Breaking the Law in the West Bank - The Private Land Report - Nov. 2006
Dror Etkes and Hagit Ofran
This report by the Peace Now Settlement Watch Team is a harsh indictment against the whole settlements enterprise and the role all Israeli governments played in it. The report shows that Israel has effectively stolen privately owned Palestinian lands for the purpose of constructing settlements and in violation Israel's own laws regarding activities in the West Bank. Nearly 40 percent of the total land area on which the settlements sit is, according to official data of the Israeli Civil Administration (the government agency in charge of the settlements), privately owned by Palestinians. The settlement enterprise has undermined not only the collective property rights of the Palestinians as a people, but also the private property rights of individual Palestinian landowners.
Summary:
The majority of settlements have been constructed either entirely or partially on private Palestinian land• For the first time Peace Now is able to prove, that despite the State and settler’s claims, the majority of the settlements in the West Bank have been constructed on private Palestinian land and not on State land.
• 130 settlements were constructed either entirely or partially on private Palestinian land
• Around 60 thousand dunams of the land used by the settlements is actually private Palestinian land
• Private Palestinian land accounts for 40% of land used for settlements
• Construction of settlements of private Palestinian land is illegal according to the Supreme Court ruling, (Elon More precedent of 1979), and thus cannot be authorized. The result is that not only were the outposts constructed in an illegal manner, but also a large number of the veteran settlements were established on private Palestinian land and are thus illegal.
• The data presented here has been hidden by the State for many years, for fear that the revelation of these facts could damage it’s international relations. Only recently did Peace Now manage to obtain this material.
• Conclusion: For many years the state of Israel has been seizing thousands of dunams of private Palestinian land in order to construct settlements. The claim by the State and settlers that the settlements have been constructed on state land is misleading and false. The vast majority of settlement construction was done against the law of the land and the Supreme Court ruling and therefore unauthorized.
On a moral note this report paints a picture of the Israeli state acting in “daylight robbery” of Palestinian land and handing it over to Israeli settlers. The State has been taking advantage of the weakened status of the Palestinians in order to steal their land.
Peace Now Demands: That the Attorney General order an immediate investigation into these findings and bring those responsible to justice.
• From the official response received by Peace Now from the Civil Administration, regarding Peace Now's report on the settlements that have been built on private Palestinian Land, we can learn that they don't deny the findings. For thr Civil Administartion's letter click here.
The response doesn't deny that the facts presented, but instead claims that in the "last few years" there has been awareness to try to prevent it.
For Peace Now reply - click here.
For the full report - click here
For the Arabic translation - click here
For the Franch translation - click here
Adora - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Alei Zahav - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Alfei Menashe - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Alfei Menashe (Nirit) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Almon (Anatot) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Alon Shvut - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ariel - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Asfar - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ateret - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Avnei Hefetz and Hahar (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Barqan and Ma'ale Israel (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Bat Ayin and Bat Ayin East, Bat Ayin West, Old Massu'ot Itzhak (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Beit Arye - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Beit El and Beit El East, Jabel Aritis (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Beit Horon - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Beitar Illit - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Bqa'ot - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Bracha and Bracha A (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Carmel - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Dolev - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Efrata and Givat Hadagan, Givat Hatamar (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
El'azar and Derech Ha'avot (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Eli and Palgei Mayim, Nof Harim, Hayovel (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Elkana - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Elon More and Point 792 - Skali's Ranch (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Enav and Einav North East, Einav South West (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Eshkolot - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Etz Efraim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Geva Binyamin and Bnei Adam (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Gitit - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Giv'at Ze'ev - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Giv'on Ha'hadasha - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Haggai - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Halamish and Elisha Preparatory (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Har Adar - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Har Gilo - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Hashmonaim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Hermesh - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Immanuel - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Itamar and Hanekuda, Gva'ot Olam, Hill 851, Hill 782, Hill 836, Hill 777 (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Karmei Tzur and Tzur Shalem (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Karnei Shomron - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kedumim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Keidar - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kfar Adumim and Nofei Prat - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kfar Etzion - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kfar Ha'oranim (Menorah) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kfar Tapuah and Kfar Tapuah West (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kiryat Arba - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kiryat Netafim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kochav Ha'shachar and Mitzpe Kramim, Ma'ale Shlomo (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Kochav Ya'akov - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ma'ale Adumim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ma'ale Amos and Ibei Hanahal (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ma'ale Efraim and Industrial Zone - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ma'ale Levona - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ma'ale Michmash and Mitzpe Danny, Neve Erez (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ma'ale Shomron and Elmatan (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ma'on and Hill 833 - Ma'on Farm (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Masu'a - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Mechola - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Mechora - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Metzadot Yehuda and Nof Nesher (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Mevo Dotan - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Mevo Horon - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Migdal Oz - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Migdalim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Mitzpe Yericho - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Modi'in Illit - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Na'ale - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Negohot and Mitzpe Lachish (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Netiv Ha'gdud - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Neve Daniel - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Nili - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Nokdim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ofra and Amona, Mishpatei Aretz Institute, Ofra North East (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Oranit - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Otniel - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Pedu'el - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Pnei Hever - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Psagot and Mitzpe Ha'ai (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Rechelim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Revava - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Rimonim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Ro'i - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Rosh Tzurim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Sal'it - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Sha'arei Tikva - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Shadmot Mehola - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Shaked - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Shavei Shomron - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Shilo, Shvut Rachel and Industrial Zone - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Shim'a and Shim'a North (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Susiya and Susiya North (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Talmon and Haresha, Horesh Yaron, Zayit Ra'anan (outposts) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Telem - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Tene - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Tko'a and Tko'a B+C (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Tzofim - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Vered Yericho - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Yafit - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Yakir - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Yitav and Yitav East (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Yitzhar and Lehavat Yitzhar, Shalhevet Farm, Mitzpe Yitzhar, Hill 725 - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Avigayil (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Beit Hanotzrim (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Eli 762 (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Givat Harel (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Har Hemed (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Neve Daniel North (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
Sneh Ya'akov (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
T Junction (outpost) - For the detailed aerial photograph click here
For full PDF file click on: www.peacenow.org.il/data/SIP_STORAGE/files/9/2569.pdf