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Last update - 09:39 21/07/2009
Israel weighs confiscation of more Palestinian land
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: Yesh Din, West Bank, Ofra 

The government is considering confiscating privately-owned Palestinian land near the West Bank settlement of Ofra, contrary to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's pledge during his Bar-Ilan speech not to take such actions.

This announcement was made by the state prosecutor, in response to a High Court petition filed by a resident of the West Bank town Ein Yabrud and the human rights association Yesh Din.

The parties were seeking the demolition of a sewage treatment plant built illegally on the town's land by the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.
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The announcement, signed by senior assistant state prosecutor Avi Licht, says the state is considering turning the site into a regional sewage treatment plant that would serve both Ofra and the nearby Palestinian communities.

"Assuming the project can be advanced, the legality of confiscating the land will be examined," the document says.

"It would be unthinkable to erect the plant on private Palestinian land without permission or an official confiscation order, and without the legally required plan and building permits. This is why a demolition order has been issued for the existing structure," Licht writes.

Legally, and in keeping with Supreme Court rulings, the Palestinian communities must be connected to the plant. The court has ruled that the state cannot confiscate land unless it will serve the entire public, including those whose lands have been confiscated.

However, connecting Ein Yabrud to the plant requires a pumping facility, which would cost millions of shekels to build.

"After the legal picture was clarified and a demolition order was issued for the facility, an order was given to suspend state funds to the plant, and it has not received a permit to connect it to the power supply. The sewage treatment plant was initiated by the Shomron Union for Ecology and the Environment Ministry, after the settlement's sewage polluted the environment and endangered groundwater sources," the announcement says.

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      1.   Symantics 02:31  |  Bazmann 21/07/09
      2.   Confiscating private land in occupied territory 02:41  |  Johnboy 21/07/09
      3.   Land Grab 02:53  |  Chet 21/07/09
      4.   OK, enough is enough 03:02  |  WHG 21/07/09
      5.   crime 03:19  |  Hirz 21/07/09
      6.   MORE ILLEGAL LAND GRABBING 03:22  |  SAM 21/07/09
      7.   Big fat lies.. its only for the settlers and its from pal lands 03:24  |  cant fool anyone 21/07/09
      8.   Confiscateing is stealing 03:35  |  muggles 21/07/09
      9.   How is it "Palestinian" land? 03:38  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 21/07/09
      10.   Should Read Israel Reclaiming Stolen Land (end) 04:02  |  Jose 21/07/09
      11.   I sent Johnboy`s comment to President Obama... 04:04  |  BBSNews 21/07/09
      12.   Can`t take / steal what`s already yours, 04:05  |  leon 21/07/09
      13.   # 1 04:36  |  bob 21/07/09
      14.   Israel may confiscate more Pals.land. 04:43  |  Yochanan Hardisty 21/07/09
      15.   #9 Chaim Ben Kahan it is not Israel,s either 04:47  |  Labhras 21/07/09
      16.   does 20/80 law apply 04:50  |  Confused 21/07/09
      17.   Chaim Ben Kahan - Welcome to 2009 05:25  |  CJ 21/07/09
      18.   If only Israel loved it`s children more than it loves land 05:27  |  CJ 21/07/09
      19.   Pals should be concern more with. Poverty.No Citizenship egJordan 05:32  |  Alfred 21/07/09
      20.   land grab 05:34  |  bob 21/07/09
      21.   Confiscation of land 05:45  |  Josiah J. Ben David 21/07/09
      22.   do whatever is necessary! 06:00  |  Mark 21/07/09
      23.   #9 Anyone else spot Chaim`s mistake? 06:06  |  Johnboy 21/07/09
      24.   #21 Not that old straw man again, Joshiah 06:20  |  Johnboy 21/07/09
      25.   Josiah J. Ben David - This is not a case of `eminent domain` 06:29  |  CJ 21/07/09
      26.   Mark - You`re way off the mark there Mark. 06:35  |  CJ 21/07/09
      27.   Got th` deed Leon? 06:44  |  CJ 21/07/09
      28.   "eminent domain" 06:49  |  Brian 21/07/09
      29.   Where are the Deeds to this Land? 06:50  |  Rubicon 21/07/09
      30.   Good move 07:09  |  Colin Wright 21/07/09
      31.   It`s Jewish land! 07:14  |  MMM 21/07/09
      32.   Israeli conundrum 07:16  |  Space 21/07/09
      33.   Israel may confiscate 07:34  |  DT 21/07/09
      34.   Hey Jihadists here`s something for you 07:48  |  Wiki 21/07/09
      35.   CJ 07:52  |  Leo 21/07/09
      36.   Settlements in Judea, Samaria, Gaza and the whole of Jerusalem... 08:21  |  B. Gold 21/07/09
      37.   # 21 one "catch" to your claim of "eminent domain", josiah 08:27  |  eric 21/07/09
      38.   Suffer for your cause 08:32  |  Gary 21/07/09
      39.   CONFUSED Where is the 80/20 "law" gazetted? 08:33  |  PETER SM 21/07/09
      40.   more land 08:49  |  rm 21/07/09
      41.   Leo - You`d best look up Israel`s actual Sovereign territory... 09:59  |  CJ 21/07/09
      42.   Post 1945 it is illegal to acquire territory by war. 10:03  |  Ben 21/07/09
      43.   B. Gold - It`s a pity Israel Declared Sovereignty... 10:06  |  CJ 21/07/09
      44.   29 Rubicon - Istanbul 10:18  |  Mark of Lewiston 21/07/09
      45.   Lousy editing by Ha`aretz: where is the word "expropriation"? 10:27  |  Joe Sittizen 21/07/09
      46.   How is the Israeli government like a two year old? 10:43  |  Natallie Durson 21/07/09
      47.   Build them a legal one? 11:14  |  Israeli 21/07/09
      48.   :: If Israel is to survive... 11:38  |  Matty Groves 21/07/09
      49.   to our great leader 12:22  |  john, Canadian 21/07/09
      50.   #41 CJ MAKES IT UP AS HE GOES ALONG 12:30  |  v hardman 21/07/09
      51.   CJ How many times do you need UNSCR242 repeated for you? 12:47  |  PETER SM 21/07/09
      52.   #50 Victro Hardhead aka Paul harris---chief spin meister 13:07  |  Labhras 21/07/09
      53.   #50 Victro Hardhead aka Paul harris---chief spin meister 13:07  |  Labhras 21/07/09
      54.   to the superior human beings who were chosen by god 13:08  |  guardian of stolen 21/07/09
      55.   It`s Jewish land! 31 13:18  |  guardian of stolen 21/07/09
      56.   It`s Israel`s Manifest Destiny to acuire lebensraum. 13:26  |  Erastus CoupeDeVille 21/07/09
      57.   GUARDIAN of thE STOLEN Did you mean" the Beloved of Allah"? 13:34  |  PETER SM 21/07/09
      58.   # 23 Johnboy 13:55  |  Manuel 21/07/09
      59.   Peter SM from the land of OZ 14:09  |  guardian of stolen 21/07/09
      60.   Can I suggest we confiscate all israeli property in the world 14:17  |  Maria 21/07/09
      61.   land confiscation 17:10  |  jay g 21/07/09
      62.   Poor Choice Of Words 17:24  |  Jeff Northridge 21/07/09
      63.   Maria # 60 Bernie Madoff Already Got A Good Start On That 17:30  |  Jeff Northridge 21/07/09
      64.   v hardman - There was no Sovereignty in Palestine in 1922. 17:36  |  CJ 21/07/09
      65.   #9 Chaim, it is not Isreal`s land... 17:37  |  Steve 21/07/09
      66.   Pay the market rate for the land or risk alienating the public 17:56  |  Sabra 21/07/09
      67.   PETER SM - 242 is not between Israel & the Palestinians. 17:58  |  CJ 21/07/09
      68.   #60 Maria. Confiscate the Israeli property. 18:07  |  David 21/07/09
      69.   #51 PETER SM 18:11  |  Space 21/07/09
      70.   Manuel - The WestBank Is occupied.... 18:19  |  CJ 21/07/09
      71.   Re # 11 Send this to Obama 18:28  |  RME 21/07/09
      72.   ???? 18:36  |  emad matahin 21/07/09
      73.   here we go again 18:49  |  RME 21/07/09
      74.   How is Natallie Durson like a schoolyard bully? 19:08  |  Joe Sittizen 21/07/09
      75.   The Stolen Land 20:23  |  Ian 21/07/09
      76.   Ben Kahan - no concept of private property? 20:50  |  Don Boston 21/07/09
      77.   There is no such thing as "Palestinian" land. 20:56  |  Chaim 21/07/09
      78.   The world wants to appease the Muslims 20:59  |  Hector 21/07/09
      79.   Rubicon ... ur conviction doesn`t matter! 21:30  |  Palestinian 21/07/09
      80.   In the communions? 22:17  |  sharpinchitown 21/07/09
      81.   CJ 242 is about Israels borders TO BE defined,thats what it says 22:39  |  PETER SM 21/07/09
      82.   Sewage treatment needs, but enforce the rule of law 23:35  |  Aharon 21/07/09
      83.   Guardian of land lost in lost wars .... sorry you 03:08  |  GZLives 22/07/09
      84.   never pal land to begin with , and 03:19  |  jj 22/07/09
      85.   Who`s that guy CJ? 03:55  |  Leo 22/07/09
      86.   #9, CHAIM, excuse me, how is it? 07:58  |  VIPER 22/07/09
      87.   CJ AND MORE BILGE ABOUT SOVEREIGN TERRITORY 09:31  |  v hardman 22/07/09
      88.   confiscation of occupied land = theft 09:32  |  Hannah 22/07/09
      89.   Leo - Oh? Can`t answer a simple question 11:17  |  CJ 22/07/09
      90.   v hardman - Britiain had no Sovereignty over Palestine 11:35  |  CJ 22/07/09
      91.   PETER SM Care to cite the parts of 242 you claim exist 11:40  |  CJ 22/07/09
      92.   CJ I just did @67 quoting Lord Caradon the author on its intent 14:35  |  PETER SM 22/07/09
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