his domestic polarized—Netanyahu can rely on ment activity does not stop and we don’t political travails, has discouraged Pale- Republican support to thwart pressure know which international principles will stinian expectations of effective Ameri- on Israel.” guide the peace talks,” explained can leadership, while encouraging In comments to Time magazine (see Palestine Liberation Organization Netanyahu and his political allies in page 8), Obama placed himself at the chairman Mahmoud Abbas, “we won’t their belief that just as with the settle - head of a growing chorus of voices return to the negotiating table with ment freeze, an American peace “plan” expressing disenchantment with a diplo - Israel.” can be neutralized. matic impasse that Washington’s efforts Since late summer 2009, the U.S. has An effort to stack the American during the past year have, if anything, been anxious to move beyond the focus diplomatic effort with “made in Israel” exacerbated. Notwithstanding extraordi - on a settlement freeze that it earlier ideas is at the heart of Netanyahu’s nary declarations over the past year by championed. Secretary of State Hillary negotiating agenda. On the one hand, U.S. officials of an American national Rodham Clinton now notes frequently there is an ongoing effort to win U.S. interest in a solution to the conflict, that “Resolving borders resolves settle - endorsement of Israel’s security agenda there is today an unprecedented lack of ments; resolving Jerusalem resolves set - on the West Bank as it has in Gaza, clarity to U.S. intentions and, as a con - tlements.” The U.S. effort has been including a permanent Israeli military sequence, to the stalled diplomatic effort focused since October 2009 on winning presence in the West Bank and control spearheaded by Washington. Just days Israeli and Palestinian agreement to of the border with Jordan, as well as after special envoy George Mitchell, in “terms of reference” that will enable a support for the vague concept of “settle - an extended television interview, spoke renewal of direct talks aimed at estab - at length of the continuing U.S. com - lishing an agreed upon border within STRATEGY , continued on page 7 TO OUR READERS FOUNDATION FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE Ten years after 9/11 made combating causes, the risk stays high. terrorism the main focus of American for - No single cause drives anti-American Merle Thorpe, Jr. eign policy, the problem has not dimin - terrorism. Western troops in Muslim coun - Founder ished. The continuing threats against tries is one. But the “elephant” in our living (1917–1994) American and western targets, of which the room is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. attempted bombing of a U.S. airliner was Israel’s occupation and settlements, and the Philip C. Wilcox, Jr. the most recent, proves that something is perception that the U.S. is Israel’s enabler, President still wrong with our strategy. are what one analyst calls the “prism of Geoffrey Aronson The message from our officials and pain” that inflames Arab and Muslim soci - Director, Research and media, a post-9/11 replay, is that we need eties worldwide and breeds terrorism. Publications, Editor, Report on better intelligence analysis and coordina - President Obama and his deputies have Israeli Settlement in the Occupied tion to “connect the dots,” as well as im- acknowledged this, indirectly, by calling the Territories proved technologies to create a “fail-safe” Israeli-Palestinian conflict a national secu - Nitzan Goldberger system. rity threat. But as the President’s peace Waseem Mardini Amazingly, there has been almost no efforts threaten to founder on the shoals of Editorial Assistants mention in this debate of acknowledging Israel’s settlement and Jerusalem policies and applying policies to better deal with and Palestinian fratricide, some are repeat - Holly Dagres the motivation of extremists, primarily in ing the mantra that “only the parties them - Monica Kamen Interns the Arab and Muslim world, who want to selves can make peace.” That is true in the kill us. end. But without tougher, more persuasive TRUSTEES Smart counter-terrorism policy needs to U.S. diplomacy, the conflict will fester and address the causes, not just the symptoms America’s national security will remain at Landrum R. Bolling of this evil. Security and intelligence meth - risk. Calvin H. Cobb, Jr. ods can and should be improved, but unless James J. Cromwell we are dealing aggressively with the root Peter Gubser Stephen Hartwell —————— N —————— Richard S.T. Marsh Richard W. Murphy ENFORCING THE SETTLEMENT FREEZE: AN ISRAELI VIEW 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 © 2010 Sign up to receive the Report by e-mail, to be notified of events in Washington, D.C., and more. Visit us at www.fmep.org. 2 O Report on Israeli Settlement January-February 2010 A TESTIMONIAL TO STEADFASTNESS On December 10, 2009 Al Haq, the pioneering Palestinian come at night to his house and shot around to scare him and human rights organization, celebrated its 30th anniversary. On his family. When he described how he would be working in this occasion the announcement was made of the winner of Al the field and they came to him and held their gun at him, he Haq’s first Annual Human Rights Award, Sabri Gharib. Raja would say: “Shoot me. I don’t care to [if I] die.” When we Shehadeh, one of the founding members of the Organization, wrote heard this from him we knew, just as the settlers did, that he the following tribute to Gharib. meant it and that this was why the settlers left him alone. Any other man would have taken to the wind and ruan. Not Sabri Gharib, the recipient of the First Annual Al-Haq Sabri. “This is my land,” he would say, “I inherited it from my Human Rights Award, was too ill to come himself to receive father and I will leave it to my children. Nothing matters but the award. The struggle over the past thirty years with the God and the land.” Jewish settlers to save his land has had its toll on his health. Whenever I found myself struggling for our much sought He sent one of his sons on his behalf. There is no doubt that after Palestinian state, I would remind myself that to someone Sabri never sought recognition, reward, publicity, or financial like Sabri, his struggle was not nationalist or in any way reward. In the course of his thirty-year-struggle, he simply abstract but a concrete, specific fight to save the land which wanted to preserve his land. By choosing him as the first was he felt had been entrusted in to him by those who pre - recipient of its annual award, Al-Haq was not only rewarding ceded him and which he was under a solemn obligation to him, but also the Palestinian people. In a sense, this presenta - pass on to his descendants. tion of an award to a hero like Sabri is a selfish act on Al- As the years passed, the single settlement near his house Haq’s part.
Recommended publications
  • Turkish Policy Towards Israel and Palestine : Continuity Change in the Relations of Turkish
    Palestinian-Israeli triangle under the rule of Justice and Development Party (AKP) (2002-2016) policy towards Israel and Palestine : Continuity change in the relations of Turkish- Turkish The AKP’s material and ideological interests have been used as a ‘goal’ and also as a ‘tool’. This means that whenever the AKP government is threatened and confronted with internal or external troubles, these interests can move from being a ‘goal’ to be used as a ‘means’ to consolidate AKP’s power. In the case of stability, Turkish policy towards Israel and Palestine these interests can be seen in the context of being a ‘goal’, which the AKP is Continuity and change in the relations of the Turkish- looking forward to achieve. This AKP pragmatic policy is called exploitation-via- Palestinian-Israeli triangle under the rule of the Justice and cooperation. Development Party (AKP) (2002-2016) Mohammed Alsaftawi Mohammed Alsaftawi is a researcher at the Ghent Institute for International Studies at the Department of Political Science, Ghent University. Mohammed Alsaftawi Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Supervised by Prof. Dries Lesage Faculty of Political and Social Sciences Department of Political Science Turkish policy towards Israel and Palestine: Continuity and change in the relations of the Turkish- Palestinian-Israeli triangle under the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) (2002-2016) Doctoral dissertation submitted by: Mohammed Alsaftawi in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Supervised by Prof. Dries Lesage Academic Year 2016-2017 January 2017, Ghent Belgium Samenvatting Het Turks buitenlandsbeleid is een beladen onderwerp, bestudeerd door verscheiden academici.
    [Show full text]
  • Light at the End of Their Tunnels? Hamas & the Arab
    LIGHT AT THE END OF THEIR TUNNELS? HAMAS & THE ARAB UPRISINGS Middle East Report N°129 – 14 August 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. TWO SIDES OF THE ARAB UPRISINGS .................................................................... 1 A. A WEDDING IN CAIRO.................................................................................................................. 2 B. A FUNERAL IN DAMASCUS ........................................................................................................... 5 1. Balancing ..................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Mediation ..................................................................................................................................... 6 3. Confrontation ............................................................................................................................... 7 4. The crossfire................................................................................................................................. 8 5. Competing alliances ................................................................................................................... 10 C. WHAT IMPACT ON HAMAS? ......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Human Rights in the Occupied Territories 8 Hata’Asiya St., Talpiot P.O
    B’TSELEM - The Israeli Information Center for ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT Human Rights in the Occupied Territories 8 Hata’asiya St., Talpiot P.O. Box 53132 Jerusalem 91531 The Long Term Impact of Israel's Separation Tel. (972) 2-6735599 | Fax (972) 2-6749111 Barrier in the West Bank www.btselem.org | [email protected] October 2012 ‐ DRAFT ‐ Arrested Development The Long Term Impact of Israel's Separation Barrier in the West Bank October 2012 Research and writing: Eyal Hareuveni Editing: Yael Stein Data coordination: 'Abd al‐Karim Sa'adi, Iyad Hadad, Atef Abu a‐Rub, Salma a‐Deb’i, ‘Amer ‘Aruri & Kareem Jubran. Translation: Deb Reich B’Tselem would like to thank Jann Böddeling for his help in gathering material and analyzing the economic impact of the Separation Barrier; Nir Shalev and Alon Cohen‐ Lifshitz from Bimkom; Stefan Ziegler and Nicole Harari from UNRWA; and B’Tselem Reports Committee member Prof. Oren Yiftachel. 1 ‐ DRAFT ‐ Table of Contents Introduction Part 1: The Separation Barrier – A Temporary Security Measure? Part 2: The Data Part 3: The Seam Zone and the Permit Regime Maps and Pictures Part 4: Case Studies Part 5: Violations of Palestinians’ Human Rights Due to the Separation Barrier Conclusions Appendix 2 ‐ DRAFT ‐ Introduction This report deals with the Separation Barrier—the largest and costliest infrastructure project Israel has undertaken since the construction of the national water carrier during the 1950s and ‘60s. In June 2002, when Palestinian attacks against Israeli citizens were at their peak, the Israeli government decided to build the barrier and termed it a temporary security measure intended to protect Israel from terrorist attacks from the West Bank.
    [Show full text]
  • IDF Order Will Enable Mass Deportation from West Bank
    IDF order will enable mass deportation from West Bank By Amira Hass Tags: West Bank, IDF, Israel news A new military order aimed at preventing infiltration will come into force this week, enabling the deportation of tens of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank, or their indictment on charges carrying prison terms of up to seven years. When the order comes into effect, tens of thousands of Palestinians will automatically become criminal offenders liable to be severely punished. Given the security authorities' actions over the past decade, the first Palestinians likely to be targeted under the new rules will be those whose ID cards bear home addresses in the Gaza Strip - people born in Gaza and their West Bank-born children - or those born in the West Bank or abroad who for various reasons lost their residency status. Also likely to be targeted are foreign-born spouses of Palestinians. Until now, Israeli civil courts have occasionally prevented the expulsion of these three groups from the West Bank. The new order, however, puts them under the sole jurisdiction of Israeli military courts. The new order defines anyone who enters the West Bank illegally as an infiltrator, as well as "a person who is present in the area and does not lawfully hold a permit." The order takes the original 1969 definition of infiltrator to the extreme, as the term originally applied only to those illegally staying in Israel after having passed through countries then classified as enemy states - Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. The order's language is both general and ambiguous, stipulating that the term infiltrator will also be applied to Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, citizens of countries with which Israel has friendly ties (such as the United States) and Israeli citizens, whether Arab or Jewish.
    [Show full text]
  • Light at the End of Their Tunnels? Hamas & the Arab Uprisings
    LIGHT AT THE END OF THEIR TUNNELS? HAMAS & THE ARAB UPRISINGS Middle East Report N°129 – 14 August 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. TWO SIDES OF THE ARAB UPRISINGS .................................................................... 1 A. A WEDDING IN CAIRO.................................................................................................................. 2 B. A FUNERAL IN DAMASCUS ........................................................................................................... 5 1. Balancing ..................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Mediation ..................................................................................................................................... 6 3. Confrontation ............................................................................................................................... 7 4. The crossfire................................................................................................................................. 8 5. Competing alliances ................................................................................................................... 10 C. WHAT IMPACT ON HAMAS? ......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Creating the Jewish State: Projects of (In)Security and the Disjuncture to Price-Tag Violence
    (Re)Creating the Jewish State: Projects of (In)Security and the Disjuncture to Price-Tag Violence Nicola S. Mathie Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion Lancaster University This thesis is submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations November 2018 Declaration This thesis is the result of my own work and includes nothing, which is the outcome of the work done in collaboration except where specifically indicated in the text. It has not been previously submitted, in part or whole, to any university or institution for any degree, diploma, or other qualification. Signed: Nicola S. Mathie Research Award This thesis is the outcome of Research Award Grant Number 1225917 from The Economic and Social Research Council. My appreciation will always be with The Economic and Social Research Council for funding this PhD. Abstract Jewish-Israeli settlements built over the State of Israel’s internationally-recognised territorial borders are sites of contestation. The focus of this thesis is upon conflicts and contestations which have developed between the State of Israel and some of its own subjects, Jewish settlers, over the evacuation of settlement-communities and structures, and other perceived threats to settlement. From 2008, a new form of violence has been enacted by individuals in the settler community. Self-declared as Price-Tag violence, the attacks take different forms. These include vandalising Palestinian properties and spraying provocative graffiti, and throwing Molotov cocktails at properties. Whilst the attacks are predominantly perpetrated upon Palestinian targets, the attacks are directed at the State of Israel. Price-Tag attacks have also occurred directly on Israeli targets, such as Israeli military vehicles.
    [Show full text]
  • Khader Adnan
    UA: 31/12 Index: MDE 15/003/2012 Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories Date: 1 February 2012 URGENT ACTION PALESTINIAN HUNGER STRIKER’S LIFE AT RISK Khader Adnan has been on hunger strike since 18 December 2011 in protest against his administrative detention, a procedure which the Israeli authorities use to detain individuals indefinitely without charge or trial. Israeli soldiers arrested Khader Adnan from his house in Arrabe village in the occupied West Bank on 17 December 2011 and transferred him to Kishon detention centre in Israel for interrogation. He reported being beaten and ill-treated during his arrest and interrogation. According to his lawyers, Khader Adnan announced a hunger strike after the first day of interrogation in protest against his ill-treatment and the conditions of his detention. He was moved to Ramleh prison hospital on 30 December 2011 after his health deteriorated as a result of his hunger strike. He has lost a significant amount of weight, as he is only accepting water. The organization Physicians for Human Rights has warned that his life is at risk. On 10 January Khader Adnan was taken to a military court in Ofer and given a four-month administrative detention order signed by the military commander in advance. He decided to continue his hunger strike in protest against his administrative detention. A military judge reviewed the administrative order on 1 February and will inform lawyers with her decision in the coming days. She is expected to either confirm the administrative detention order or reduce the number of months for which Khader Adnann will be held.
    [Show full text]
  • Amnesty International
    AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AI Index: MDE 15/018/2011 18 March 2011 Amnesty International’s updated assessment of Israeli and Palestinian investigations into the Gaza conflict Introduction This document presents Amnesty International’s updated assessment of the Israeli and Palestinian investigations into allegations of crimes under international law committed during the 22-day conflict in Gaza and southern Israel between 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009. It focuses on developments since Amnesty International’s previous assessment of the investigations, released in September 2010.1 It also analyses some of the flaws in Israel’s system of investigations which are relevant to all the Israeli investigations conducted to date, including those concluded before September 2010. This analysis is offered to further explain Amnesty International’s conclusion that both the Israeli government and the Hamas de facto administration have failed to conduct investigations that are credible, independent and in conformity with international law.2 The Hamas de facto administration has completely failed to prosecute perpetrators of crimes under international law. As detailed below, Israel’s Military Advocate General has indicted four soldiers on criminal charges in three different incidents relating to the 2008-2009 Gaza conflict. Given the scale and gravity of the Israeli violations identified in the report of the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict headed by Justice Richard Goldstone,3 Amnesty International concludes that two years after the conflict,
    [Show full text]
  • The Emperor Has No Clothes: Palestinians and the End of the Peace Process
    THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES: PALESTINIANS AND THE END OF THE PEACE PROCESS Middle East Report N°122 – 7 May 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. FALSE START .................................................................................................................. 2 A. ABBAS’S SHINING MOMENT ........................................................................................................ 2 B. STALLED MOMENTUM ................................................................................................................. 4 III. FROM ONE TRACK TO ANOTHER .......................................................................... 10 A. REVIVING THE POLITICAL PROCESS? .......................................................................................... 10 B. UNITED NATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 15 C. RECONCILIATION ....................................................................................................................... 21 D. WILD CARDS? ............................................................................................................................ 24 IV. FRAYING TIES BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY .................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ahmad Qatamish
    AHMAD QATAMISH “I hugged him then like I was meeting him for the first time and asked him to promise not to be gone for so long again. Being impeccably honest, he said: „I wish I could. They must first get out of our lives before I can make such a promise.‟” – Haneen Qatamish Date of birth: 1 April 1951 Place of residence: Al-Bireh Occupation: Writer and political scientist Marital status: Married with one daughter Place of detention: Ofer Prison Date of Arrest: 21 April 2011 Number of detention orders to date: 4 Expected end of current detention order: 23 February 2012 ARREST At 2 a.m. on 21 April 2011, Ahmad Qatamish was arrested by the Israeli Occupying Forces at his brother’s home in Ramallah. One hour earlier, Ahmad’s wife, 22-year-old daughter and two other female relatives, including a 14-year-old child, were taken hostage by Israeli troops in his home in order to compel him to surrender himself. Shortly before 1 am, Ahmad’s daughter, Haneen, and wife, Suha, heard pounding on the door and found thirty to forty heavily-armed soldiers surrounding the house in combat formation. Ahmad was at his brother’s house, where he was spending the night. Haneen, along with her mother, went to alert her 69-year-old aunt and 14-year-old cousin who were sleeping to the presence of the soldiers. Their movement agitated the soldiers who had entered the house, and they ordered them to stop while aiming their guns at the two women’s heads.
    [Show full text]
  • Palestinian Facing Indefinite Detention
    UA: 127/11 Index: MDE 15/024/2011 Israel Date: 06 May 2011 URGENT ACTION PALESTINIAN FACING INDEFINITE DETENTION Palestinian academic and writer Ahmad Qatamesh is being held as an administrative detainee, which allows the Israeli authorities to detain him indefinitely without charge and denies him any real opportunity to challenge the detention order. Ahmad Qatamesh was arrested by Israeli security forces at 2am on 21 April from his brother’s home in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. He was taken to Ofer detention centre in the West Bank, where he was questioned for around 10 minutes by the Israel Security Agency (ISA). At a hearing on 28 April, a military judge agreed to extend his detention for another six days for further questioning, although none followed in this period. At another hearing on 2 May, the ISA made a request to extend his detention for a second time in order, according to his wife, to question him about his association with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Ahmad Qatamesh denied being active in the PFLP and the military judge refused the request. A military court official told Ahmad Qatamesh’s lawyer that he would be released at 5pm on 3 May, and a prison officer gave him the same message. However, at 8.30pm on 3 May, Ahmad Qatamesh was handed an administrative detention order signed by the West Bank military commander of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The order appeared to have been produced for another detainee, since Ahmad Qatamesh’s name was written over correction fluid.
    [Show full text]
  • Why Israel's Generals Are Taking on Netanyahu | the Washington Institute
    MENU Policy Analysis / Articles & Op-Eds Why Israel’s Generals Are Taking on Netanyahu by Neri Zilber Jul 2, 2019 Also available in Arabic ABOUT THE AUTHORS Neri Zilber Neri Zilber, a journalist and analyst on Middle East politics and culture, is an adjunct fellow of The Washington Institute. Articles & Testimony Almost all of them believe the prime minister is destroying the country's democratic values and sacrificing the Zionist dream by avoiding a two-state solution. fter six years away, Ehud Barak, Israel’s most decorated soldier and a former prime minister, last week made A a dramatic return to political life ahead of September’s repeat election. Barak is hardly alone. In recent months, a slew of ex-generals and former heads of the Israel Defense Forces have entered politics with one common goal in mind: ousting corruption-plagued Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And, for some of them, the broader goal is saving Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state by separating from the Palestinians. “The future of the Zionist movement is on the line here,” Barak, who served as prime minister from 1999 to 2001, declared at the launch of his as-yet-unnamed political party. At the side of the 77-year-old former general was another retired officer who previously served as the IDF’s deputy chief of staff, Yair Golan. Call it the brass revolt. With Netanyahu in deep political trouble after his failure in May to pull together a new government following a squeak-through election victory, the officers-cum-politicians hope to succeed this time where they have failed before.
    [Show full text]