'}}

Al-Marsad condemns planned settlement expansion

October 27, 2016

Al-Marsad condemns plans by the Israeli government to build 1600 homes in the illegal Israeli settlement of Katzrin in the Occupied Syrian Golan.

According to reports yesterday, the Israeli Finance Ministry has approved plans for the construction of 1600 homes in the illegal Israeli settlement of Katzrin in the Occupied Syrian Golan. Katzrin is the largest Israeli settlement (population 8000) in the Occupied Syrian Golan. It was built over the destroyed Syrian villages of Qasrin, Shqef and Sanawber whose inhabitants were either forced to leave their homes by the Israeli army or were displaced by fighting, at the time of the Israeli occupation in 1967. Once the hostilities came to an end, the native inhabitants of these villages were forbidden from returning.

Israel began to establish settlements in the Occupied Syrian Golan within a month of the occupation. Today, there are approx. 23,000 Israeli settlers in the Occupied Syrian Golan, living in over 34 illegal settlements. The construction and expansion of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Syrian Golan is illegal under international law and has been repeatedly condemned by the international community. Nonetheless the Israeli government continues its policy of settlement expansion - indeed, last year, the Israeli government announced plans for 100,000 new settlers to relocate to the Occupied Syrian Golan over the next five years.

Meanwhile, due to discriminatory land, housing and development policies, Syrian residential areas are severely overcrowded. As a result of severe restrictions imposed by Israeli planning committees, it is close to impossible for the native Syrian population in the remaining Syrian villages in the Occupied Syrian Golan to obtain building permits. Therefore, the Syrian population is forced to build homes without building permits, as this is the only way to meet their housing needs. Consequently, Syrian home owners run the risk that their home could be destroyed: as was the case with Mr Bassam Ibrahim whose home in Syrian village, Majdal Shams, was demolished by the Israeli authorities last month. Currently, the Syrian owners of between 80 - 90 houses have been notified that their homes are also due to be demolished.

Therefore, Al-Marsad:

  • Strongly condemns plans by the Israeli government to build 1600 homes in the illegal Israeli settlement of Katzrin in the Occupied Syrian Golan.
  • Calls on the Israeli government to abide by its obligations under international law and stop all illegal settlement expansion, and end discriminatory housing and development policies targeting the native Syrian population in the Occupied Syrian Golan.
  • Calls on the international community to strongly condemn plans for the illegal construction of 1600 homes and, act to ensure that Israel abides by its obligations under international law.

ENDS
Al-Marsad is an independent, not-for-profit, legal human rights organisation – it is the only human rights organisation operating in the Occupied Syrian Golan.

For additional information, please contact marsad@golan-marsad.org or researcher.almarsad@gmail.com

Releated Posts

'}}
Israeli Agricultural Settlement Expansion in the Occupied Syrian Golan During the Syrian Conflict
In January 2014, the Israeli cabinet approved a proposal to develop 30,000 dunams (7,400 acres) of land in the Occupied Syrian Golan for agricultural use.
READ MORE
'}}
Oil and natural gas in the Occupied Syrian Golan, illegal exploitation by Israel as occupying power
According to the Law of Occupation, Israel being the occupying country, has the legal obligation to act as just administrator of public property and natural resources. Nevertheless, at the beginning of 2013 Israel's Energy and Water Resources Ministry granted Genie Energy, an American-Israeli company, an exclusive licence to explore for oil and gas in a 153-square miles radius in the southern part of the Golan.
READ MORE
'}}
NEW PUBLICATION: EU’s guidelines on labelling of settlements products, situation in the EU and in some States Parties
Since the occupation began, the Israeli authorities have aimed to implement policies which control the valuable resources in the region, in particular the land and the water.
READ MORE
'}}
From Peaceful Demonstrations to Armed Conflict: Considering Humanitarian Intervention in the Case of Syria
The current conflict in Syria has developed from an excessively violent suppression of civilian protestors by Syrian State forces into an allout Civil War. Beginning in March 2011, the conflict has troubled the conscience of the international community.
READ MORE
'}}
Syrian Situation and the International Criminal Court, responsibility to referral and to investigate
Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011 the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity by both the government and pro-government forces and the anti-government military groups has continued to escalate, leading to the worst humanitarian crisis since the Rwandan genocide.
READ MORE