Land Research Center

Israel Municipality in Jerusalem approved on October 25, 2017 a plan to construct 176 colonial residential units in the heart of Jabal Al-Mukabir, south Occupied Jerusalem.

Reportedly, the new plan is a continuation of an old one, which is related to Nov Zion colony that is founded on confiscated lands from Jabal Al-Mukabir area. The new plan is believed to expand the colony to become the biggest colonial bloc in the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods of Jerusalem.

It should be noted that Nov Zion colony accommodates 91 residential units ( 7 buildings) that are built on 14 dunums confiscated from Jabal Al-Mukabir area on the claim of them being " public service areas". Getting the new plan approved, 176 new units will be added to the colony.

Reportedly, a company called "Chemay" submitted the new plan for construction. The decision of constructing 176 new units follows the municipality's declaration of plans to construct 2600 residential units in the West Bank.

The proposed location for the new 176 units

The Israeli occupation authorities seek to judaize the city by increasing the number of colonial residential units and thus increasing the number of settlers, while practicing the policy of ethnic cleansing and displacement of Jerusalemites by withdrawing their residency permits, constructing  roads to limit the urban expansion of the Palestinian towns and villages in the city, and developing of plans that would impede construction and expansion amid impossible conditions imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on Jerusalemites.

Jabal Mukabir under the targeting spot:

The occupation really seeks to take over every square meter of the land of Jerusalem in general, but it targets especially certain places due to their proximity and vitality to a colony here or there, in addition to their location being overlooking as in Jabal Mukabir case, where the occupation established Nov Zion colony on the lands of the Zahayka and Ubaidat families, which overlook the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City.

Racism of the Israeli Municipality:

10 years ago - In March 2007, the Israeli municipality excavated and razed a section of Jabal al-Mukabir Street in favor of the colony of Nov Zion, which was established by the occupation and is still expanding at the expense of Palestinian lands.  Noteworthy, Israel Municipality- for over 40 years- never cared about the narrow roads and destroyed sidewalks of the street, on which the colony is founded before it was actually established. It is clear that services and benefits are only in favor of Israelis and Israeli constructions, where Palestinians and their properties in Jerusalem are neglected.

The expansion works on the road leading to Nov Zion colony

Nov Zion colony under construction in 2007

Nov Zion colony after construction finished in 2015

Land Research Center sees Israel continuous expansion on colonies in the West Bank and Jerusalem at the expense of Palestinian and lands a flagrant violation of Human Rights and all international laws and conventions, which prohibit disposition of public properties in occupied countries.

UN Resolutions

UN Security Council Resolution 242 of 1967: calls for

the Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;

Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force." [4]

UN Security Council Resolution 449 of 1979: the Security Council determined:

"that the policy and practices of Israel in establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967 have no legal validity and constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East"

UN Security Council Resolution 452 of 1979: states that

"the policy of Israel in establishing settlements in the occupied Arab territories has no legal validity and constitutes a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War of 12 August 1949" and "calls upon the Government and people of Israel to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem."

UN Security Council Resolution 465 of 1980:

It expressed concern at Israeli settlement policy in the Arab territories and recalled resolutions 237 (1967), 252 (1968), 267 (1969), 271(1969) and 298 (1971). It further called upon the State and people of Israel to dismantle such settlements. The resolution calls on all states ‘not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in the occupied territories’.

UN Security Council resolutions in regard to Israeli colonies:

UN Security Council resolution 446, article 3 " Calls once more upon Israel, as the occupying Power, to abide scrupulously by the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, to rescind its previous measures and to desist from taking any action which would result in changing the legal status and geographical nature and materially affecting the demographic composition of the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, and, in particular, not to transfer parts of its own civilian population into the occupied Arab territories;"

Un Security Council resolution 452, article 3"Calls upon the Government and people of Israel to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem;"

Un Security Council resolution 465, Strongly deplores the continuation and persistence of Israel in pursuing those policies and practices and calls upon the Government and people of Israel to rescind those measures, to dismantle the existing settlements and in particular to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem;

Calls upon all States not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connexion with settlements in the occupied territories;

Un Security Council resolution 242, Affirms that the fulfilment of Charter principles requires the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East which should include the application of both the following principles:

(i) Withdrawal of Israel armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict;
(ii) Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force;

This case study is part of Kan'aan Project