Ramallah, September, 1, 2024: The head of the Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission (CWRC), Mu’ayyad Shaa’ban, declared that the Israeli occupation force and colonists carried out 1228 attacks during August 2024.
These relentless attacks represent some of the most severe and ongoing violations committed for an extended period. Mr. Shaa’ban emphasized that these escalating violations have surpassed mere statistics, now amounting to "war crimes" perpetrated by the occupying state, cloaked under the guise of "war." This horrendous aggression is being waged against our Palestinian people wherever they are. Mr. Shaa’ban pointed out in the Commission’s monthly report on “violations of the Israeli occupation and colonizers in the occupied Palestine” that the occupation forces carried out 1024 attacks, while the colonizers carried out 104 attacks. These attacks were concentrated in Jerusalem Governorate, which witnessed 204 attacks, followed by Ramallah Governorate, which witnessed 137 attacks, and Nablus Governorate where 135 attacks were recorded.
Mr. Shaa’ban also confirmed that these attacks included imposing facts on the ground (land confiscation and colonial expansion), field executions, vandalism, bulldozing lands, uprooting trees, seizing property, and setting up checkpoints that segregate Palestinian geography.
Two martyrs were shot by colonizers and hundreds of trees were uprooted:
Mr. Shaa’ban pointed out that the colonizers' attacks were concentrated in Nablus Governorate which witnessed 44 attacks, followed by Ramallah Governorate where 39 attacks were recorded, and Hebron Governorate which witnessed 39 attacks, while, 27 attacks were monitored in Bethlehem. Mr. Shaa’ban added that these colonizers' attacks caused the martyrdom of a Palestinian in the village of Jit in Qalqilia Governorate and another one in Wadi Rahhal in Bethlehem Governorate, after they launched terrorist waves on the two towns under the protection of the Israeli army.
Mr. Shaa’ban added that the colonizers carried out 206 acts of vandalism and theft of Palestinian property, affecting vast areas of land. As well as they stole 509 sheep, and confiscated 9 vehicles and tractors. The colonizers’ attacks also resulted in the uprooting of 477 trees, among which there were 397 olive trees in the governorates of Hebron, Salfit, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Ramallah.
Mr. Shaa’ban explained that the occupation's plans of displacing the Palestinians and imposing a coercive environment by arming the colonizers and granting them protection, in addition to the actions of official agencies in the occupying state such as storming cities and villages, executions, systematic demolition of infrastructure and starving citizens, have violated many red lines . He added that the international silence and adoption of double standards, had embolden the Israeli occupation to continue committing these horrific crimes in front of the entire world.
Mr. Shaa’ban emphasized that Israeli measures are aimed at forcing Palestinian communities to leave their homes. He called on all Palestinian institutions, factions, unions, and national labor forces to take responsibility by adopting practical and direct measures to support people in these communities, especially in the Palestinian Jordan Valley and Masafer Yatta. He urged the activation of protection committees, stating that any delay in doing so would further the plans to displace citizens.
Establishment of 8 New Colonial Outposts
Mr. Sha’ban pointed out that the colonisers had established since the beginning of August, 8 new colonial outposts, most of which were agricultural or pastoral. 3 of these outposts were established on the lands of the Bethlehem Governorate, 2 on the lands of the Nablus Governorate, two in Salfit, and one in Tulkarm. Mr. Sha’ban stressed that the decision to establish these outposts comes from directives within the Israeli occupation cabinet, which sponsors the settler-colonial project and provides facilities for the colonizers’ militia to implement plans of land control and forced displacement. The occupation government later volunteers to turn these instructions into facts on the ground.
Seizure of 367 Dunums of Citizens' Land.
Mr Sha’ban stated that the occupation authorities seized a total of 367 dunums of citizens’ lands in August through 5 military orders. Two of these orders involved announcements by the Blue Line crew, which is working to add new areas to previous confiscation announcements, and targeted lands in the Bethlehem and Hebron governorates. The first order aims to settle the status of the Nahal Hilitz colonial outpost and the second to expand the borders of the Migdal Oz colony. Moreover, three other seizure orders were issued for military and security purposes, targeting the Salfit and Ramallah governorates. These orders aimed to create a buffer zone around the Kiryat Netafim colony, built on the lands of the villages of Haris and Qarawa Bani Hassan. The second order targeted the lands of the villages of Sinjil and Turmusa’ya, aiming to modify the path of the security fence planned to be built on the lands of the two villages, while the third order targeted the lands of the villages of Haris and Deir Istiya to pave a security road connecting the colonies of Revava and Kiryat Netafim.
Demolishing 78 Houses and Notifying to Demolish 74 Others
Mr. Sha’ban pointed out that the Israeli occupation authorities carried out 62 demolition operations last August, which affected 78 facilities, including 36 inhabited homes, 8 uninhabited ones, 13 agricultural facilities, and others. These demolitions were concentrated in the governorates of Jerusalem, Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, Tubas and Tulkarm. It also notified the demolition of 74 homes and facilities in the governorates of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Salfit, Tubas, and Hebron. Mr. Sha’ban explained that among the notifications were 10 administrative notifications that were delivered to the residents of the village of Al-Malha in the eastern Bethlehem wilderness, which is classified as Area B according to the Oslo Accords. Mr. Sha’ban stressed that this danger constitutes a dangerous precedent for Palestinian construction in the nature reserve, which falls under the planning jurisdiction of the State of Palestine.