Slippery Slope

Residents of Bat-Ayin settlement demanded that a Palestinian bus driver leave the settlement, and after he refused, they hurled stones at his bus.

(Hebrew – HaKol HaYehudi)

The Government has approved a proposal for regulating Bedouin settlement in the Negev, even though the proposal was not made public beforehand, nor was it shown to the Bedouin to which it applies. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Following a petition filed by Palestinians demanding the demolition of four structures built in the outpost of Sde Boaz without permits, as well as an access road which was built on their land, the Gush Etzion Regional Council submitted a false afidavit to the High Court, claiming that the illegal structures were already inhabited, and therefore a stop work order could not be issued by the court. (The 4th Media)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Israeli settlers entered a five-story building in the Jabal Mukaber neighborhood of East Jerusalem early this morning. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Approximately 300 olive trees owned by Palestinians were cut down near the settlement of Carmel in Mount Hebron.  Near the trees was spray-painted the slogan “regards from Beer-Sheva and Tel-Aviv”.

(Hebrew – HaKol HaYehudi)

Israel may expand settlement construction,  as a possible sanction against the Palestinian Authority, should the PA request permanent observer-state status at the United Nations General Assembly at the end of the month. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

According to a proposal brought before the government today, within a few months a caravan site should be set up in the settlements of Adam, for the evicted residents of the outpost of Migron. Meanwhile, another temporary site will be prepared in “Vineyard Hill”, a site in the settlement of Kochav Yaakov, near Migron. The proposal was finalized by Minister of Housing and Construction Ariel Atias  (MK, Shas) and minister Benny Begin (MK, Likud).

(Hebrew)

The Israeli government petitioned the High Court of Justice to reconsider its decision to postpone the evacuation, and dismantling, of five structures built on Palestinian land in the Ulpana neighborhood in the Beit El settlement, originally due to take place on May 1. This despite the government’s previous commitment to dismantle the building and its admission that they are built on private Palestinian land. Following the clarification of the situation, the state attorney says in the appeal, and after taking into consideration the “broad, adverse social implications” that the implementation of the decision could have on building in other areas, “it has been decided to rethink priorities on law enforcement in the area.”

The state prosecution told the High Court yesterday it would not demolish three structures being built on private Palestinian land in the Beit El settlement by May 2012, due to the IDF’s operational needs in the West Bank. The buildings are being built on private Palestinian land and still uninhabited. In April 2010 the government committed to demolish the buildings within a year.

Mifal HaPayis (National lottery of Israel) has sponsored an event calling to re-establish the settlement of Homesh.

(Hebrew)