Israel seizes more land for settlements Israel has defied international pressure by continued seizure of Palestinian lands to expand its illegal settlements, Press TV reports. Tel Aviv is grabbing agricultural lands in the Jordan Valley and al-Quds (Jerusalem) in order to expand its illegal settlements in the area. Meanwhile, Palestinian human rights groups warn that Israel’s policy of land expropriation may cause a humanitarian crisis. "“The Israelis have been attempting to control the land in Jordan Valley.… They are only focusing on the subject today because it is in the media and suddenly the world knows,” said Fayez Abbas, Palestinian political analyst." Israel has announced tenders for about 3,100 housing units in East al-Quds and the occupied West Bank since the resumption of the so-called peace talks in July. The Israelis have intensified their settlement building activities since the start of the negotiations which means they are not serious about the peace talks, Jamal Juma, the coordinator for the Stop the Wall campaign, told Press TV on September 4. On September 3, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met in their latest round of talks. According to reports, chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erekat, and Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni attended the meeting. The officials presented their views on different issues, but no agreement was reached. The presence and continued expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine has created a major obstacle for the efforts made to establish peace in the Middle East. More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 illegal settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al- Quds. The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as illegal because the territories were captured by Israel in the 1967 war and are hence subject to the Geneva Conventions, which forbid construction on occupied lands. MAM/PR/SS
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 04:40:52 +0000