The Occupation - Beit Jala Municipality | بلدية بيت جالا http://beitjala-city.org/en/beit-jala-city/the-occupation 2024-12-30T08:41:49+00:00 Beit Jala Municipality | بلدية بيت جالا Joomla! - Open Source Content Management Background 2018-08-02T08:56:46+00:00 2018-08-02T08:56:46+00:00 http://beitjala-city.org/en/beit-jala-city/the-occupation/background Super User <p style="text-align: justify;">Beit Jala is a growing Palestinian agricultural town (whose name in Aramaic means "grass carpet") spreading over an area of 14,000 dunums (dunum = 0.1 hectare). It is located 5 kilometers away from the Palestinian city of Jerusalem. The town lies on the slope of a hill covered with olive trees, vineyards and apricots. Beit Jala is reputed for its master stone-masons. Sharafat and Beit Safafa villages lie to the north of this historic town, Bethlehem to the east where the Jerusalem-Hebron road is considered the town's eastern border line, El Khader village to the south, and Battir village to the west).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">From 1940 until the beginning of the Israeli Occupation in 1967, Beit Jala was a beautiful summer resort frequented by tourists because of its good weather, attractive scenery, and its location on top of a mountain (930 m.) overlooking Jerusalem, Bethlehem and other places.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Soon after its occupation of the West Bank in June 1967, the Israeli government strictly controlled all aspects of life in the cities and villages of the West Bank. Beit Jala was one of these West Bank towns which has been subjected to a continuous wave of aggression by the Israeli occupying authorities which led to its fragmentation.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Over 30 years of Israeli occupation, many colonization schemes were implemented in Beit Jala which shred the town's agricultural infrastructure into segments. So far, three colonies called Gilo, Har Gilo, and Giv'at Hamatos have been created on Beit Jala's cultivated land. Two tunnels and two by-pass roads were also constructed on the town's confiscated land.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Oslo II Interim Agreement had resulted in a division of the West Bank into three types of areas which are distinguished by a different level of control, Areas A, B, and C. Several Palestinian built-up areas were assigned as Areas A or B, yet portions of their community lie in Area C (under complete Israeli control). In the case of Beit Jala, Area A comprising approximately 3,500 dunums of about 25% of the town's land is under Palestinian control.On the other hand, the remaining 75% (Area C) is under Israeli jurisdiction, and 7% of the total Area C is located inside the Municipality border. Thus, many neighborhoods in a town or village are physically separated from the core part of their communities.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Beit Jala is a growing Palestinian agricultural town (whose name in Aramaic means "grass carpet") spreading over an area of 14,000 dunums (dunum = 0.1 hectare). It is located 5 kilometers away from the Palestinian city of Jerusalem. The town lies on the slope of a hill covered with olive trees, vineyards and apricots. Beit Jala is reputed for its master stone-masons. Sharafat and Beit Safafa villages lie to the north of this historic town, Bethlehem to the east where the Jerusalem-Hebron road is considered the town's eastern border line, El Khader village to the south, and Battir village to the west).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">From 1940 until the beginning of the Israeli Occupation in 1967, Beit Jala was a beautiful summer resort frequented by tourists because of its good weather, attractive scenery, and its location on top of a mountain (930 m.) overlooking Jerusalem, Bethlehem and other places.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Soon after its occupation of the West Bank in June 1967, the Israeli government strictly controlled all aspects of life in the cities and villages of the West Bank. Beit Jala was one of these West Bank towns which has been subjected to a continuous wave of aggression by the Israeli occupying authorities which led to its fragmentation.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Over 30 years of Israeli occupation, many colonization schemes were implemented in Beit Jala which shred the town's agricultural infrastructure into segments. So far, three colonies called Gilo, Har Gilo, and Giv'at Hamatos have been created on Beit Jala's cultivated land. Two tunnels and two by-pass roads were also constructed on the town's confiscated land.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The Oslo II Interim Agreement had resulted in a division of the West Bank into three types of areas which are distinguished by a different level of control, Areas A, B, and C. Several Palestinian built-up areas were assigned as Areas A or B, yet portions of their community lie in Area C (under complete Israeli control). In the case of Beit Jala, Area A comprising approximately 3,500 dunums of about 25% of the town's land is under Palestinian control.On the other hand, the remaining 75% (Area C) is under Israeli jurisdiction, and 7% of the total Area C is located inside the Municipality border. Thus, many neighborhoods in a town or village are physically separated from the core part of their communities.</p> Major Colonies 2018-08-02T08:57:33+00:00 2018-08-02T08:57:33+00:00 http://beitjala-city.org/en/beit-jala-city/the-occupation/major-colonies Super User <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gilo</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The colony of Gilo was constructed in 1971 on lands belonging to the towns of Beit Jala and Beit Safafa. The present population of Gilo exceeds 40,000. Gilo colony was greatly expanded in the southern and western direction, creeping on more Beit Jala lands. Nowadays, Gilo settlement is considered one of the largest Israeli settlements that have been built in the West Bank, with a total area of 2,738 dunums.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>Har Gilo</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Har Gilo Settlement: which was established by Israel in 1972 is located on the Palestinian citizens’ lands in Beit Jala city and Al Walaja village which are located west of Bethlehem city. In 2003, Har Gilo settlement covered an area of 271 dunums of land confiscated from its Palestinian owners, and is inhabited today by more than 460 Israeli settlers. In November 2000, an Israeli plan to expand the urban area and the total area of the settlement was prepared; however, the plan was not implemented until 2004, at the time when the illegal process of expansion was ratified. Later, groups of settlers living in the settlement, under the protection of the Israeli occupation army, seized over 143 dunums of Palestinian land and surrounded it by barbed wire, as a result, the total area of Har Gilo settlement became 414 dunums.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In addition, it should be noted that the Segregation Wall plan around Har Gilo settlement seized additional areas of about 95 dunums of land located between the current settlement boundaries and the racist Segregation Wall path, which is under construction.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>Giv'at Hamatos</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The colony of Giv'at Hamatos was created in 1992 on 255 dunums of land belonging to the Orthodox Church in Beit Jala. It presently includes 280 mobile houses which were built to absorb Jews brought from Ethiopia. The Israeli government plans to expand this colony to 990 dunums and build an additional 3,600 housing units on an area of approximately 1,010 dunums belonging to the Palestinian village of Beit Safafa. The expansion of Giv'at Hamatos will also complete the wall of colonies which surrounds Jerusalem from the south.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>By-Pass Road 60</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This road is part of an Israeli scheme to tear Beit Jala into fragments, and connect the colonies of the southern part of the West Bank (Gush Etzion Bloc) with the colonies in the north in order to facilitate the movement of Israeli settlers and to link the Israeli settlements with each other. In Beit Jala city, the Israeli government constructed road no. 60, which links Gush Etzion settlements, south-west of Bethlehem city, and Har Homa settlement with Jerusalem settlements, as well as the tunnel road which is a section of the road no. 60 and which runs through the western part of Beit Jala city and its agricultural lands. This section consists of a bridge that passes over the city agricultural territories in addition to two tunnels at the beginning and the end of this section of the street. Moreover, the Israeli bypass road no. 436 cuts through Beit Jala lands, and the two Israeli bypass roads; no. 60 and no. 436, extend for 5km on the city territories.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>Bir 'Ona Neighborhood Issue</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Bir 'Ona is a Palestinian neighborhood of around 1,000, located to the south-west of Beit Jala. It fell under Israeli occupation in 1967. There has always been an Israeli intention to annex Bir 'Ona which comprises 29% of Beit Jala total area to Jerusalem boundaries. Thus, in 1989, this Palestinian neighborhood encountered an unprecedented wave of house demolition. Approximately, 25% of Bir 'Ona houses received demolition orders under the pretext of building "without permits". A systematic scheme was planned by the Municipality of Jerusalem compelling the house owners to apply for building permits from the municipality in an attempt to annex Bir 'Ona boundaries to Jerusalem. This colonization aim was not achieved until January 22nd 1999, when the Jerusalem Municipality declared a decision to annex Bir 'Ona to its borders by putting the village under its jurisdiction and levying "Arnona" tax on its Palestinian inhabitants.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The most threatening consequences of establishing the buffer zone around Jerusalem is the annexation of Palestinian neighborhoods such as Beir ‘Ona, Thus, as discussed above, Israeli attempts to change the geographical and the demographical shapes of the holy city either by changing its boundaries or separating it from its Palestinians neighborhoods will not change-in any way the status of the city as an occupied territory. However, any final talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis over Jerusalem will indeed be further complicated by the violations committed by the Israeli government in creating more facts on the ground to reinforce its diktat over the negotiations with Palestinians.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Gilo</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The colony of Gilo was constructed in 1971 on lands belonging to the towns of Beit Jala and Beit Safafa. The present population of Gilo exceeds 40,000. Gilo colony was greatly expanded in the southern and western direction, creeping on more Beit Jala lands. Nowadays, Gilo settlement is considered one of the largest Israeli settlements that have been built in the West Bank, with a total area of 2,738 dunums.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>Har Gilo</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Har Gilo Settlement: which was established by Israel in 1972 is located on the Palestinian citizens’ lands in Beit Jala city and Al Walaja village which are located west of Bethlehem city. In 2003, Har Gilo settlement covered an area of 271 dunums of land confiscated from its Palestinian owners, and is inhabited today by more than 460 Israeli settlers. In November 2000, an Israeli plan to expand the urban area and the total area of the settlement was prepared; however, the plan was not implemented until 2004, at the time when the illegal process of expansion was ratified. Later, groups of settlers living in the settlement, under the protection of the Israeli occupation army, seized over 143 dunums of Palestinian land and surrounded it by barbed wire, as a result, the total area of Har Gilo settlement became 414 dunums.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In addition, it should be noted that the Segregation Wall plan around Har Gilo settlement seized additional areas of about 95 dunums of land located between the current settlement boundaries and the racist Segregation Wall path, which is under construction.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>Giv'at Hamatos</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The colony of Giv'at Hamatos was created in 1992 on 255 dunums of land belonging to the Orthodox Church in Beit Jala. It presently includes 280 mobile houses which were built to absorb Jews brought from Ethiopia. The Israeli government plans to expand this colony to 990 dunums and build an additional 3,600 housing units on an area of approximately 1,010 dunums belonging to the Palestinian village of Beit Safafa. The expansion of Giv'at Hamatos will also complete the wall of colonies which surrounds Jerusalem from the south.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>By-Pass Road 60</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This road is part of an Israeli scheme to tear Beit Jala into fragments, and connect the colonies of the southern part of the West Bank (Gush Etzion Bloc) with the colonies in the north in order to facilitate the movement of Israeli settlers and to link the Israeli settlements with each other. In Beit Jala city, the Israeli government constructed road no. 60, which links Gush Etzion settlements, south-west of Bethlehem city, and Har Homa settlement with Jerusalem settlements, as well as the tunnel road which is a section of the road no. 60 and which runs through the western part of Beit Jala city and its agricultural lands. This section consists of a bridge that passes over the city agricultural territories in addition to two tunnels at the beginning and the end of this section of the street. Moreover, the Israeli bypass road no. 436 cuts through Beit Jala lands, and the two Israeli bypass roads; no. 60 and no. 436, extend for 5km on the city territories.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><br /> <strong>Bir 'Ona Neighborhood Issue</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Bir 'Ona is a Palestinian neighborhood of around 1,000, located to the south-west of Beit Jala. It fell under Israeli occupation in 1967. There has always been an Israeli intention to annex Bir 'Ona which comprises 29% of Beit Jala total area to Jerusalem boundaries. Thus, in 1989, this Palestinian neighborhood encountered an unprecedented wave of house demolition. Approximately, 25% of Bir 'Ona houses received demolition orders under the pretext of building "without permits". A systematic scheme was planned by the Municipality of Jerusalem compelling the house owners to apply for building permits from the municipality in an attempt to annex Bir 'Ona boundaries to Jerusalem. This colonization aim was not achieved until January 22nd 1999, when the Jerusalem Municipality declared a decision to annex Bir 'Ona to its borders by putting the village under its jurisdiction and levying "Arnona" tax on its Palestinian inhabitants.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The most threatening consequences of establishing the buffer zone around Jerusalem is the annexation of Palestinian neighborhoods such as Beir ‘Ona, Thus, as discussed above, Israeli attempts to change the geographical and the demographical shapes of the holy city either by changing its boundaries or separating it from its Palestinians neighborhoods will not change-in any way the status of the city as an occupied territory. However, any final talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis over Jerusalem will indeed be further complicated by the violations committed by the Israeli government in creating more facts on the ground to reinforce its diktat over the negotiations with Palestinians.</p> The Apartheid Wall 2018-08-02T08:57:57+00:00 2018-08-02T08:57:57+00:00 http://beitjala-city.org/en/beit-jala-city/the-occupation/the-apartheid-wall Super User <p>The Apartheid Wall</p> <p>The Apartheid Wall</p> Latest Actions 2018-08-02T09:00:02+00:00 2018-08-02T09:00:02+00:00 http://beitjala-city.org/en/beit-jala-city/the-occupation/latest-actions Super User <ul> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=4534">جرافات الاحتلال الاسرائيلي تجتاح وادي المخرور في مدينة بيت جالا وتعيث فيها خرابا</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3976">Demolition of Palestinian structures in Al- Makhrour area in the southwestern part of Beit Jala city</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=4116">Demolishing 3 Sheds in Beit Jala town</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3967">Confiscating 36 Dunums in Beit Jala</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3760">Demolishing a Shed in Beit Jala</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3476">Rerouting of the Apartheid Wall Section in Beit Jala city north of Bethlehem Governorate</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=2885">Construction returns to the Segregation Wall in Beit Jala city</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=4534">جرافات الاحتلال الاسرائيلي تجتاح وادي المخرور في مدينة بيت جالا وتعيث فيها خرابا</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3976">Demolition of Palestinian structures in Al- Makhrour area in the southwestern part of Beit Jala city</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=4116">Demolishing 3 Sheds in Beit Jala town</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3967">Confiscating 36 Dunums in Beit Jala</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3760">Demolishing a Shed in Beit Jala</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=3476">Rerouting of the Apartheid Wall Section in Beit Jala city north of Bethlehem Governorate</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=2885">Construction returns to the Segregation Wall in Beit Jala city</a></li> </ul> Military Orders 2018-08-02T09:00:36+00:00 2018-08-02T09:00:36+00:00 http://beitjala-city.org/en/beit-jala-city/the-occupation/military-orders Super User <p><a href="http://orders.arij.org/searchLocality.php">Israeli Military Orders</a></p> <p><a href="http://orders.arij.org/searchLocality.php">Israeli Military Orders</a></p>