What drives Peace Now?
In their quest for peace, targeting settlements is high on their list. They clearly state that in their opinion, settlements are an existential threat to Israel.
Settlements – including settlement expansion and the proliferation of proto-settlements known as “illegal outposts” – are a political, security, and economic liability for Israel, and an existential threat to Israel as a Jewish, democratic state.
Politically, they extinguish hope among Palestinians that Israel is serious about making peace. They destroy the credibility of Palestinian moderates who reject violence and tell their people that negotiations with Israel are the correct path to statehood. They create facts on the ground that make any viable arrangements for a two-state solution difficult, and eventually, impossible. (Peace Now)
Funded by
less than friendly counties towards Israel, Peace Now tattle-tales daily to the world about every single brick moved within a Jewish settlement in the West Bank.
However, there is also illegal Palestinian construction throughout the entire West Bank, constructed against zoning rules and electrical code, and are being built to create "Palestinian Facts On the Ground". Till now, the Israeli Government has turned a blind eye to these gross violations for fear of angering the Palestinians and world opinion.
The "Regavim" organization has finally said, "enough."
Last week, Regavim challenged the Israeli Government in Israel's Supreme Court.
The High Court asked state prosecutors why the state discriminates between illegal Jewish and Palestinian building in the West Bank, citing the lack of enforcement of demolition warrants against illegally-built Palestinian buildings in the area.
The High Court hearing on Thursday came after the right-wing "Regavim movement for the protection of national land", called for the court to force Defense Minister Ehud Barak to explain why he hasn't carried out the demolition of illegal buildings in the Palestinian villages of Asaviya and Yitma in the West Bank, which are located next to the settlement of Rahalim.
The state said in response to the petition that since 1996, demolition orders were given against 50 buildings in Asaviya, but only 3 have been carried out. (Haaretz)
The Supreme Court issues its ruling minutes ago:
High Court justices ruled that the State must enforce demolition orders issued for two illegal buildings near the Palestinian villages of al-Sawaya and Yatma and that a timetable be implemented in order to follow up on the enforcement.
The ruling was made in response to a petition filed by Regevim on the issue. The justices also ruled that the State must issue an update within 45 days that will detail the actions taken on the issue. (ynetnews)
Regavim has stated they will be bringing new complaints of illegal Palestinian construction on a daily basis to the Supreme Court.
If Peace Now
really wants to help the Palestinians, they should back off the settlements.
Regavim: Kudos.
