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Canadian court dismisses Bil’in claim

Ma’an – 21/08/2010

RAMALLAH — A Quebec Court of Appeal dismissed a case brought by Bil’in against Canadian companies involved in illegal settlement construction on the West Bank village’s land, legal rights group Al-Haq reported.

The claim was based on Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention which prohibits an occupying power from “transfer[ing] parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.”

The case against Green Park International Inc and Green Mountain Inc – which marketed, constructed and sold houses on the Modi’in Illit settlement – was dismissed on 11 August when the court ruled “the authorities of another country [Israel] are in a better position to judge the claim.”

Bil’in’s lawyers claimed that as Israeli courts refuse to rule on the issue of legality of settlements in occupied territory they could not decide the case.

The Quebec court responded that insufficient evidence was presented to demonstrate that claim.

Al-Haq said the court failed to grasp that this was not a dispute over private land, but over the legality of settlements in occupied territory.

The legal rights group added that “The Bil’in case is a glaring example of the importance of upholding the principle that domestic courts must hold their companies to account for actions which violate international law.”

The separation wall, which cuts through Bil’in, separates villagers from around 60 percent of their land, on which Modi’in Illit has been built.

Bil’in is well known for its non-violent resistance, organizing creative, peaceful rallies against the wall every Friday for more than five years.

August 21, 2010 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Illegal Occupation | Leave a comment

Israeli firm desecrates Beersheba cemetery to build shopping mall

Ma’an – August 21, 2010

JERUSALEM — The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage said Friday that Israeli bulldozers entered a Muslim cemetery in Beersheba’s Old City, razing tombstones to make way for a commercial complex, a statement read.

The foundation described the demolitions in what residents call the Turkish Cemetery as a violation of sanctity and said it will “urgently seek to stop the violation and strive to prevent the building of the commercial complex on the cemetery’s land.”

The statement said foundation member Farhoud As-Sayed spoke with the Israel Antiquities Authority inspector monitoring the bulldozing, who reportedly said “we know there are a few [Muslim] graves and we have maps that confirm their location. We are aware of them, but the bulldozing with not include them.” The official added that the Beersheba Municipality provided all the necessary permits for the demolitions, according to the Waqf.

The report follows demonstrations on Wednesday against the destruction of several tombstones and grave markers by the Jerusalem Municipality in the 12th century Maman Allah cemetery.

August 21, 2010 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism | Leave a comment