Author: AFSI Staff

Exploiting the furlough of Israeli Civil Administration inspectors during the coronavirus shutdown is the latest illegal act by the Palestinian Authority. Convoys of PA municipal garbage trucks have been dumping thousands of cubic meters of refuse from Ramallah and El Bireh into the Binyamin Region’s Tarrifi Quarry, just outside the Jewish communities of Kochav Ya’akov and Psagot.

Regavim released video and photo documentation this past week of the ecological crimes being carried out by the PA at the site.

Binyamin Regional Council Head Yisrael Gantz responded to the illegal dumping stating, “this is an ecological terror attack. It seems that taking care of the natural resources of this area is of no concern to the Palestinians, even though the pollution harms all Jews and Arabs alike. The State of Israel must take responsibility and show its concern for a clean and safe future when it comes to the environment.”

An immediate end to this ecological crime should be the Civil Administration’s top priority. As Naomi Kahn of Regavim notes at the end of this article, “If a person on a hike in Israel throws away a cigarette and is caught, it’s a 750 NIS fine. The PA has dumped thousands of kilos of raw garbage and has not been fined or held responsible.”

#StopPAEcologicalCrimes #StopPAIllegalGarbageDumping

Source:
PA continues to dump waste while Israel grapples with coronavirus crisis, by Josh Hasten. Jewish News Syndicate – July 6, 2020

Two masked Arab men hijacked a car from a woman and her daughter at the Dotan Hermesh junction in Samaria today.

During the hijacking, one of the Arabs fired a gun into the air and even attempted to shoot at the mother and daughter. Their lives were saved when his weapon jammed.

Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan lamented the circumstances that make such attacks possible. “This event is the result of the removal of the checkpoints whose absence allowed the attackers to get away. In the name of easing the restrictions on Arab movement in the area, Israelis living in the area are attacked, including a mother and her child,” Dagan said.

#RestoreCheckpoints #CheckpointsKeepIsraelSafe #CarTheftInSamaria

Source:
Arabs hijack car from mother, daughter in Samaria, by Arutz Sheva Staff. Arutz Sheva – July 9, 2020

In the past few days, more than a thousand young people from all parts of the Land have signed a petition calling on the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apply Israeli Sovereignty over Judea and Samaria without recognizing a Palestinian state.

The petition signing campaign was organized by members of the Sovereignty Youth Movement. It was carried out recently at more than thirty hasbara booths scattered throughout Israel. At the booths, the youth held meetings and distributed material on the importance of Sovereignty as a national goal to realize the Zionist vision. Their discussions also emphasized the dangers of a Palestinian state to the existence and security of the State of Israel.

#YouthSupportsSovereignty #SovereigntyNow #SovereigntyOverJudeaSamaria

Source:
A Thousand Youths to the Prime Minister: Sovereignty without a Palestinian State, by Sovereignty Movement. Ribonut – July 6, 2020

The announcement of the Trump Administration’s Deal of the Century has sparked a Palestinian Authority “construction race” in areas designated for Israeli Sovereignty in Gush Etzion. Regavim has petitioned the court against the inaction of the Defense Ministry and Civil Administration.

Regavim’s recently filed petition focuses on Kfar Nahlin, near Rosh Tzurim in Gush Etzion. Since the roll-out of President Trump’s “Vision for Peace to Prosperity,” an intensive Palestinian Authority effort has been underway to create facts on the ground through illegal construction on Israeli state land adjacent to the village. Recent projects include construction of new buildings and extensive infrastructure work.

Gush Etzion’s Regional Council head Shlomo Ne’eman added: “There’s a storm raging in this region. From the beginning of the corona epidemic we have been sounding the alarm against the Palestinian Authority’s hostile takeover of state land. Now that Sovereignty is approaching, the Arab race to plunder land throughout Gush Etzion has accelerated. It is inconceivable that the State of Israel has not put a stop to this illegal activity.”

#StopPAIllegalActivity #AreaCBelongsToIsrael #StopPAConstructionRace

Source:
The Race of the Century: Regavim petitions court to halt PA race to take over Gush Etzion, by Mordechai Sones. Arutz Sheva – July 6, 2020

While the much anticipated July 1 date for Israel to declare Sovereignty has passed and Israel’s declaration of Sovereignty did not happen, the Sovereignty campaign inside Israel is growing stronger than ever. Let’s hear what those inside Israel are saying.

The Sovereignty Movement continues its campaign to strengthen Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under pressure from home and from abroad. They call for the Right to stand behind him and call on him to stand strong for the Land of Israel. Sovereignty Movement members continue their campaign “Yes to Sovereignty, No to Palestine.” All over the country, on billboards, in traffic junctions and various other locations, members of the movement are distributing flyers and signs to encourage the Prime Minister on what the movement defines as taking a strong stand for the Land of Israel.

What does an Israeli living in Judea and Samaria gain from the application of Sovereignty? The half million Israelis living in Judea and Samaria just want to lead normal lives – and that is what Sovereignty, which in simple words means applying Israeli law to the area, translates to on the ground.

Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria have been protesting for years that they are treated like second class citizens, although they pay taxes to Israel and serve in the IDF. And they are right. Rochel Sylvetsky’s explains in her Arutz Sheva OpEd.

#SovereigntyNow

Sources:
The Sovereignty Movement to PM Netanyahu: Stand Strong for Sovereignty and against a Palestinian State!, by The Sovereignty Movement. Ribonut – July 2, 2020

What will an Israeli living in that 30% of Judea and Samaria gain from sovereignty?, by Rochel Sylvetsky. Arutz Sheva – July 2, 2020

Despite the anticipated early July time frame set to declare Sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, it appears Israel will not take steps to do so this week. This is according to multiple American sources with knowledge of the matter.

Sources also say that plans and Israeli desired US approval of them will not be ready in time.

Netanyahu is considering making a statement on the topic of Sovereignty on Wednesday, instead.

Although Israeli officials previously worked on the assumption that any expansion of Sovereignty would have to take place this summer, so there will be some time between the blowback and the US presidential election, Trump administration sources said this week that the matter does not need to be dealt with urgently.

We’re extremely disappointed that it appears that the early July target date will not be met. The application of Sovereignty does need to be dealt with urgently. Applying Sovereignty to Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley is critical in order to guarantee Israel’s security needs. There are 500,00 Jews living in Judea and Samaria and their lives should not be on hold or threatened any longer. IT IS URGENT THAT ISRAEL APPLIES SOVEREIGNTY NOW!

#ApplySovereigntyNow #IfNotNowWhen #SovereigntyOverAllIsrael

Sources:
Annexation will not happen on July 1 – US sources, by Lahav Harkov, Tovah Lazaroff, Gil Hoffman. Jerusalem Post – June 29, 2020

After Gantz says annexation can wait, Netanyahu snipes: ‘It’s not up to him’, by TOI Staff. Times of Israel – June 29, 2020

Yossi Dagan, head of the Samaria Regional Council, on Sunday contacted Avi Berkowitz, President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, with a special invitation. Berkowitz, who landed in Israel this weekend, was invited by Dagan to visit Samaria to see precisely those localities that may become isolated communities under Trump’s deal of the century.

“Before you meet with the Israeli prime minister and the Israeli staff, come to Samaria to see it with your own eyes, meet with the people and understand the reality here. Come to Elon Moreh and meet the people, see the tomb of Joseph, Mount Gerizim, the Mount of the Blessing, and the altar of Joshua on Mount Eibal. Go up to the Itamar hilltops and see all three seas from one place. Watch Mount Hermon from the settlement of Yitzhar, and meet the wonderful residents of Mevo Dotan and Hermesh who live over the Biblical Dotan Valley.,” Dagan wrote.

Dagan further stressed that, “a judge only rules based on the evidence he sees with his own eyes (Bava Batra 131a).”

#VisitJudeaSamaria #SeeJudeaSamariaForYourself #SovereigntyNow

Source:
Samaria Council Head Invites Trump’s Envoy on Reality Tour, by David Israel. Jewish Press – June 29, 2020

US Republican lawmakers on Monday released a statement of support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to apply Israeli Sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and parts of Judea and Samaria.

An excerpt reads, “We write to reaffirm the unshakeable alliance between the United States and Israel, to emphasize that Israel has the right to make sovereign decisions independent of outside pressure, and to express our support for you as you make such decisions in your capacity as Israel’s democratically-elected prime minister.”

The letter ends with, “As dedicated friends of the Jewish state, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the relationship between our two nations and Israel’s right to sovereignty and defensible borders.”

Signed by 116 of 198 House Republicans, this effort was led by Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Steve Scalise (R-La.), Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) and David Kustoff (R-Tenn.).

AFSI applauds House Republicans for their endorsement of Israel’s right to apply Sovereignty. Today’s reality check for Democrats: A) Sovereignty is lawful under binding international law; B) 500,000 Jews live in Judea and Samaria; C) Applying Sovereignty is critical to Israel’s security.

While we express continued disappointed that the letter did not come under a bi-partisan effort, we are grateful to House Republicans who signed and issued the letter this week. We ask that the House Democrats review their A, B, C’s.

Read the full letter HERE

#RepublicanLawmakersSupportSovereignty #USIsraelAllianceIsStrong

Sources:
Top House Republicans back Netanyahu over sovereignty bid, by Ariel Kahana and JNS Staff. Jewish News Syndicate – June 23, 2020

Yesha Council head to Trump: ‘As a true friend of Israel, support sovereignty’, by Ido Ben Porat. Arutz Sheva – June 25, 2020

White House talks on Israeli sovereignty reach end with no resolution, by Ido Ben Porat. Arutz Sheva – June 25, 2020

European Parliamentarians have called for a thorough investigation into how European taxpayers’ money is ending up in the hands of Palestinian terrorists. They insisted during a meeting earlier this week that any loopholes in the law through which the money is slipping must be closed.

“It should absolutely not happen that European taxpayers’ money lead to attacks on Israel,” Dutch MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen said at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday morning. He was joined by Swedish MEP Charlie Weimers, who said, “If and where loopholes exist in EU counter-terrorism financing legislation, they must be closed immediately.”

AFSI reported last Thursday that EU officials wrote to the Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights informing them that a 1.7 million euro grant for a project titled “Mobilizing for Justice in Jerusalem,” had been canceled. AFSI is pleased to see that this issue is now at the forefront of the EU’s “to do” list. The EU must continue to enforce their guideline that no funds go to groups listed as terrorist organizations.

#NoFundingForTerrorists #CloseFundingLoopholes #EnforceEUFundingGuidlines

Source:
MEPs call for further investigations into EU funding of Palestinian terror, by Donna Rachel Edmunds. Jerusalem Post – June 23, 2020

The evacuation of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria would pose an “immediate existential threat” to Israel. This is according to a memo sent by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office to Knesset members from his Likud party on Sunday.

“There can be no realistic Israeli-Palestinian peace accord in which the Judea and Samaria Jewish communities are evacuated. These are established communities in which hundreds of thousands of Israelis live,” the memo reads.

The memo pointed out that the application of Israeli law in Judea and Samaria would provide normalcy and stability to thousands of Jews living there. The argument against applying Israeli law implies that Jews would need to be treated as unequal or even uprooted from Judea and Samaria, thus ethnically cleansing Judea and Samaria of Jews.

The Jewish people have lived in Judea and Samaria for thousands of years – it is their historical homeland and is essential to their identity. Israel has a valid legal right to this land. There should be no further debate on the matter: APPLY SOVEREIGNTY NOW!

#SovereigntyNow #JudeaSamaria #ImmediateExistentialThreat

Sources:
Netanyahu memo: Evacuating settlements would pose ‘immediate existential threat’, by Raphael Ahren. Times of Israel – June 21, 2020

The illumination of Nadia: It is time to apply sovereignty, by The Land of Israel Network. Arutz Sheva – June 19, 2020

‘The best time to implement sovereignty initiative is now’, by Ariel Kahana. Israel Hayom – June 19, 2020