Slippery Slope

Even though according to the Oslo accords Israel transferred to the Palestinian Authority full administrative responsibility over area A and civil administration of area B, the IDF is preventing construction and development in 4,700 dunams of these areas citing security reasons. Furthermore, seizure orders were issued for approximately 1,870 additional dunams in these areas for use in paving roads related to construction of the separation fence. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

A B’Tselem report concludes that IDF soldiers shot and killed Samir Awad, a 16 year Palestinian youth, near the separation fence near Budrus, even though he did not pose a threat to them at any time. (B’Tselem)

(Hebrew – B’Tselem)

A new B’Tselem report on the long term impact of the separation barrier on the Palestinian communities on whose land it is built, reveals that despite its commitment to the High Court, the steps taken by the State have not prevented the barrier’s harmful effects on the lives of Palestinians.  Since the construction of the barrier, Palestinian residents of these communities have lost the ability to make profitable use of their lands - their major remaining resource.  Moreover, the spatial division between neighboring communities, and between them and their land, strains their ability to survive and paralyzes sustainable development.  In addition, over eight years after imposition of the permit regime, the Civil Administration has still not bothered to translate into Arabic the collected Seam Zone orders—describing the types of permits and approval criteria. (B’Tselem)

Residents of the Shuafat neighborhood in Jerusalem claim that ever since the separation barrier was erected near their village there has been no police presence and the neighborhood has become a den of crime and drug trafficking.

(Hebrew)

A 1,500 dunam parcel of Palestinian land in the northern Jordan Valley was annexed to the State of Israel and given to Kibbutz Merav in the Gilboa region of Israel.  The separation barrier in the area was moved so as to include the parcel in Israeli territory.