Land Grab

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LAND GRAB The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories Israel’s Settlement Policy in the West Bank

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The settlements are Illegal According to International Human Rights Law International Humanitarian Law

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The Eastern Strip The Mountain Strip The Western Hills Strip The Jerusalem Metropolis The Four Areas מפת שטחים בנויים עם חלוקה לאזורים

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Palestinian built-up area Area A Area B Area C Area of the Settlements

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The municipal areas of the settlements are defined by military orders as “closed military areas” Entry to Palestinians is PROHIBITED unless they have an entry permit specially issued by the Israeli military commander.

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Part of the municipal area of the Hinanit and Shaked settlements

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Some 5,400 settlers live in this area. Almost the entire area of this strip is included in Jewish regional councils. The Eastern Strip מפת אזורים הרצועה המזרחית מודגשת

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The Eastern Strip מפת אזורים הרצועה המזרחית מודגשת Harm to opportunities for economic development Tourism Industry Farming

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Some 34,000 settlers live in this area. The Mountain Strip Settlements located along Road No. 60 The objective: Control over the main traffic artery The result: Increased military presence and harsh restrictions on Palestinian movement

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The settlements in this area block the urban development of the major Palestinian cities. The Mountain Strip

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Proximity to the Green Line makes settlements into desirable to Israeli public. Some 85,000 settlers live in these settlements. The Western Hill Strip

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A wedge severing Palestinian territorial contiguity Dozens of islands of Area B surrounded by Area C Impediment to self-determination The Western Hill Strip

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Sample case: Ariel

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Area of jurisdiction: some 13,800 dunam Built-up area: about 22 percent Sample case: Ariel

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The settlement is designed to separate Palestinian communities located on either side of the Trans-Samarian highway. Sample case: Ariel

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The town of Salfit is detached from the villages north of it. Its urban development is blocked. Sample case: Ariel

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The area includes: Municipal Jerusalem Greater Jerusalem The settlements in this area are the most populated of all. They contain some 248,000 settlers. The Jerusalem Metropolis

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The settlement bloc east of the city dissects the West Bank in two. הר חומה The Jerusalem Metropolis

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Close to two million dunam that do not belong to a specific settlement. Most of the land is undeveloped and constitutes land reserves for expansion of settlements and establishment of new industrial areas. Regional Councils Area of Jurisdiction

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Area of the Settlements, by Regions (in thousands of dunam) Built-up area of the settlements: 1.7% of the West Bank Municipal area: 6.8% of the West Bank Area under control of the settlements: 41.9% of the West Bank

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How did this happen? Taking control of land Transfer of Population Discriminatory Planning De facto Annexation Financial Benefits

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Declaring it “state land” Seizing it for “military needs” Expropriating it for “public needs” Defining land as “abandoned property” The techniques: Mechanism for taking control of the land

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Declaring the land as state land This began in 1979 after the High Court prevented confiscation of private land to establish Elon Moreh settlement. The technique relies on the manipulative application of the Ottoman Lands Law 1858. The primary technique: Mechanism for taking control of the land

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The procedures for taking control of the land violated fundamental principles of due process. Mechanism for taking control of the land

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The sole use of these lands to benefit the settlements, while completely preventing the Palestinian population from benefitting from them, is improper and illegal in and of itself. Mechanism for taking control of the land

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How did this happen? Taking control of land Transfer of Population Discriminatory Planning De facto Annexation Financial Benefits

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Officially, the West Bank is not part of the State of Israel. The law applying there is Jordanian law and military legislation. However, Israel applied its laws over the settlements and the settlers, and thus annexed them in practice. A person’s rights are determined by national identity. De facto Annexation

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The government grants benefits and economic incentives To the Jewish local authorities Directly to the settler Financial Benefits

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Most of the settlements in the West Bank are defined as Class A or Class B National Priority Areas. The settlers are entitled to: Grants to buy apartments Benefits to teachers Free transportation to schools Free kindergarten Grants to investors income tax reductions Benefits to social workers Reductions on the leasing of land Financial Benefits

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Local Council in the West Bank +65% Regional Council in the West Bank+ 165% Grants in 2000: The Ministry of the Interior discriminates in favor of the settlements compared to local authorities within Israel. Financial Benefits

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Transferring moneys through the Settlement Division of the World Zionist Organization. Although the Division’s budget comes entirely from the state treasury, as a non-governmental body, the WZO is not subject to the rules binding government ministries. Another discriminatory mechanism: Financial Benefits

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The planning system approves outline plans and issues building permits in two separate tracks: Planning System Palestinian communities Settlements

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The planning system invests considerable efforts to develop settlements. It restricts Palestinian communities as much as possible. The Civil Administration demolishes houses that Palestinians build without a building permit, even if the building took place on private land. Planning System

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The evacuation must take place in a manner that respects the human rights of the settlers, including the payment of compensation. Conclusions B’Tselem demands that the Israeli government act to dismantle all the settlements.

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Interim steps that Israel’s government can take immediately to reduce to a minimum the infringement of human rights and the violation of international law: 1. Cease all new construction in the settlements 2. Freeze the planning and construction of new by-pass roads, and cease expropriation and seizure of land for this purpose 3. Return to the Palestinian communities all the non-built-up areas within the settlements 4. Cease the policy of providing incentives, and direct resources to encourage settlers to relocate to areas within the borders of the State of Israel

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International Humanitarian Law “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” (Fourth Geneva Convention) The occupying state is forbidden to make permanent changes in the occupied territory, unless the changes result from military needs or are intended for the benefit of the local population. (Hague Regulations)