A Palestinian village braces for Israeli demolition

[webfact]

A Palestinian village braces for Israeli demolition
By MIRIAM BERGER

SUSIYA, West Bank (AP) — Residents of this dusty village are bracing for Israeli bulldozers to come and knock down their makeshift homes of tarp, wood and wire any day now.

But as they wait for the military order to be carried out, villagers are rallying support from Western governments. Israeli authorities say Susiya's structures are unlicensed and must come down. Residents and their supporters say Israel refuses to grant building permits to Palestinians, even while allowing Israeli settlements to thrive next door.

"The people are afraid," said Nasser Nawajah, a leading activist among Susiya's residents. He said his children will not sleep alone at night. During the day, Nawajah said, the children are constantly on edge that any group approaching could be Israeli soldiers.

Susiya, a rocky hamlet of several hundred people, is one of more than a dozen Palestinian herding communities in the southern West Bank unrecognized by Israel. Consisting mostly of tents, and without running water or electricity, the village has nonetheless risen to international prominence in recent weeks as it braces for a round of decisive demolitions after three decades of legal battles with the Israeli government.

At the heart of the matter is the struggle over the 62 percent of the West Bank that was placed under full Israeli control under interim peace accords two decades ago. This land, called Area C, is home to more than 350,000 Jewish settlers, more than double the number of Palestinians living there. Critics say Israel has blocked virtually all Palestinian development in Area C, while expanding the Jewish settlements there — a charge Israel denies.

Susiya is flanked by a Jewish settlement and the ruins of a centuries-old Jewish town of the same name.

Susiya's residents lived in the area of the ruins until Israel declared it an archaeological site in the 1980s, forcing them to leave. Some left for other Palestinian communities, while others settled a few hundred meters (yards) away, on land Nawajah says is privately owned by him and his relatives.

Since Israel did not recognize the relocated Palestinian Susiya, it was not hooked up to electrical or water grids. The nearby Israeli settlement of Susiya and several unauthorized Jewish outposts in the area receive such services. The international community considers West Bank settlements, built on land captured in the 1967 Middle East war, to be illegal or illegitimate. The Palestinians claim the West Bank as part of a future independent state.

Susiya's situation escalated in May, when Israel's high court stopped a temporary injunction on demolitions. Then in July, the Israeli defense body that oversees Palestinian civilian affairs, known as COGAT, announced the demolitions and evictions would take place sometime before Aug. 3. COGAT also provided residents with a map of 32 structures it planned to demolish first.

With their options dwindling, residents, backed by a series of advocacy groups, have drawn attention to their plight, receiving support from some powerful quarters. The U.S. State Department has said that demolishing parts of the village and evicting Palestinians would be "harmful and provocative" and undermine prospects for reviving peace talks, which broke down more than a year ago.

The European Union has also condemned the demolition plan. The EU and several European countries have funded projects in Susiya, including solar panels from Germany and a playground from Austria.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday expressed his concerns as well. His spokeswoman, Vannina Maestracci, said he hoped a dialogue between Israeli authorities and the community would resolve the matter.

The international pressure seems to be working. COGAT said it has not yet decided whether to carry out the demolitions, and said it recently opened a dialogue with villagers in search of a solution. Israel has offered to relocate the residents to Yatta, a nearby West Bank town under Palestinian Authority control.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry insisted Israel was acting within its rights in accordance with long-standing agreements with Palestinian authorities. Yet an official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was discussing internal deliberations, acknowledged that the international pressure is "certainly" a factor in the decision-making.

Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli non-governmental organization working on Susiya's legal cases, dismissed Israel's overtures as only "vague promises." He praised international efforts to raise awareness about Susiya's situation, but conceded that the village's future still remains on the brink because of pressure from settler groups.

"It's like a bad light bulb joke," Ascherman said. "How many NGOs does it take to save a village?"

On Tuesday, a dozen delegates from the European Parliament's Green Party joined the ranks of international supporters passing through Susiya.

"I think if they do this (demolition) here, it will be absurd," said Margrete Auken, a former member of the Danish parliament. She added, "We will make it very clear that if they (Israeli lawmakers) should care for their friends in Europe and their own future, then we have to have real action to turn Israel into the democracy they want to be, a decent democracy, and that means end the occupation."

Samiha Nawajah, a 40-year-old mother of eight, appeared unfazed by all of the commotion. On Tuesday afternoon, she sat cleaning meat in her kitchen, a half-finished cement and tarp structure. Both the kitchen and a separate room — where she and the children sleep separated by a cloth — are on the list to be demolished, she said.

A relative of the activist, Nasser Nawajah, she appeared angry and tired, but if the bulldozers end up coming, she said the family will again build on what they believe is their land.

"Even if they demolish our house, we will rebuild it, we will stay here in our lands," she said. "They cheated us before and we left our lands because they used the antiquities as an excuse to expel us from our lands. We will stay here and our lands have registration papers and we won't leave it."


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-07-24

[up-country_sinclair]

SUSIYA, West Bank (AP) — Residents of this dusty village are bracing for Israeli bulldozers to come and knock down their makeshift homes

Since Israel did not recognize the relocated Palestinian Susiya, it was not hooked up to electrical or water grids.

And the occupiers pretend they can't understand why they're continually accused of human right's violations.

he U.S. State Department has said that demolishing parts of the village and evicting Palestinians would be "harmful and provocative" and undermine prospects for reviving peace talks

The European Union has also condemned the demolition plan.

Talk is all well and good, but now is the time for the US and EU to take a stand against this evil regime by imposing severe economic sanctions.

[RuamRudy]

All part of the Israeli strategy - ensure that the Palestinians have a constant grievance and are always ready with their ineffective rockets: bingo - justification for more arial bombardments, more land theft, more trashing or annexation of olive groves. And so it will go on until the world takes a stand and properly punishes the Israeli government for its many crimes.

[Steely Dan]

Ah bless, if some Romanian pikeys constructed a corrugated iron shanty town across the street from some of our esteemed members I bet they would have called the police, fire brigade and national guard before having a seizure.

The houses were unlicensed and possibly even dangerous, though had they been left to stand and came down on their occupants heads it would still be Israel's fault.

But I almost forgot the Palestinians are nothing more than ammunition to fire at Israel, the total silence over the 2900 of them murdered in Syria amply demonstrates this.

[RuamRudy]

Ah bless, if some Romanian pikeys constructed a corrugated iron shanty town across the street from some of our esteemed members I bet they would have called the police, fire brigade and national guard before having a seizure.

The houses were unlicensed and possibly even dangerous, though had they been left to stand and came down on their occupants heads it would still be Israel's fault.

But I almost forgot the Palestinians are nothing more than ammunition to fire at Israel, the total silence over the 2900 of them murdered in Syria amply demonstrates this.

Have you seen some of the conditions that the Gazans live in today? I am not so sure that ensuring stable foundations and a sturdy, waterproof roof is uppermost in Bibi's mind of late. Seems odd that he should worry about these people.

[Steely Dan]

Ah bless, if some Romanian pikeys constructed a corrugated iron shanty town across the street from some of our esteemed members I bet they would have called the police, fire brigade and national guard before having a seizure.

The houses were unlicensed and possibly even dangerous, though had they been left to stand and came down on their occupants heads it would still be Israel's fault.

But I almost forgot the Palestinians are nothing more than ammunition to fire at Israel, the total silence over the 2900 of them murdered in Syria amply demonstrates this.

Have you seen some of the conditions that the Gazans live in today? I am not so sure that ensuring stable foundations and a sturdy, waterproof roof is uppermost in Bibi's mind of late. Seems odd that he should worry about these people.

You must be talking about the millionaire mansions of Hamas leaders, or perhaps the Gaza Mall. P.s less than 0.7% of residential housing was damaged during operation Cast Lead.

[RuamRudy]

Ah bless, if some Romanian pikeys constructed a corrugated iron shanty town across the street from some of our esteemed members I bet they would have called the police, fire brigade and national guard before having a seizure.

The houses were unlicensed and possibly even dangerous, though had they been left to stand and came down on their occupants heads it would still be Israel's fault.

But I almost forgot the Palestinians are nothing more than ammunition to fire at Israel, the total silence over the 2900 of them murdered in Syria amply demonstrates this.

Have you seen some of the conditions that the Gazans live in today? I am not so sure that ensuring stable foundations and a sturdy, waterproof roof is uppermost in Bibi's mind of late. Seems odd that he should worry about these people.

You must be talking about the millionaire mansions of Hamas leaders, or perhaps the Gaza Mall. P.s less than 0.7% of residential housing was damaged during operation Cast Lead.

According to UN figures, Israel destroyed more than 3,500 residential dwellings and 20,000 people were left homeless.

Let's drop the nonsense that if you oppose Israeli actions, you must, by default, support Hamas. Instead, let's see if you can justify the actions of the Israeli government in refusing indiginous Palestinians permits to build whilst encouraging illegal settlements of Israeli immigrants,

[Scott]

Stay on topic. This is about a Palestinian village in The West Bank.

[dexterm]

"I think if they do this (demolition) here, it will be absurd," said Margrete Auken, a former member of the Danish parliament. She added, "We will make it very clear that if they (Israeli lawmakers) should care for their friends in Europe and their own future, then we have to have real action to turn Israel into the democracy they want to be, a decent democracy, and that means end the occupation."

Took the words out of my mouth. I agree with JT: the state of Israel is here to stay, but so are the Palestiniians. I would love for Israel to join the family of civilized nations and end the occupation. Start building bridges with your neighbors, rather than provoking resentment.

Modern civilized European style democracies simply do not behave in the way Israel does at the moment, occupying and discriminating against 4.5 million people, making their lives a misery.

The whole world is watching this time and Israel will not get away with further ethnic cleansing nor the creation of an apartheid state.

Make a just peace with your neighbors, with land swaps based on the 67 borders. End the occupation before, your biggest trading partner the EU ends it for you with sanctions.

[Steely Dan]

Hot off the press, debunking the latest lies concerning the Palestinian settlement.

http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-myth-of-susiya.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Alwyn]

Ah bless, if some Romanian pikeys constructed a corrugated iron shanty town across the street from some of our esteemed members I bet they would have called the police, fire brigade and national guard before having a seizure.

The houses were unlicensed and possibly even dangerous, though had they been left to stand and came down on their occupants heads it would still be Israel's fault.

But I almost forgot the Palestinians are nothing more than ammunition to fire at Israel, the total silence over the 2900 of them murdered in Syria amply demonstrates this.

Have you seen some of the conditions that the Gazans live in today? I am not so sure that ensuring stable foundations and a sturdy, waterproof roof is uppermost in Bibi's mind of late. Seems odd that he should worry about these people.

I have, I've been in Gaza, have you? It's their choice to live as they do. They get $millions in aid and choose to build tunnels and not use it on their infrastructure. But do you know what the biggest health problem is in Gaza right now? Obesity.

[Alwyn]

Hot off the press, debunking the latest lies concerning the Palestinian settlement.

http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-myth-of-susiya.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

great find! Unfortunately the truth doesn't matter when it comes to matters concerning Israel. Palestinians are the middle eastern equivalent of pikeys

[Alwyn]

"I think if they do this (demolition) here, it will be absurd," said Margrete Auken, a former member of the Danish parliament. She added, "We will make it very clear that if they (Israeli lawmakers) should care for their friends in Europe and their own future, then we have to have real action to turn Israel into the democracy they want to be, a decent democracy, and that means end the occupation."

Took the words out of my mouth. I agree with JT: the state of Israel is here to stay, but so are the Palestiniians. I would love for Israel to join the family of civilized nations and end the occupation. Start building bridges with your neighbors, rather than provoking resentment.

Modern civilized European style democracies simply do not behave in the way Israel does at the moment, occupying and discriminating against 4.5 million people, making their lives a misery.

The whole world is watching this time and Israel will not get away with further ethnic cleansing nor the creation of an apartheid state.

Make a just peace with your neighbors, with land swaps based on the 67 borders. End the occupation before, your biggest trading partner the EU ends it for you with sanctions.

I'd like it if the Palestinians stopped rocket attacks on Israeli towns and villages. But that doesn't equate with people like you

[Alwyn]

Stay on topic. This is about a Palestinian village in The West Bank.

No, it's about a Palestinian squat in the west bank. There is no historical evidence that there was ever a village there. All that stood there was the temple that are now the ruins where these people are building their tent town.

[car720]

"I think if they do this (demolition) here, it will be absurd," said Margrete Auken, a former member of the Danish parliament. She added, "We will make it very clear that if they (Israeli lawmakers) should care for their friends in Europe and their own future, then we have to have real action to turn Israel into the democracy they want to be, a decent democracy, and that means end the occupation."

Took the words out of my mouth. I agree with JT: the state of Israel is here to stay, but so are the Palestiniians. I would love for Israel to join the family of civilized nations and end the occupation. Start building bridges with your neighbors, rather than provoking resentment.

Modern civilized European style democracies simply do not behave in the way Israel does at the moment, occupying and discriminating against 4.5 million people, making their lives a misery.

The whole world is watching this time and Israel will not get away with further ethnic cleansing nor the creation of an apartheid state.

Make a just peace with your neighbors, with land swaps based on the 67 borders. End the occupation before, your biggest trading partner the EU ends it for you with sanctions.

Thank God for Bollywood and the Chinese.

They will take a lot of money away from Hollywood and cut the flow of support money.

The only way to make these buggers pull their head in is to take their God away.

[BKKBobby]

Stay on topic. This is about a Palestinian village in The West Bank.

No, it's about a Palestinian squat in the west bank. There is no historical evidence that there was ever a village there. All that stood there was the temple that are now the ruins where these people are building their tent town.

If it is a village, squat or deserted, makes no difference.

So theres no historical evidence to show it was ever a village... Okey? And?

Israel has no business touching the place anyway.

[Alwyn]

Stay on topic. This is about a Palestinian village in The West Bank.

No, it's about a Palestinian squat in the west bank. There is no historical evidence that there was ever a village there. All that stood there was the temple that are now the ruins where these people are building their tent town.

If it is a village, squat or deserted, makes no difference.

So theres no historical evidence to show it was ever a village... Okey? And?

Israel has no business touching the place anyway.

How so? It's Israel, it's not a licensed project or development so they have every right to touch the place.

[EnglishJohn]

I think Israel have learned enough lessons the hard way with suicide bombs and terrorists. I doubt they care what people who have no idea what that is like think.

The unanswered question is whether these people have settled there deliberately to defy Israel and cry foul when they get moved out as they knew they would.

The article reads like it is very biased to someone who would like to know the full facts and is yet another piece of journalism-with-an-agenda.

[Seastallion]

Stay on topic. This is about a Palestinian village in The West Bank.

No, it's about a Palestinian squat in the west bank. There is no historical evidence that there was ever a village there. All that stood there was the temple that are now the ruins where these people are building their tent town.

If it is a village, squat or deserted, makes no difference.

So theres no historical evidence to show it was ever a village... Okey? And?

Israel has no business touching the place anyway.

How so? It's Israel, it's not a licensed project or development so they have every right to touch the place.

Rubbish....it's occupied territory....Israel has no right to govern on residential issues, especially as the area is under military rule.

[BKKBobby]

Stay on topic. This is about a Palestinian village in The West Bank.

No, it's about a Palestinian squat in the west bank. There is no historical evidence that there was ever a village there. All that stood there was the temple that are now the ruins where these people are building their tent town.

If it is a village, squat or deserted, makes no difference.

So theres no historical evidence to show it was ever a village... Okey? And?

Israel has no business touching the place anyway.

How so? It's Israel, it's not a licensed project or development so they have every right to touch the place.

Only Israel considers it to be within Israels borders. Edited July 24, 2015 by BKKBobby

[jackanapes]

by the time the jews have finished building Palestine will be no more than a memory they are a greedy nation greedy for land which is not theirs to take more and more and the world just watches and does nothing they are a blight on the face of the planet .

[Kasset Tak]

The Israelis sees the Palestinians as lesser people as they are not Jews, hell they see all non Jews as lesser people! The same thing that some people thought about Jews 75 years ago...

Only way that UN, EU and US can force Israel to stop and get peace is to put an economic blockade/sanctions on Israel and Israelis! EU and US are having economical sanctions against Russia because they are fighting whit/in the former parts of USSR but there are no economical sanctions against Israel that are occupying Palestine sins more than 50 YEARS!!!

It would be easy, stop all of Israels import and export true the Mediterranean sea and freeze all bank accounts outside Israel belonging to Israelis who are supporting the Israeli government etc... But there is always a risk of a backfire.. there are only 2 countries that would be stupid enough to use nuclear weapons today, North Korea and Israel!

[Alwyn]

Actually full control of the area was handed back over to Israel over 20 years ago. You understand the squatters are squatting at the ruins of a Jewish Temple, right? A Temple dating back to the 4th century, before Islam was even born. Palestine has never existed. There has never (up until Gaza) a Palestinian country, government or anything else. Palestinian is a corruption of the word Felestinia (Philistine) and the Felstinia were slaves of the Romans who occupied Israel at the time. They came from a small area near Greece so if anything, they should be squatting over there. Israel has every right to demolish this illegal camp if they wish to.

[Ulysses G.]

The Israelis sees the Palestinians as lesser people as they are not Jews

Most Arabs see the Palestinians as lesser people and don't allow them citizenship. They just use them as pawns against Israel and don't offer them any real help. Why should Israelis think more of sworn enemies than their Muslims brothers do about their Arab cousins?

Edited July 24, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[JDGRUEN]

Attack Israel -- they take the land -- attack - repeat -- attack - repeat ... Taking of land to defend one's country -- create buffers is age old -- thousands and thousands of years old... Solution -- Don't attack Israel ...

[Lissos]

I don't know if it is the same case but long ago I think this one came up on here if I remember correctly and I decided to look into the details, including public details posted by the Israeli activist group that was highlighting the 'plight' of the so called 'village'. If it is the same case, there was far more to the story behind this so called 'village' which made Israel's case make more and more sense as I gathered information.

If it is the same case (I don't have resources where I am, to check) then essentiality yes it was a collection of temporary seasonal shacks put up by 'nomads' whom only inhabited it for a few months a year and over years they were offered chances to erect a place in a recognised area nearby outside of the military zone (declared quite a number of years before the erection of the 'village') which would be connected to water/power, but they refused consistently. If it isn't the same case, the one I mention is also an example of how much nonsense is fed to the well organised 'outrage' industry against Israel, which loves the internet. All you need do is look at the details, rather than the 'end results' point people 'wake up' at.

[Seastallion]

The Israelis sees the Palestinians as lesser people as they are not Jews

Most Arabs see the Palestinians as lesser people and don't allow them citizenship. They just use them as pawns against Israel and don't offer them any real help. Why should Israelis think more of sworn enemies than their Muslims brothers do about their Arab cousins?

Group A think poorly of Group B. Thus, Israel is justified in treating Group B badly.

Your logic is astounding.

[Scott]

Off-topic posts removed along with replies.

[Ulysses G.]

The Israelis sees the Palestinians as lesser people as they are not Jews

Most Arabs see the Palestinians as lesser people and don't allow them citizenship. They just use them as pawns against Israel and don't offer them any real help. Why should Israelis think more of sworn enemies than their Muslims brothers do about their Arab cousins?

Group A think poorly of Group B. Thus, Israel is justified in treating Group B badly.

Your logic is astounding.

You forgot the part where group B started numerous wars with Israel - all of which they lost. My logic is fine.

[dexterm]

tv.PNG

Actually full control of the area was handed back over to Israel over 20 years ago. You understand the squatters are squatting at the ruins of a Jewish Temple, right? A Temple dating back to the 4th century, before Islam was even born. Palestine has never existed. There has never (up until Gaza) a Palestinian country, government or anything else. Palestinian is a corruption of the word Felestinia (Philistine) and the Felstinia were slaves of the Romans who occupied Israel at the time. They came from a small area near Greece so if anything, they should be squatting over there. Israel has every right to demolish this illegal camp if they wish to.

Spare us the pseudo history and deflections.

The bottom line for all Palestinian delegitimizers is this: even if you think there was was never a country called Palestine, well think again...because there is one now...recognized by 70% of the world's countries with more to follow. And just like Israelis they are not going away. So get over it, and start thinking towards the future rather than wallowing in a spurious past that convinces no-one except Zionists.

If Israelis don't get serious soon about discussing a just peace in a 2 state solution (giving back land they are attempting futilely to swallow up in the OP), they will find themselves in a one state solution, having to absorb 4.5 Palestinians, and losing any hope of a state with a predominantly Jewish character.