14/5/2025 – Union for Justice Foundation
The Union for Justice Foundation stated that, since the beginning of April, the Israeli government has issued four dangerous, racist decisions consistent with its strategic plans to complete the annexation of the West Bank, tighten control over areas classified as “C,” reinforce settlement activity, and eliminate the official presence of the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA in the city of Jerusalem.
The Foundation added: “Alongside these four decisions, the Israeli government—dominated by extremist right‑wing parties—has issued other decisions by which it barred international and parliamentary delegations and figures from entering the West Bank and Gaza Strip, although they came to express solidarity with the Palestinians.”
The Foundation noted that the Israeli government’s prevention of these delegations aims to shield human‑rights and international bodies from seeing the crimes being committed in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Union for Justice Foundation affirmed that the occupying government is exploiting the world’s preoccupation with the massacres and acts of genocide taking place in the Gaza Strip to push through its settlement and racist plans in the West Bank, considering itself free to act without any form of international accountability.
It added: “It is clear that the Israeli government is working toward the de facto annexation of the West Bank by approving the construction of thousands of settlement units, increasing the funds allocated to the Ministry of Settlement by 320 percent of the state budget, employing settler violence to expel Palestinians from Area ‘C,’ developing infrastructure in the settlements, and pursuing Palestinian construction in Area ‘C,’ in addition to a series of laws passed in the Knesset.”
Cancellation of the Land Registry in Area “C”
According to the Union for Justice Foundation, the most dangerous and important of these decisions was the approval by the security cabinet last Sunday of a decision concerning land‑settlement (“Tabu”) procedures in the areas classified as “C” in the occupied West Bank.
The decision (from the Israeli perspective) aims to thwart the Palestinian Authority’s attempts to carry out what Israel terms illegal settlement procedures in Area “C,” contrary to existing agreements.
The decision states that Palestinian construction procedures in Area “C” are carried out without permits, and that any resulting documents, maps, drawings, and approvals have no legal validity or status in any official proceeding in the State of Israel.
The decision is expected to halt the activities of the Palestinian Land‑Settlement Authority, prevent professionals from entering Area “C,” impede external assistance earmarked for settlement, and directly demand that the Palestinian Authority cease its activities in the area.
Through this decision the Occupying Power seeks to create spatial room to expand the settlements in order to bring and house an additional one million settlers in the West Bank, strengthen Israel’s security zone, and eliminate the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state.
Under the Oslo Agreement signed by the Palestinian and Israeli sides in 1993, the West Bank, with an area of 5,760 km², was divided into three areas (A, B, and C). Area “A” is under full Palestinian security and administrative control; Area “B” is under Palestinian civil control and joint Palestinian‑Israeli security control; Area “C” is under full Israeli civil and security control.
Decision to Close the Jerusalem Endowment Fund
In addition to the decision to terminate the functioning of “Tabu” offices in Area “C,” the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben‑Gvir, on 28 April issued a decision to close the offices of the Jerusalem Endowment Fund in East Jerusalem, alleging that the Fund carried out activities on behalf of the Palestinian National Authority.
The Jerusalem Endowment Fund was established in 2014 as an independent, non‑profit body on the initiative of a group of citizens “with the aim of enabling and strengthening the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and working to achieve development in various sectors so as to preserve national identity and Palestinian resilience in the Holy City,” according to its website.
Decision to Close the Headquarters of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions
On 8 April, the Occupation authorities issued a decision to close the headquarters of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions, located on Salah al‑Din Street in occupied Jerusalem.
The closure order coincided with the arrest of Fawzi Sha‘ban, Secretary of the Federation in Jerusalem, who remains in detention in the Russian Compound on account of his trade‑union work.
Palestinian trade‑union bodies regard this decision as part of the ban on institutions of the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the city of Jerusalem.
Closure of UNRWA Schools in Jerusalem
On 7 April, the Occupation authorities issued a decision to close all UNRWA schools in the Shu‘fat Refugee Camp in occupied Jerusalem, six schools in total, thereby depriving more than 600 students of education.
Additional Racist Israeli Decisions
Since the beginning of April, the Occupation authorities have also issued other decisions barring international and parliamentary delegations and figures from entering the West Bank and Gaza Strip, although they came to express solidarity with the Palestinians:
– On 5 April, the Israeli authorities prevented British MPs Yvonne Young and Ibtisam Mohammed from entering Israel, claiming that the visit aimed “to document IDF activities and spread hatred against Israel.”
– On 13 April, the Occupation authorities barred two World Health Organization missions from reaching the al‑Ahli and Indonesian hospitals in northern Gaza.
– On 19 April, the Occupation authorities prevented two British Labour Party MPs from entering Israel after President Emmanuel Macron stated that France might soon recognise a Palestinian state.
– On 21 April, the Occupation government cancelled entry visas for a delegation of 27 French left‑wing MPs and officials two days before their scheduled trip to the Palestinian territory.
– On 29 April, the Occupation authorities barred two French delegations that were to travel to Israel and the Palestinian territory in the coming days; the delegations included political figures representing French relief associations, the French Association for Municipal Friendship with Palestinian Refugee Camps, and the Association of French Municipalities.
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