Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., March 10, 2009 Adar 14, 5769 | | Israel Time: 19:54 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 16:25 09/03/2009
Israel must halt mining West Bank quarries, says rights group
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel News, West Bank 

Israel is violating international law by exploiting the West Bank's mineral resources for its own benefit, an Israeli human rights group charged in a court petition Monday.

In the petition filed to Israel's Supreme Court, the Yesh Din group charges that 75 percent of the rock and gravel removed from 11 West Bank rock quarries is transferred to Israel. The group is demanding a halt to all Israeli mining activity in the West Bank.

The mining activities are illegal and executed though brutal economic exploitation of occupied territory for the economic needs of the State of Israel, the occupying power, reads the petition.
Advertisement
Israel, which occupied the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, denies any violations. The West Bank is home to some 2.4 million Palestinians and around 280,000 Israeli settlers.

Citing a military document, the petition says 9 million of the 12 million tons of gravel removed from West Bank quarries yearly are sold in Israel. The petition demands that Israel stop granting West Bank concessions to Israeli companies and not renew existing licenses.

The military began issuing West Bank quarry permits to Israeli and international companies in the 1970s, but Israeli courts have never examined the permits' legality, said Shlomy Zachary, one of the lawyers behind the petition.

International law dictates that an occupying power must manage resources in occupied territory without damaging them, he said, a principle sometimes referred to as picking the fruits without cutting down the tree.

This principle is impossible to observe in mining operations, he said. It is an irreparable situation since most of the fruits of the land are being taken and will never be able to be returned, he said.

Military spokesman Miki Galin said the approval procedures for quarries are in line with the relevant directives of international law and Israel's interim accords with the Palestinians.

At this time the Civil Administration is carrying out staff work to evaluate the up-to-date policy regarding the operation of the quarries, he said.

Palestinians consider the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip essential parts of their future state.

The Israeli military imposed a three-day closure on the West Bank beginning Monday, banning Palestinians from entering Israel during the Jewish festival of Purim. The closure is set to end at midnight Wednesday.

Exceptions will be made for Palestinians needing urgent medical care and in other humanitarian cases, the military said.

Israel's military considers Jewish festivals likely times for Palestinian attacks and regularly imposes such closures.

In the past there have been several deadly bombings targeting Israelis on the Purim festival, which Jews traditionally celebrate by wearing costumes and exchanging gifts.

In 1994, a Jewish settler killed 29 Palestinians in a Hebron mosque during the holiday
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Katsav rape trial
Katsav's brother attacks decision to indict former president for rape.
Covering up
Assad says alleged nuclear site hit by IAF has been built over.
  1.   "occupied" or "disputed"? 16:56  |  rehovot 09/03/09
  2.   DURBAN: Who said Israel is a colonialist power? 17:13  |  Jimbo 09/03/09
  3.   The world says that WB is OCCUUPIED 18:23  |  janice 09/03/09
  4.   Idiotic complaint with no legal merit. Stealing sand from Arabs?? 18:28  |  Dr. L. Brnd 09/03/09
  5.   Stop Thief! 18:29  |  Jon 09/03/09
  6.   rehovot they are occupied see IHCJ Ruling 18:31  |  Labhras 09/03/09
  7.   rehovot, if you believe the West Bank is part of Israel 19:53  |  David 09/03/09
  8.   #4 Need an ethics check 19:53  |  James 09/03/09
  9.   To L. Brnd. Why can`t israelis use their own sand and gravel? 19:58  |  jon 09/03/09
  10.   Jon haven,t you heard--they turned their desert into 21:20  |  Labhras 09/03/09
  11.   Israelis are thieves, plain and simple 21:29  |  peacelover 09/03/09
  12.   Almost as if 21:42  |  Former PeaceNow 09/03/09
  13.   48 has become a nightmare. 22:06  |  billy jack 09/03/09
  14.   No big surprise here 22:07  |  Matthew Houston 09/03/09
  15.   Yesh Din-Howzabout petitioning the courts 22:17  |  Sderot Citizen 09/03/09
  16.   To Jon #9,why can`t the Arabs use their own water, vs. Israel`s? 22:44  |  Dr. L. Brnd 09/03/09
  17.   No, rehovot. The Israeli High Court of Justice Says Occupied. 00:02  |  Reader 10/03/09
  18.   Olive oil from Palestine 00:51  |  AT 10/03/09
  19.   L Brnd: actually, Palestinian Terroitories net exporter of water. 01:06  |  AT 10/03/09
  20.   Haaretz` censorship just too much to handle.... 07:26  |  BBSNews 10/03/09
  21.   #1 17:19  |  clockwerk 10/03/09
  22.   #4 17:25  |  clockwerk 10/03/09
 Haaretz Hot Topics
Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
Israel goes to the polls
Conflict in Gaza
Israel vs. Hamas
Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
More Headlines
19:03 U.S. intel chief: Israel takes `worst-case` view of Iran nukes threat
19:10 Interpol mulls Iran`s request for 25 Israeli officials over Gaza op
17:20 Fischer presents NIS 4.4b plan to rescue economy
18:19 Wife of Ron Arad: Free all Hamas prisoners for Gilad Shalit
16:56 Israeli energy start-up turns traffic into source of electricity
15:55 Assad to meet Saudi king in Riyadh, as ties warm
15:54 Vatican envoy: Holocaust deniers can't be considered Catholic
10:48 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
18:33 Israeli aircraft strike Gaza rocket squad, wounding three
19:03 Security Council committee accuses Iran of violating UN sanctions
18:38 Report: Russia may put on hold Iran missile deal
13:26 Turkey 'quit Shalit talks due to Hamas demands'
06:16 ANALYSIS / Gilad Shalit will not be coming home soon
12:59 Gaza family sues Olmert for $200m after 29 relatives killed
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Summer in Israel
Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
Passover Vacations
The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved