Illegal Arab construction surges during Jewish holidays

Palestinian Authority Arabs take advantage of inspectors’ holiday for illegal land grabs.

ARUTZ SHEVA

Illegal Arab construction surged in Judea and Samaria during the Jewish holiday season, the non-governmental organization ‘Regavim’ reported, with Palestinian Authority residents taking advantage of the absence of building inspectors to establish facts on the ground.

Regavim documented dozens of instances of illegal construction which were undertaken during the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, when building inspectors employed by the Civil Administration are on vacation.

In the southern Hevron Hills area, for instance, Arab workers laid the foundation for large building next to the Jewish community of Sussiya. The new building appears to be slated for use as a school.

In the eastern Gush Etzion region south of Jerusalem, Regavim members documented the construction of an unauthorized road just above the Nahal Arugot stream.

A Regavim spokesperson noted that the already lax Civil Administration efforts against illegal construction were completely halted during the holiday season, giving local Arabs the perfect opportunity to execute land grabs in broad daylight.

“Enforcement against Palestinian illegal construction is generally barely existent, and during the holidays they know to take advantage of the fact that all of the inspectors gone on vacation. This is a very problematic and puzzling practice that highlights the [authorities’] failure to deal with what is happening in the field.”

Illegal road built during holidays. Photo by Regavim.