Israel Lays Groundwork for Possible Settlement Expansion Southeast of Jerusalem

[Israeli]

The land east of the settlement of Efrat would expand 'contiguity' of the Gush Etzion bloc east to the outskirts of Bethlehem.

Yotam Berger Aug 14, 2016

Israel is conducting a land survey between the settlement of Efrat and the area to its east with an eye toward declaring state land there, according to a document submitted by the state to the High Court of Justice last week.

According to the document, the survey has been undertaken “in a manner that will create contiguity of state lands.” Efrat is in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc in the southern West Bank, and the area to its east is known as Givat Eitam.

Construction in the area could have diplomatic implications because it would expand Gush Etzion east to the outskirts of Bethlehem.

In 2009, 1,700 dunams (425 acres) of land in the Efrat region were declared state land. Haaretz reported on a plan at the time to build some 2,500 housing units there.

Continued : http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.736748

[BlueMTexpat]

1. Provocative moves everywhere ...

and then they wonder why there is a violent reaction.

[geek tragedy]

2. Just annex the whole West Bank and do away with the charade.

The current plan is the "let our grandchildren reap the fruits of our failures" solution.

There will never be a separate Palestinian state. However, there will one day be a single state between the river and the sea with a majority Arab population.

[Little Tich]

3. Only an utter fool would believe that Israel wants a two-state solution. n/t

[Israeli]

13. Is Israel annexing West Bank Area C?

Summary:

Israel is actively pursuing a strategy of economic expansionism in Area C, making the Oslo Accord’s plan for a future Palestinian state not feasible.

Author Uri Savir
Posted August 14, 2016
Translator Inga Michaeli


Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/08/oslo-accords-area-c-annexation-economic-development-settlers.html#ixzz4HflHLwH7

[shira]

4. Israeli, isn't this land part of Israel in any future peace deal?

Jimmy Carter, Yossi Beilin, and Avraham Burg all say Gush Etzion & Efrat will remain Israel.

What am I missing?

[Little Tich]

5. The position of the UN and the world is that the settlements are illegal and have to go.

International law and Israeli settlements
Source: Wikipedia

The international community considers the establishment of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories illegal under international law. Israel maintains that they are consistent with international law because it does not agree that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies to the territories occupied in the 1967 Six-Day War. The United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Court of Justice and the High Contracting Parties to the Convention have all affirmed that the Fourth Geneva Convention does apply.

Numerous UN resolutions have stated that the building and existence of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights are a violation of international law, including UN Security Council resolutions in 1979 and 1980. UN Security Council Resolution 446 refers to the Fourth Geneva Convention as the applicable international legal instrument, and calls upon Israel to desist from transferring its own population into the territories or changing their demographic makeup. The reconvened Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions has declared the settlements illegal as has the primary judicial organ of the UN, the International Court of Justice and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The position of successive Israeli governments is that all authorized settlements are entirely legal and consistent with international law,[15] despite Israel's armistice agreements all being with High Contracting Parties. In practice, Israel does not accept that the Fourth Geneva Convention applies de jure, but has stated that on humanitarian issues it will govern itself de facto by its provisions, without specifying which these are. The majority of legal scholars hold the settlements to violate international law, while others have offered dissenting views supporting the Israeli position.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law_and_Israeli_settlements

[shira]

7. In 2011, the U.S. vetoed a U.N. resolution declaring Israeli settlements illegal

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/02/18/un.israel.settlements/

It's real simple.

If they were already illegal, there'd have been no point to the resolution.

[Little Tich]

9. Weak sauce. The UN constantly reaffirms their legal stance on many things. n/t

[shira]

10. There is no other binding UN resolution stating settlements are illegal.

That was the 1st attempt.

Try again.

Middle East Human Rights Watch director Sarah Leah Whitson, released the statement, "President Obama wants to tell the Arab world in his speeches that he opposes settlements, but he won’t let the Security Council tell Israel to stop them in a legally binding way,"[16]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft_United_Nations_resolution_on_Israeli_settlements,_2011

[Little Tich]

11. This is getting silly...

International law and Israeli settlements
Source: Wikipedia
United Nations

In 1979 and 1980, numerous UN Security council resolutions, including 446, 452, 465, 471 and 476, considered the settlements as having "no legal validity" under the Fourth Geneva Convention. In 2004, an advisory opinion by the primary judicial organ of the UN, the International Court of Justice, also found the settlements to be illegal under international law. The court's finding was based on the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention and UN Security Council resolutions that condemned the establishment of settlements and attempts by Israel to alter the demographics of the territories under its control. The United Nations General Assembly, which regards itself as having a chief role in the process of the codification of international law, has passed several resolutions with an overwhelming majority that denounce settlements as being illegal. The United Nations Human Rights Council has also called the Israeli settlements and related activities a violation of international law.

According to records of the 1998 meeting of Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Theo van Boven said

The status of the settlements was clearly inconsistent with Article 3 of the Convention, which, as noted in the Committee's General Recommendation XIX, prohibited all forms of racial segregation in all countries. There is a consensus among publicists that the prohibition of racial discrimination, irrespective of territories, is an imperative norm of international law.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_law_and_Israeli_settlements#United_Nations

[Israeli]

6. Since when do you care what Yossi Beilin and Avraham Burg have to say shira ?

One is an extreme Leftist ....the other is a leader of our post zionist movement ....you know ...those of us that cant fill one small room in your humble opinion ....

What are you on about now ????

This ?????.............

http://www.haaretz.com/beilin-abed-rabbo-accord-infuriates-right-1.102535

[shira]

8. So I take it that's a Yes from you. n/t

[Israeli]

12. You take whatever grabs your fancy shira .....

............dont let facts get in your way

Just keep on reading Avraham Burg , everybody should :

http://www.haaretz.com/news/burg-defining-israel-as-a-jewish-state-is-the-key-to-its-end-1.222491

[Israeli]

14. For First Time in Decade, Israel Plans to Expand Jewish Settlement in Hebron

Yotam Berger Aug 22, 2016

Peace Now and other groups on the left disagree.“There is an attempt here to overturn a High Court decision that forbade building settlements on land seized for military use,” said Peace Now’s Hagit Ofran.

“The settlement in Hebron is the most extreme and callous of all, and the Netanyahu government is trampling legal standards to build a settlement exactly where the occupation and separation are the most callous and severe,” she said.

read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.737888