Posted on September 20, 2013, by & filed under House Demolitions, News.


(AP Photo/Mohammed Ballas)

While the news of recent Palestinian-Israel negotiators’ meetings seem long gone and almost erased by the focus on their neighbours Syria and Egypt in recent weeks,Israel has been continuing apace in illegal demolitions in the Jordan Valley and in the Negev. See ICAHD UK Facebook, with its several entries in recent days.

And in other incidents this week, as also reported on our Facebook page, Israeli forces have blocked Red Cross staff delivering aid to a village with demolished homes and manhandled EU diplomats with disregard to diplomatic immunity and seized their truck of aid to the afflicted villagers.

[Extracted from http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20130919/palestinian-envoy-blasts-israel-claim-in-west-bank] The picture above tells its own story: A Palestinian Bedouin man inspects the remains of his tent after it was demolished near the Palestinian West Bank town of Tubas in the Jordan valley, Monday, Sept. 16, 2013. Palestinians said the Israeli military demolished tin shacks, animal pens, and tents.

Linda Ramsden of ICAHD UK writes: “Yet more diplomats and reporters have visited the Jordan Valley and seen the ruins of yet another Palestinian village demolished by the Israelis. However even with more people aware of what is happening Israel continues to act with inpunity. The tide must turn and these gross violations of international law must stop. Please help us by raising awareness where you live and please keep writing to your political representatives about the continuing demolitions and the displacement of the Palestinian people.

Continued from www.pottsmerc.com:

JERICHO, West Bank (AP) o The chief Palestinian negotiator says Israel’s claim to the Jordan Valley in the West Bank is driven by economic interests, not security.

Saeb Erekat on Thursday took foreign diplomats and reporters on a tour of the valley which borders Jordan.

The Palestinians view the sparsely populated area as the breadbasket of their future state, while Israel considers it a security buffer.

Negotiations on the terms of a Palestinian state resumed last month. Palestinian officials say Israel proposed to keep control of the valley for 40 years after their state is established.

Erekat says Israeli farming settlements in the valley earned more than $600 million last year. He says that even if Israel claims it wants to stay 40 years, it will “stay another 400 years with such a profit.”