The Peace Now movement issued an extensive report warning that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu would exploit the remnants of the rule of the outgoing US President Donald Trump and annex a large number of settlements and outposts.
Peace Now said in its report, of which "Jerusalem" obtained a copy: "Israel´s policy in the West Bank is determined by the Israeli government, but the influence of the United States on this policy is the most important. During the four years that President Donald Trump spent, there were distant changes." The extent to which the American position on the Israeli settlements shattered the international consensus on the two-state solution, and which encouraged annexation in all cases except for the name. The actual annexation was manifested in high levels of approval by settlement units, and the infringements of unofficial international red lines in very sensitive areas such as the vicinity of Jerusalem And Hebron, and the building of more than 30 new settlement outposts, and consequently, annexation by rule of law has become a legitimate subject in the Israeli and American governments, while Israel created for itself and the Palestinians the reality of one semi-permanent and undemocratic state.
"The Trump administration has given the United States authority in favor of the narrow interests of a small and extremist group of settlers, and has inflicted massive damage on Israel. We expect the incoming administration of President-elect Biden to be attentive to the majority seeking peace in Israel and to restore the United States to its position as a constructive mediator of the two-state solution."
Main findings
The number of promoted plans in settlements increased 2.5 times compared to the previous four years (26,331 housing units were upgraded in settlements in the years 2017) 2020, compared to 10331 housing units in the years 2013-2016.
The number of tenders in settlements doubled - tenders were issued for 2,425 housing units in settlements compared to 1,164 housing units in the past four years
Infrastructure and road projects are designed to add another million settlers - in recent years, the Israeli government has initiated infrastructure and road projects designed to form the development hub for settlements with an investment of billions of shekels.
According to the Peace Now report, these roads include, among other things, the doubling of the Tunnels Road (crossing Bethlehem), the Al-Aroub intersection (completing a four-lane road from Jerusalem to Hebron), and the eastern ring road from Al-Zayim and Anata (AKA road). Apartheid), Huwara bypass (south of Nablus), Qalandia tunnel, Nabi Elias bypass and other roads.
Construction in places that were particularly devastated was promoted for the prospect of peace (that is, places that were considered Israeli and international taboos) as promoted plans would add 100,000 settlers in the settlements that Israel would have to evacuate - 78% of the promoted plans (20,629 housing units) are in Settlements that Israel will have to evacuate under the two-state agreement (according to the Geneva Initiative model). Major developments include: E1 - Plans of 3,401 housing units have been deposited.
Givat Hamatos - A tender has been launched to build 1077 housing units.
Hebron - The government has agreed to build about 100 housing units that will double the number of settlers in the Palestinian city.
Major expansions in the heart of the West Bank: 1,103 units for the settlements around Nablus (Bracha, Elon Moreh, Itamar, Yitzhar, Shavei Shomron); 2,687 units in the settlements surrounding Ramallah (Beit El, Ofra, Psagot, Kochav Yaqoub, Dolev, Talmon and outposts); 2,279 units in the settlements between Ramallah and Nablus (Ili, Shiloh, Shvut Rachel, and the new settlement of Amihai).
Outposts - At least 31 new outposts were created during the Trump administration (compared to 9 in the previous four years). In addition, 10 settlement outposts were retroactively legalized (the "organization" plan went into effect), compared to 7 settlement outposts in the past four years.
Peace Now pointed out that Trump´s plan, published in January 2020, provides a model for Israeli annexation without the minimum level of Palestinian independence.
She referred to the evacuation of Palestinian families in occupied Jerusalem in favor of settlers, explaining that in the four years of the Trump administration, about 6 Palestinian families were evacuated in the Islamic Quarter and Sheikh Jarrah (based on the return of Jewish property before 1948, while these laws were not provided to the Palestinians) compared to With only one family in Silwan for the past four years. (The evictions of families continued on the basis of allegations of settler acquisitions in previous years and under the Trump administration.)
Peace Now clarified that Trump Netanyahu’s ruling caused a change in the rules of the game to de facto annexation, by allowing the confiscation of lands and applying the laws of the Knesset in the West Bank (“from occupation to apartheid”) - through a series of legal opinions that approve the confiscation of Palestinian lands. Contrary to previous legal provisions and positions that prevent the confiscation of lands for the benefit of the occupied population.
Legislative procedures for laws enacted by the Knesset or under government directives led Israel to implement laws and administrative procedures on the Green Line in the West Bank, even though they are not an official part of Israel.
