BBC World News – 2009-05-25 22:28:38
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8066892.stm
Anger over Palestinian Nakba Ban Proposal
BBC News
TEL AVIV (May 25, 2009) — Israeli campaigners and left-wing lawmakers have condemned moves to ban Israeli Arabs from marking the Nakba — the “catastrophe” of Israel’s creation.
On Sunday, a government panel backed putting the bill, proposed by the party of far-right Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, before the Israeli Knesset. A Labour minister opposed it; Hadash, a mainly Arab party, called it “racist.”
Some 700,000 Palestinians fled or were forced from their homes in the 1948 war after Israel declared independence. About 20% of Israel’s population are descended from Arab citizens of British Mandate Palestine who remained on the territory that became Israel.
Strengthening Unity
Along with Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and around the world, Israeli Arabs celebrate the anniversary on 15 May with mourning and commemoration events. Under the proposed legislation, people caught marking the Nakba could be jailed for up to three years.
Avigdor Lieberman’s party, Yisrael Beiteinu, says the bill is “intended to strengthen unity in the state of Israel.” The Hadash MK Hanna Swaid called it “racist and immoral” and “a fierce insult on democratic and political rights”.
Social Affairs Minister Isaac Herzog, said it “could impair freedom of expression and freedom of protest and achieve the opposite goal — increasing alienation and strengthening extremists.” He is a member of the Labour party, which is part of the right-leaning governing coalition, together with Yisrael Beiteinu party and led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.
Legitimate Right
Correspondents say that although there have been unsuccessful attempts to introduce similar bills in the past, the right-wing make-up of the current government gives this one more chance of passing — although it has many hurdles to clear yet.
An Israeli rights organisation, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, (Acri) said the committee’s initial approval of the bill was “a sign of a democracy losing its bearings”.
“Marking the Nakba does not threaten the safety of the State of Israel, but is rather a legitimate and fundamental human right of any person, group or people, expressing grief at the face of a disaster they experienced,” said Acri president Sammi Michael.
Mr Lieberman’s party also wants to introduce a loyalty pledge, which would demand that Israeli-Arabs swear allegiance to Israel as a “Jewish, Zionist and democratic” state, before they can be issued with their ID papers. Israel Beiteinu spokesman Tal Nahum said the measure would be discussed by the cabinet on Sunday and the first parliamentary vote would be the following Wednesday.
© BBC MMIX
Jerusalem Mayor ‘Stepping up Demolitions’
BBC News
Earlier this month, the UN asked Israel to freeze all pending demolition orders in East Jerusalem and to do more to provide for the housing needs of Palestinians. Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967. It has annexed the city and declared its east and west Israel’s eternal capital. This is not recognised by the international community, with the east of the city considered occupied territory.
— BBC
JERUSALEM (May 19, 2009) — The pace of home demolitions in Arab East Jerusalem appears to be increasing under the city’s new mayor, an Israeli rights group has warned. More than 1,000 new demolition orders have been issued in Nir Barkat’s first six months in office, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel said.
Many Palestinian and Arab residents of the city build illegally because of difficulties getting building permits. The municipality said the Acri report was deceptive and inaccurate.
“There have been no changes to the city’s enforcement policy [of demolition orders], nor has the mayor given any orders to increase the rate,” the municipality said. “In terms of Barkat’s actions and budget allocations, there appears so far to be no connection between promises and deeds ”
Acri Report
Building in mainly Arab East Jerusalem is a highly politicised issue. The Palestinians want the area to be the capital of a future state, while Jewish groups are trying to increase the number of Jewish settlements there.
While Mr Barkat has said he intends to streamline the application process for building permits, Acri said the municipality had added two new requirements to the process, which would make it harder for Israeli Arabs and Palestinians to get permission to build.
In a recent decision he also allocated only 7% of funds of a recent, interim budget to East Jerusalem, while the rest went to the Israeli west of the city, Acri said. The Jerusalem municipality said this was misleading, and funds were not allocated geographically.
“In terms of Barkat’s actions and budget allocations, there appears so far to be no connection between promises and deeds, and thus there is difference between him and his predecessors; Barkat also neglects and discriminates,” the report said.
According to figures released by Acri, 67% of families are under the poverty line in East Jerusalem, compared to 23% in West Jerusalem. It says there is a shortage of 1,500 classrooms in the district, with a 50% drop-out rate and 9,000 children not attending school. But the municipality said Mr Barkat had made improving the quality of life in East Jerusalem a priority. “Attempts to blame Barkat, who has been in office for less than six months, for the failures of the government and the municipality for 40 years are populist,” the municipality said.
Earlier this month, the UN asked Israel to freeze all pending demolition orders in East Jerusalem and to do more to provide for the housing needs of Palestinians. Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967. It has annexed the city and declared its east and west Israel’s eternal capital. This is not recognised by the international community, with the east of the city considered occupied territory.
© BBC MMIX
Demolitions Build Jerusalem Tension
Katya Adler / BBC News
They came pounding on the doors and climbed in through the bedroom window as if it was a raid. They said I had five minutes to put on my scarf and collect our valuables, then I had to get out. It’s a shock for the children. Look at their faces. I’m in despair.
We’re not going to leave. Why should I leave for the Israelis? This is our land. Even if we have to put up a tent and live in it.
— Samia Ihdaidoon
JERUSALEM (April 25, 2009) — Five young children cling to their mother. All of them are crying. This morning, without warning, Israeli bulldozers came to destroy their home in Jabal Mukabar area of East Jerusalem.
Speaking amongst the mangled remains of her house, Samia Ihdaidoon says she was still sleeping when Israel’s police arrived. Israel says the Ihdaidoon’s house was demolished because it was built illegally.
Osama Zahaika told us Israel makes it almost impossible for Palestinians to get building permits in East Jerusalem. “As a Palestinian I know why they do it. Israel doesn’t want us here. My house, most of the Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem are illegal. Not granting us construction permission, demolishing our houses. It’s a form of quiet transfer,” Mr Zahaika says.
“People like to talk of human rights. Where are human rights here? If you destroy a family home in winter, it’s cold. In summer, it’s hot. At the same time Israelis can build and live in East Jerusalem without being disturbed. Is it one rule for us, one rule for the Jews, the Israelis?”
More to Come
Israel’s Association for Civil Rights says Jerusalem’s municipality uses planning regulations to curb Palestinian construction. Although Palestinians make up an estimated one third of the Jerusalem population, according to ACRI, only 7.25% of the city’s land is designated for their building projects.
Hundreds of East Jerusalem Palestinians have lost their homes over the past few years, thanks to demolition orders. Israeli NGO’s, such as B’Tselem, warn that close to 2,000 could face the same fate over the next months. If current demolition orders are carried out, this would be the largest loss of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem since Israel captured the territory just over 40 years ago.
At the same time, Jewish Israeli citizens are moving in to the area. This is illegal under international law as East Jerusalem is occupied territory, though Israel disputes this and has annexed the area. Palestinians fear this could mean the end of a dream — to one day have East Jerusalem as the capital of their own state.
The international community’s Middle East envoy Tony Blair told me this cannot be allowed to happen. “The only two-state solution which will work is one that is fair and that will mean East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state. It will also mean that it is a state that is viable in terms of its territory.”
‘Hot air’
The issue of home demolitions is now attracting widespread international attention. As we stood, hot and dusty, amongst the Ihdaidoon’s rubble, four smart, shiny United Nations cars powered towards us. Robert Serry, the UN’s Special Co-ordinator for the Middle East peace process, stepped out. It was a surprise visit. He offered his sympathies to the family. They thanked him politely but asked for action, not just words. Mr Serry said he’d spoken about the East Jerusalem demolitions to Israel’s new right-wing government.
“Of course, if these kind of things which I’m now seeing here continue they will not help any peace process. I know how much Jerusalem is dear to many Israelis but it is also dear to Palestinians,” Mr Serry said.”We have to find a solution to that but we, as the international community, expect from the parties — in this case from the Jerusalem authorities here — not to make our work even harder.”
New Plan
At Jerusalem’s municipality, the new Deputy Mayor, Naomi Tsur, said there was a lot of hot air surrounding the issue, that all Jerusalem residents are treated equally. Illegally built houses are demolished in West Jerusalem too.
“Even if we are talking about a few buildings that have been pulled down, this is not expulsion. When there is illegal building, we have to enforce the law but nothing will be done without the co-operation of the residents,” Ms Tsur insists.
“Jerusalem is a city for all its citizens, north, south, east and west. No group that asks to meet myself or the mayor is refused. We are looking into affordable housing projects in east Jerusalem for young Muslim couples, young Christian couples. We have a new city plan. The first in Jerusalem since 1959.”
Back at the Ihdaidoon’s, father of the family, Amar, began replanting two trees uprooted by Israel’s bulldozers almost as soon as they had left. He wants to rebuild the family home as soon as possible. Jerusalem, he told me, is Palestinian.
“We’re not going to leave,” his wife Samia insists. “Why should I leave for the Israelis? This is our land. Even if we have to put up a tent and live in it.” The Ihdaidoons have opted for quiet resistance but other Palestinians warn growing frustration in East Jerusalem could spark violence.
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