Israel breaks a new record in the expansion of colonies in the West Bank, according to an NGO

A Jewish settler contemplates the settlement of Maaleh Adumim, in December 2012. SEBASTIAN SCHEINER AP

Four days have taken the settlers who left last Thursday the house occupied in Hebron known as Hamachpela occupy other buildings in the same area of ​​the old town. At dawn on Tuesday, at least 15 of these families settled among songs and purification rites in two houses called by the Jews "the houses of Rachel and Leah."

In the case of Hamachpela, after a long legal battle in the Israeli courts, the Hebrew court agreed in 2017 with the Palestinian family Abu Rajab, who owns the property. The settlers rejected it and continued eight months more entrenched in the house until last week they agreed to evict her peacefully.

Now, another Palestinian family, the Zatari, is involved in another similar legal battle, which could last for months, for the ownership of these two houses recently occupied by the Jews. The Zataris claim they have never sold them but, according to Israeli media, the association of settlers that has promoted this new occupation, Harevei Makom Eilah, argues that they bought them five years ago and have the permission of the Hebrew Ministry of Defense to take possession of them. . Some members of the Zatari family also denounce that the occupation was facilitated by Israeli soldiers who escorted the group of Jews to the site.

Located strategically in the vicinity of the mosque of Abraham (for the Jews Tomb of the Patriarchs), it is not the first time that settlers burst into these houses. In 2016, they were occupied by several Jewish families who were expelled by the Israeli army the following day. "It is a flagrant violation of the spirit of the judicial ruling in the case of Beit Hamachpela," Peace Now organization said in a statement.

Precisely this Monday, the well-known NGO published its annual report on the growth of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. In it he denounces that in 2017 again record growth figures were reached. The number of approved houses in the different levels of the Israeli Administration tripled (6,742) while the number of houses whose construction began in 2017 (2783) increased 17% above the average of the last decade.

"You can not just blame the arrival of Trump to power in the United States, but obviously has influenced. The particular situation of Netanyahu's political weakness also has a lot to do with it. He has used the development of the settlements to keep his coalition members happy, "said Brian Reeves, director of Development and External Relations of Peace Now, in EL PAÍS.

According to the authors of the research, the latest trend shows that 78% of new homes built in settlements in the West Bank are located in colonies east of the boundary defined in the framework of the Geneva Initiative. A factor that for the director of Development of Peace Now indicates that the Israeli government "works openly for the annexation in the future" of those lands.

15 FAMILIES OF JEWISH COLONIES OCCUPY TWO HOUSES IN HEBRÓN

On Monday night, Jewish settlers occupied two houses in the historic center of Hebron, known to Jews as "the houses of Rachel and Leah." Located in the vicinity of the Mosque of Abraham (for Jews, Tomb of the Patriarchs).

It is not the first time that the settlers burst into them. In 2016, they were already occupied by several families that the Israeli Army expelled the following day.

The fact is that the majority of the settlers who occupied it this time (15 families), were evicted last Thursday from Hamachpela, another house in the same area that the Jews claimed to have bought and that was the object of a legal battle in the Israeli courts. The Hebrew court finally gave the reason in 2017 to the Palestinian family who claimed their property, but until last week the settlers did not abandon it.

According to Israeli media, the association of settlers that has promoted this new occupation "Harevei Makom Eilah" claims to have bought the houses and to have the permission of the Hebrew Ministry of Defense to take possession of them. Some members of the Zatari family, the Palestinian owners of the buildings that deny having sold them, assure that the settlers entered at night escorted by Israeli soldiers. "It is a flagrant violation of the spirit of the ruling in the case of Beit Hamachpela," Peace Now said in a statement.