illegal PA construction
illegal PA constructionRegavim

The Supreme Planning Council of the Civil Administration is expected to discuss next Sunday the promotion of the legal of illegal construction plans led by the Palestinian Authority as part of its campaign to takeover Area C.

These plans include illegal construction within nature reserves, on state lands designated for Israeli localities, as well as a series of illegal schools, which the Palestinian Authority defines as "schools in the fight against settlements."

Immediately after the start of construction at strategic points, a construction plan is submitted to the Civil Administration on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, and at the same time a petition is submitted to the court, demanding that the enforcement proceedings be suspended until the planning process is completed.

In practice, the Civil Administration freezes enforcement proceedings until the plans are discussed, and in the meantime the buildings are populated and achieve their purpose of taking over land.

The Regavim movement has filed petitions over the past two years against several cases that are expected to come up in the upcoming hearing in the Civil Administration.

In all the petitions which were filed, the Civil Administration claimed that it intended to enforce the law on the spot "in accordance with priorities," but now it turns out that it intends to lead to retroactive legalization of construction in a manner which will allow the Palestinian Authority to take over land in Area C without consequences.

The plans to be discussed cover about 500 dunams (125 acres), and currently have hundreds of illegal structures built on them.

The plans include the construction of an illegal school within the Nahal Makoch Nature Reserve in the eastern region of Binyamin, the construction of an illegal village "Daher al-Malek" in northern Samaria, which took over state lands in Shaked, thus preventing the expansion of the community which was approved many years ago, extensive illegal construction, in the village of Walja on the tunnel road, illegal construction in the village of Kisan in eastern Gush Etzion, and more.

"Netanyahu publishes headlines about expanding Jewish settlement with 800 housing units, and on the other hand approves illegal construction plans by the Palestinian Authority on hundreds of dunams," said Meir Deutsch, director general of the Regavim movement. "The strategic significance here is clear and appalling: Jewish settlement must converge into small, fenced-in squares, while the Palestinian Authority spreads across the surface, and also receives approval for it."