OccupationalHazard.org 12.14.05

The Occupation - 12/14/05

Official: Mofaz approves construction
in West Bank settlements

Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has approved the construction of hundreds of new homes in West Bank settlements, a Defense Ministry official said Wednesday, violating its obligations under the U.S.-backed road map peace plan.
Mofaz approved the plans in the past week, the official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. He made the decision shortly before leaving the Likud Party for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new centrist party, the official said.
Israel is obligated under the road map to freeze construction in all Jewish settlements, including the largest ones that it says it wants to hold onto under a future peace deal. However, it has not fulfilled its commitment, and construction has continued unabated since the road map was approved in June 2003.
Mofaz's recent plans are for 200 housing units in Ma'aleh Adumim, dozens of houses in the smaller communities of Bracha and Nokdim, and 40 trailer homes in Ariel, another large settlement with nearly 20,000 residents, the ministry official said. In addition, Mofaz agreed to advance construction plans in Givat Ze'ev and Beitar Illit, two large settlements near Jerusalem, the official said.
State turns blind eye to illegal construction at Haredi settlement
Construction of hundreds of apartments in the new neighborhood at the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Upper Modi'in is largely illegal, and the Civil Administration and State Prosecution's Office are ignoring the building violations.
Some of the apartments are being built outside of the jurisdiction of the Upper Modi'in local council, in violation of Israel's commitment to the United States in the framework of the road map peace plan.
A Justice Ministry spokesman confirmed Tuesday that, "In the case of the handling of the petition on fence construction in the area, the State Prosecutor's Office learned that unlawful construction had evidently been carried out in the settlement of Upper Modi'in."
The spokesman added that the Civil Administration was asked by the prosecutor handling the case to render its opinion of the matter.
Following the Haaretz report, a Civil Administration spokesman said Tuesday that it intends to examine the legal options available for stopping the construction in the site.
The residents of the adjacent village of Bil'in claim in High Court petitions recently submitted that the separation fence between the village and its agricultural lands is intended to enable the illegal expansion of Upper Modi'in.
In response to one of the petitions, submitted by attorney Michael Sfard, the state said that, based on developers' reports, "in the western tract of Plan 210/8, which has already been developed, there are about 750 housing units, of which some 520 have been sold." Further down, it is stated that since the construction is being carried out in accordance with an invalid plan, "this is partly unlawful construction."
The legal advisor of the Upper Modi'in Local Council, Gilad Rogel, wrote to the council's chief engineer in March that, "building violations on a colossal scale are being committed in broad daylight" - a reference to the new neighborhood of Matityahu East.
Meretz MK Roman Bronfman, who has visited the site, reported last week to Quartet envoy James Wolfensohn on the illegal construction. In letters he sent to the Defense and Justice ministries, Bronfman claims that the separation fence route in the area was planned not according to security considerations, but rather to enable the settlement's expansion.
Project manager Gidi Baht said in response to the allegations that a large number of the buildings have approved plans and presented Haaretz with documents affirming this statement.
According to Baht, the claim that part of the project is not legally approved stems from a financial dispute with the local council. He said that the project was being built on private land bought by the Canadian "Green Park" company from Palestinians in the area, and that the state declared it "state land."
Sfard said in response that the documents presented by Baht refer to an old plan, and therefore cannot legalize the current construction. He added that the documents may have been issued retroactively as a cover up to the illegal actions carried out.

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Official: Mofaz approves construction in West Bank settlements
Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press





Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has approved the construction of hundreds of new homes in West Bank settlements, a Defense Ministry official said Wednesday, violating its obligations under the U.S.-backed road map peace plan. Mofaz approved the plans in the past week, the official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. He made the decision shortly before leaving the Likud Party for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new centrist party, the official said. Israel is obligated under the road map to freeze construction in all Jewish settlements, including the largest ones that it says it wants to hold onto under a future peace deal. However, it has not fulfilled its commitment, and construction has continued unabated since the road map was approved in June 2003. Mofaz's recent plans are for 200 housing units in Ma'aleh Adumim, dozens of houses in the smaller communities of Bracha and Nokdim, and 40 trailer homes in Ariel, another large settlement with nearly 20,000 residents, the ministry official said. In addition, Mofaz agreed to advance construction plans in Givat Ze'ev and Beitar Illit, two large settlements near Jerusalem, the official said. State turns blind eye to illegal construction at Haredi settlement Construction of hundreds of apartments in the new neighborhood at the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Upper Modi'in is largely illegal, and the Civil Administration and State Prosecution's Office are ignoring the building violations. Some of the apartments are being built outside of the jurisdiction of the Upper Modi'in local council, in violation of Israel's commitment to the United States in the framework of the road map peace plan. A Justice Ministry spokesman confirmed Tuesday that, "In the case of the handling of the petition on fence construction in the area, the State Prosecutor's Office learned that unlawful construction had evidently been carried out in the settlement of Upper Modi'in." The spokesman added that the Civil Administration was asked by the prosecutor handling the case to render its opinion of the matter. Following the Haaretz report, a Civil Administration spokesman said Tuesday that it intends to examine the legal options available for stopping the construction in the site. The residents of the adjacent village of Bil'in claim in High Court petitions recently submitted that the separation fence between the village and its agricultural lands is intended to enable the illegal expansion of Upper Modi'in. In response to one of the petitions, submitted by attorney Michael Sfard, the state said that, based on developers' reports, "in the western tract of Plan 210/8, which has already been developed, there are about 750 housing units, of which some 520 have been sold." Further down, it is stated that since the construction is being carried out in accordance with an invalid plan, "this is partly unlawful construction." The legal advisor of the Upper Modi'in Local Council, Gilad Rogel, wrote to the council's chief engineer in March that, "building violations on a colossal scale are being committed in broad daylight" - a reference to the new neighborhood of Matityahu East. Meretz MK Roman Bronfman, who has visited the site, reported last week to Quartet envoy James Wolfensohn on the illegal construction. In letters he sent to the Defense and Justice ministries, Bronfman claims that the separation fence route in the area was planned not according to security considerations, but rather to enable the settlement's expansion. Project manager Gidi Baht said in response to the allegations that a large number of the buildings have approved plans and presented Haaretz with documents affirming this statement. According to Baht, the claim that part of the project is not legally approved stems from a financial dispute with the local council. He said that the project was being built on private land bought by the Canadian "Green Park" company from Palestinians in the area, and that the state declared it "state land." Sfard said in response that the documents presented by Baht refer to an old plan, and therefore cannot legalize the current construction. He added that the documents may have been issued retroactively as a cover up to the illegal actions carried out.
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