Slippery Slope

The ‘Stability Initiative’ presented by Naftali Bennett, Chairman of the Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home) party, proposes annexing Area C and giving Israeli citizenship to nearly 50,000 Palestinians living there, while in fact the Palestinian population amounts to almost 150,000 people. Bennett’s plan is partly based on a table copied from a report by Bimkom organization which clearly states the number of  Palestinians living in area C.

A report prepared by “Peace Now” determines that in 2012 developers started construction of 1,400 new housing units, and 6,000 new housing units were approved by the government. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Ynet)

Israel does not allow a 6 year and 8 month old child to accompany his mother, a Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip, on a visit to the West Bank, citing his age.

(Hebrew – Gisha.org)

Israel recently renewed restictions on the freedom of movement of foreign nationals who reside and work in the West Bank, and is not allowing them to enter Israel, including East Jerusalem. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Minister of Finance, Yuval Steinitz (Likud), signed off on a map of national priorities, which provides tax benefits for land purchases for housing in 660 communities, including 87 settlements in the West Bank.  Frontier communities which have been targeted by rockets from the Gaza Strip were not included in the list. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Ynet)

An indictment for committing hate crimes against Palestinians has been filed against three young residents of West Bank settlements.  The three are accused of involvement in a vehicle torching and spraypainting graffiti near Dahariya, south of Hebron. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

Five right-wing activists charged with tracking Israel Defense Forces’ movements in an effort to prevent outpost demolitions in the West Bank have signed a plea bargain.  Three of them will serve prison sentances of up to three months, and the other two will perform approximately 200 hours of community service. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – NRG)

The state was forced to retract its decision to expropriate 2,400 dunams of agricultural land in the Jericho area and evict the farmers who farm it. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

The Jerusalem District Court has released three right-wing activist to house arrest due to the failure of the police to file indictments in their case in a timely fashion.  The three are suspected of vandalizing mosques in the West Bank.

(Hebrew – Walla!)

The Ministry of Defense has approved the construction of 523 housing units in the settlement settlement of Gva’ot, located in the West Bank’s Gush Etzion region. (Ynetnews)

(Hebrew – Walla!)