Knesset subcommittee debates problem of EU funding PA land grab on Israeli-controlled land – why is there no enforcement?
The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s Subcommittee on Judea and Samaria held a follow-up discussion on Tuesday regarding the response to illegal Arab construction in the region’s Area C.
Judea and Samaria was divided into Areas A, B and C in the 1994 Oslo Accords which created the Palestinian Authority (PA), and under the agreements Area C is under complete Israeli administrative and security control.
Representatives of Regavim, an NGO watchdog group for Jewish national property rights, spoke at the discussion saying, “in the region of Ma’ale Adumim (east of Jerusalem – ed.) alone there are around 1,000 illegal structures, and the trend is only building strength.”
“This is a process that starts with tin shacks and later, if the structures aren’t destroyed, they turn into mobile homes,” said the representatives.
“The Palestinians’ idea is to take control over the land, and therefore throughout the summer these buildings aren’t even inhabited. This is a significant financial investment that is funded mostly by sources in the European Union. If those sources were to reach the conclusion that it isn’t financially in their interest to continue transferring funds because Israel were to enforce the demolition orders, they would stop investing.”
David Elhayani, head of the Jordan Valley Regional Council, said at the meeting that “the problem is not a lack of demolition orders. The opposite is true. The problem is that the courts don’t allow the enforcement of the existing demolition orders.”
“The regional council has demolition orders on buildings from the year 2000, and nothing is happening. We have to remove responsibility for the matter from the High Court. Maybe we also need to learn something from the Palestinians and to start building without permits on state land.”
Also speaking up in the meeting was MK Betzalel Smotrich (Jewish Home), who noted that “in terms of the results we are failing. Despite all the good intentions of all those in enforcement, there is too much illegal building and too few demolitions.”
“Our actions need to be focused against the European Union on one side, and the lack of action by the Foreign Ministry which much act more aggressively,” said the MK. “I feel that in this issue the political echelon has no intention of strengthening the governability on the ground in order to prevent a situation which is a disaster for generations.”
MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home), who heads the committee, said that in practice those in enforcement are doing nothing on the subject, both in terms of the operational and the legal aspects of the matter.
“The enforcement on the ground is not being managed equally between Arabs and Jews. In general the construction is directed by the Palestinian Authority mainly on strategic land – E1,” he said, noting a highly important stretch linking Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim.
He added that the illegal construction is “funded by the European Union inbreach of the Oslo Accords.”
There are too many people in the Knesset and Israel who want to be liberal social democrats just like everyone else in the EU and the Democratic Party in the USA.
the reason is that BB is in complete agreement with the EU and the globalists but cannot agree publicly as he would lose his false standing as a right wing leader. As a right wing leader he is able to obstruct and freeze all right wing agendas, nuetralize all budding right wing leaders, remove the memory and discussion of Judea Samaria from the Israeli psyche, bring fatigue and dissillusionment to the right wing to the point where the left wing is reelected by a landslide and claims full justification to implement their globalist agenda. When a right wing electorate clamor for their leader the best the globalist can do is provide them a mole who “promises them everything but gives them arpege” until the time when the left returns. Hence, we can see the real reason to maintain a status quo during a period of “right wing” government. The only question is when will BB make his move.
Makes no sense.
If anything, Israelis should continue to build on their land and the Arabs should be removed. They are like a cancer that wants to spread until it renders you helpless.
Treatment: surgically remove.
Its noteworthy Israeli governments and the High Court have been zealous in cracking down on illegal Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria.
Which is in stark contrast to their complete indifference and passivity towards illegal Arab construction on state land.
Equal enforcement of the laws? Every one in Israel who can see it with open eyes is aware that doesn’t exist.