Fatah Warns of Settlement Extension, Destruction Policy

Arab World

April 5th, 7:48am

Ramallah - Asharq Al-Awsat

Palestinian Laborers work at a construction site in the Israeli settlement of Ramat Givat Zeev as the Palestinian Authority imposes a ban on Palestinians to work in Israeli settlements over concerns of the spread of coronavirus disease, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank March 19, 2020. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

The National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements, which is affiliated with Fatah movement, has accused Israel of expanding settlements amid the COVID-19 outbreak. In its report, the bureau warned of the increased violations by settlers who are exploiting the state of emergency that has been imposed to fight the coronavirus. They have cut hundreds of trees and set up tents on Palestinian lands to transform them into quarantine centers for settlers, it said. The bureau monitored the destruction of agricultural lands in Bethlehem and Nablus, including in al-Masoudiya tourist attraction, north of Nablus. As for the policy of destroying houses, the report revealed that despite the declared state of emergency, Israel hasn’t stopped its violations. Last week, the occupation demolished three houses in Ein ad-Duyuk, a well and two greenhouses in Deir Ballut and Az-Zawiya. They also destroyed an under-construction house in Khirbet Jubara. Since declaring the state of emergency in the occupied territories in March, the Israeli authorities have destroyed 49 houses or forced their owners to destroy them, displacing 26 Palestinians, the report said. Further, three under-construction houses were demolished in Rummanah, and a residential caravan was seized in Aghwar Shamaliyah district.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2217491/fatah-warns-settlement-extension-destruction-policy