Since the Wye agreement was signed, settlers have been seizing Palestinian land and establishing makeshift settlements. The Israeli Government has chiefly allowed the seizures, but in some instances, has directly participated or has undertaken settlement building activity.

The Wye Agreement was supposed to prohibit activities such as land seizure and settlement establishment. Article V on Unilateral Actions states:

"Recognizing the necessity to create a positive environment for the negotiations, neither side shall initiate or take any step that will change the status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in accordance with the Interim Agreement."

This understanding of the article was confirmed in the US letters of assurance to Israel, which were released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office on 4 November, Jerusalem. These letters covered matters of US policy and the obligations arising from the Wye Agreements, particularly in relation to security. With regard to unilateral declarations or other unilateral actions, the letter to Danny Naveh said:

"As regards to the possibility of a unilateral decision of statehood or other unilateral actions by either party outside the negotiating process that prejudge or predetermine the outcome of those negotiations, the US opposes and will oppose any such unilateral actions.

"Indeed, the US has maintained for many years that an acceptable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be found through negotiations, not through unilateral actions. And as we look to the future, that will remain our policy.

"For the present, we are doing all we can to promote permanent status negotiations on an accelerated basis. And we are stressing that those who believe that they can declare unilateral positions or take unilateral acts, when the interim period ends, are courting disaster."

Sincerely,

Edward S. Walker, Jr.
Ambassador"

The land seizures are a serious violation of the Wye Agreement. Under international law, such a violation of could have the effect of nullifying the agreement.

In recent days, attention has been focused on the large-scale arrests of persons, property and institutions being carried out by the Palestinian National Authority in fulfillment of the Wye Agreement, in violation of human rights standards. While delaying the implementation of the agreement it has signed and claiming the Palestinians are not fulfilling their obligations, the Israeli Government has been facilitating land seizures and settlement building.

An Account of Settlement Activity On 1 November 1998, extremists from Ataret Kohanim fenced an Arab House in the area of Ras Al Amud, which they claim to be their property and appeared to survey other houses in preparation for taking them over.

Settlers have used bulldozers to level land in several areas around Jerusalem. An estimated 15 acres have been taken over by settlers to build 132 house units in the outskirts of Jerusalem, approval for which has come from the Prime Minister. In addition, tens of acres of Palestinian land is expected to be further confiscated to make this project possible. Already, officials from the Bailiff's Office have given eviction orders to Ghuzlan family to leave their houses, which are to be handed over to two settlement agencies, Keren Kemet, and Al'ad

On 2 November 1998, settlers in Hebron started construction to expand the Kiryat Arba' Settlement., 80 dunums of land has been bulldozed for a commercial complex and 200 extra housing units. Construction work has been witnessed in the Tal Rumida neighborhood in the old city of Hebron where the settlement of Ramat Yashai is located.

Settlers from Gush Etzioun installed mobile homes on a hill owned by villagers from the outskirts of Bethlehem.

In the Abu Ghneim area, work is underway to complete the construction of a by-pass road to link the settlement to the main motorway # 20. This is part of the plan for a by-pass road link for the settlements around Hebron and Bethlehem, to which the Israeli Government has allocated the sum of US $60 million. The first by-pass road will link the settlements of Atnael and the settlement of Karmim, a distance of 18 kilometers. The road is expected to affect the houses near the route, which are likely to be demolished to make it possible. Work started on 1 November 1998 is underway on a second by-pass road and is expected to swallow up thousands of acres of agricultural land owned by Palestinian farmers in the villages of Al Khader, Ortas, and the valley of Rahal.

Levelling is underway on land owned by the Assera Ashimalieh residents, outside Nablus. The work will lead to the construction of a by-pass road linking the settlement of Ibal with the settlements in the Jordan valley.

In the Eastern part of Yatta, a new settlement is being developed, Um Al Akhwass. An estimated 100 dunums have already been confiscated and the ground leveled. Three caravan house units have been installed in the confiscated area. The project may involve the confiscation of a further 4,500 dunums.

Various hilltops have also been seized near existing settlements, it seems, with the aim of building new settlements, though there has been some attempt at describing them as expansions.

An area north west of Ramallah, has been seized by settlers to establish Gavat Horshen settlement, near the existing settlements of Dolev and Talmonim.

Two Palestinian areas have been seized near the Shiloh Settlement. Givar 759, is being established on Palestinain land near Ramallah. Hill 7 has been seized by settlers for development, between Nablus and Ramallah.

South west of Bethlehem, settlers have taken over land, near Allon Spot, to build a settlement called Givat Hahesh.

Similarly, three mobile homes were put on Palestinian land Near Ma'ale Muhmas, for the settlement of Matzpe Dume.

In the northern areas, Der Bain, 17 mobile homes have been put up on Palestinain land for, it seems, the establishment of a new settlement, near Avnai Hafetz in the Tulkarem area. Other mobile homes have gone up near Alfei Menashe, east of Qalqilya and Bracha, south of Nablus and near Qadumin, near Nablus. And near the Ierley Settlement 1,500 dunums have been seized.

In the Gaza Strip, in Mawassi area, near Khan Younis, Al Fareh family land was confiscated by settlers, under the protection of Israeli forces based there.

Israeli Government unilateral actions have included the issuance of military orders for the confiscation of 500 dunums of land near Al Maleh, and 400 dunums near Beit Omer, the latter for the construction of a by-pass road connecting Karme Tzor with Road 60.

300 dunums has been confiscated by military order of the Al Ramadin Bedouin Tribe land, near Al Dharia, near South Hebron.

The Trans-Samaria Road is being enlarged, taken up more of Sarta village land in the Nablus area. The village land is divided and the residents are denied permission to cross the road.

The Israeli Government has put out tenders for the building of the Har Home Settlement on Palestinain Jabal Abu Ghneim.

The United Nations General Assembly has, on numerous occasions, criticised Israeli settlement building as unlawful and required the Govenrment to reverse these actions. LAW calls for the reconvening of the United Nations General Assembly Emergency Special Session and asks for a resolution that enforces Israeli respect of international law.

LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy LAW is affiliate to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Fédération Internationale des Ligues de Droits de l'Homme (FIDH).

Previous reports from LAW at Ariga