"THE NEWS"

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Los Angeles Times,
  Washington Post:
  Israel's government puts off evacuation discussion, Associated Press (7 September 2008) - ... about compensating Israelis to move out of West Bank settlements in lieu of a 2-state settlement with the PA; talks to be delayed just one week.
• Washington Post
  Olmert promotes West Bank settler buyout plan, by Jeffrey Heller, Reuters (7 September 2008).
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Washington Post:
  Israel tightens grip on West Bank's Jordan Valley, by Karin Laub, Associated Press (30 August 2008) - this article describes Israel's settlement building and expansion in the Jordan Valley, which clearly violates previous agreements, but which they claim is necessary for security.
• New York Times: Rice, in Israel, Criticizes Surge in Settlement Construction, by Ethan Bronner (26 August 2008).
  This article is based on the latest Peace Now report. The article discusses some of the Israeli rationale and exposes its absurdity. The article also briefly describes Peace Now and how they work.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Settlers increase attacks on West Bank Palestinians, by Robert W. Gee (19 August 2008).
  This article describes increasing settler attacks on Palestinians supposedly because of increased shutdown of outposts and the relative lack of Israeli police response. The article also describes the outposts as illegal as per Israeli law, but that all settlements are 'illegitimate' as per international law and also describes the dual legal system which ties the settlement legally to Israel while the Palestinian areas remain under military law.

• Christian Science Monitor: In one town, Gazans yearn for previous Israeli presence, by Rafael D. Frankel (12 August 2008).
  This article describes the economic decline in a Palestinian village that had been located in the center of Israeli settlements in Gaza, wherein it had enjoyed full employment. These days following the withdrawal of the settlements and then the Israeli blockade, the village has fallen on hard times in comparison, and regrets it.

• Washington Post
  Israel mulls new settler enclave in West Bank, by Allyn Fisher-Ilan, Reuters (11 August 2008) - notes settlements are illegal.
• Washington Post
  Israel to build new homes on occupied land, Reuters (7 August 2008).
• Christian Science Monitor: Israeli settlers in West Bank defy promise, by Joshua Mitnick (31 July 2008).
  This article describes new settlement arising in the Jordan Valley, radically violating promises made at Annapolis and to the Quartet to not build new settlements in the West Bank as well as Olmert's rationale that expansion within the already established main settlement blocks was not part of promise.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution
  Israel reverses stance on West Bank projects,
  Boston Globe:
  Israeli committee OK's new settlement, by Laurie Copans, Associated Press (25 July 2008).
  These articles describe the establishment of the settlement at Maskiot, which is remarkable because (1) it is in the Jordan Valley so it is clearly outside the E.Jerusalem area and the other major settlement blocks Israel is claiming it will never give up, and (2) it is a new settlement although the Israelis dispute this saying it was established before but was not really developed except as a military outpost with a religious boarding school in the middle of it.
• New York Times: Israel Moves Toward Building More Settler Homes, by Isabel Kershner (25 July 2008).
  In her article about another case of Israeli settlement building in the Jordan Valley, Ms. Kershner elaborated mostly on the Israeli rationale and immediately rebutted points of the opposing position when she did mention it. Her main defense was that the settlement is not new as most claim, but that this is another example of settlement expansion. But in the process she did list all the different parties that do oppose settlement building from the Quartet to the Palestinians to the UN to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution
  Cause of village clash disputed, Associated Press (25 July 2008).
• Boston Globe
  Settlers clash with Palestinians, Associated Press (25 July 2008).
• Haaretz Daily News: Arab bloc rescinds proposal to have UN vote against Israeli settlements, by Shlomo Shamir (24 July 2008).
  The Western members of the UN Security Council forced the Arab bloc to drop its proposed UN resolution condemning Israel's continued settlement expansion. The criticism said the proposal was too narrow and should include other factors such as the problems in Gaza such as border closings and the ongoing terrorism.

• Washington Post
  Israel revives plan to build new West Bank settlement, Reuters (24 July 2008).
• Washington Post
  Palestinians allege settlers attacked village, Associated Press (24 July 2008).
• Ynet News Service: Palestinians: Settlers attacked farmers, burned olive trees, by Ali Waked (21 July 2008).
  This article describes how Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers and burned their olive trees. It mentions that their settlement is illegal.

• Boston Globe
  Brown demands end to Israel settlement-building, by Mohammed Daraghmeh, Associated Press (21 July 2008).
• Washington Post
  British premier vows to thwart Iranian atomic arms, by Steve Weizman, Associated Press (21 July 2008). This article also mentions Brown condemning settlements.
• Washington Post
  Britain's Brown demands end to Israel settlements, by Mohammed Daraghmeh, Associated Press (20 July 2008).
• Ynet News Service: British prime minister urges Israel to stop settlement, Associated Press (20 July 2008).
  British PM Gordon Brown urges Israel to stop settlement expansion and lessen movement restrictions and pledges financial aid to the PA. He says economic development is a major key to peace.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Chicago Tribune,
  Miami Herald:
  Village sues builders of Israeli settlement, Associated Press (10 July 2008) - Bilin assists WB village in suing two Canadian construction companies for involvement in nearby settlement construction, in violation of international law.
• San Francisco Chronicle: Memoir review: Palestinian's paths narrowing, by Erik Gleibermann (27 June 2008).
  This book review covers Raja Shehadeh's latest book, "Palestinian Walks: Forays Into a Vanishing Landscape", and describes the expanding settlements strangling Palestinian West Bank communities, and by extension the dream of a viable Palestinian State.

• New York Times: The Two Israels, by Nicholas D. Kristof (22 June 2008).
  This article documents the struggle in Hebron between the native Palestinians and the Israeli settlers. The article describes that the Israeli settlement is illegal, and yet is protected by a huge regiment of Israeli military power at tremendous cost, and thus makes Israel look bad to the world, and also antagonizes and radicalizes the Palestinians. The article then describes the worst and best of the Israelis. The worst being the settlers themselves stealing land from the Palestinians, and harrassing the Palestinians at checkpoints, and the best - Israelis who defend the Palestinians in action and word. Lastly, the author hopes the American presidential candidates will support these latter Israelis.

• Washington Post
  Israel brushes aside U.S. pressure over statehood deal, Reuters (17 June 2008).
• Boston Globe
  Rice says Israeli building plans hurt peace talks - Warns Europe, White House may lose faith, by Anne Gearan, Associated Press (16 June 2008).
• Chicago Tribune: Rice: Israeli growth saps peace bid - New West Bank plans draw sharper rhetoric, by Joel Greenberg (16 June 2008).
  This article describes Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice using even sharper language to criticize Israel for its continuing to expand settlements near Jerusalem. She also admitted she did not expect any "blinding breakthroughs".
• San Francisco Chronicle: Rice assails Israeli construction plans, by Griff Witte (16 June 2008).
  This article describes Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice using increasingly sharp language in her criticism of Israel's continuing to expand settlements near Jerusalem, which she and the Palestinians say is a major obstacle to reaching a peace agreement. The article also described the fading hopes that an agreement will be reached by the time Bush leaves office.
• Washington Post
  Israel brushes aside U.S. pressure over statehood deal, by Adam Entous, Reuters (16 June 2008).
• Washington Post: Rice Urges Israel to Desist on Settlements, by Griff Witte (16 June 2008). This article describes Condeleeza Rice's frustration with Israel refusing to halt settlement expansion and how this is a major obstacle to reaching a peace agreement by the end of Bush's term. The article also describes Rice's failure to win exit visas for all 7 Gazan Fullbright scholarship winners.
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Chicago Tribune,
  Miami Herald:
  Rice criticizes Israel on West Bank settlements, by Anne Gearan, Associated Press (15 June 2008).
• Philadelphia Inquirer
  Rice: Israel having negative effect on peace talks, by Anne Gearan, Associated Press (15 June 2008).
• Philadelphia Inquirer,
  Washington Post:
  Rice to press Israelis on settlements, Associated Press (15 June 2008).
• Washington Post
  Israeli settlement building hurting talks: Rice, by Arshad Mohammed, Reuters (15 June 2008).
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution
  U.S: Israeli housing plan undermines peace - 1,300 homes are planned in east Jerusalem, by Anne Gearan, Associated Press (15 June 2008).
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Washington Post:
  Israel curbs Palestinian building on disputed land, by Dalia Nammari, Associated Press (14 June 2008).
• Washington Post
  Abbas to discuss settlement construction with Rice, by Laurie Copans, Associated Press (14 June 2008).
• Miami Herald,
  Washington Post:
  Rice: Jewish housing plan undermines peace talks, by Anne Gearan, Associated Press (14 June 2008).
• Washington Post
  Israel OKs 1,300 east Jerusalem homes, by Amy Teibel, Associated Press (13 June 2008).
• Haaretz Daily News: The Amona deterrent effect, by Nadav Shragai (28 May 2008).
  This article describes the Yesha Council's (the main group representing the settlers' movement) negotiations with the Israeli Defense Ministry over outpost closings, and how the negotiations actually helps the settlements' cause in the long run.

• Haaretz Daily News: Eviction orders approved for 2 settler-occupied Hebron stores, by Nadav Shragai (27 May 2008).
  A decision of the Civil Administration in the West Bank and an Israeli Supreme Court decision both help original Palestinian owners of land that has been confiscated by Israeli settlers, as they removed settlers from two stores in Hebron and stated that the interests of the original Palestinian owners must be taken into consideration.

• Haaretz Daily News: Stepping out - into danger, by Nadav Shragai (21 May 2008).
  This article describes the politicization of hiking by settlers in the West Bank from the settlements into the surrounding hills and wilderness, where the hikers see themselves as stretching out the reach of Israel, while facing attack from Palestinians.

• Haaretz Daily News: New elites, by Lily Galili (20 May 2008).
  This article describes the segment of the Israeli right-wing that is tied to the nationalist writings of Jabotinsky and common Russian roots and that are anti-socialism, and hence is pro-settlement and pro-capitalism.

• Washington Post: Mutual dismay over Jewish settlements: Israeli Premier seeks to balance growth, by Griff Witte (20 May 2008).
  This interesting article describes the pressures on Olmert over settlements. On one hand he has the international community pressuring him to halt settlement building because it hurts the chances of a viable Palestinian State developing, but on the other hand there is tremendous internal pressures on Olmert from conservative parties within his own government to actually expand settlement building. The article also describes how this benefits Palestinian construction workers because of the increase in pay, but hurts Palestinian residents who live nearby who are not allowed to expand their homes or communities.
• New York Times: Israel's 'American Problem', by Jeffrey Goldberg (18 May 2008).
  This op-ed speculates that the main obstacle to peace is the settlements, which will inevitably lead to the one-state solution, which the author laments.
• Washington Post: In Israel, Bush Speaks Of Hope - Fresh Mideast Violence Underlines Challenges That Negotiators Face, by Griff Witte and Michael Abramowitz (15 May 2008).
  This article lists Israel continuing to expand settlements and not limiting checkpoints as major obstacle to Annapolis peace process.
• Chicago Tribune: Can 2 foes live under 1 roof?, by Richard Boudreaux and Ashraf Khalil (14 May 2008).
  This article describes the failure of the settlements to solve the demographic problem in the occupied territories.
• Los Angeles Times: Forget the two-state solution - Israelis and Palestinians must share the land. Equally., by Saree Makdisi (11 May 2008).
  The op-ed claims that Israel itself has killed the two-state solution with its settlements building, and now the one-state solution is the only solution, which is workable.
• Ha'aretz "Jerusalem Council okays 600 new Jewish homes in Arab area" (31 April 2008)
• International Middle East Media Center "Right-wing Israeli settlers will move in to Palestinian town of Ras al-Amud" (28 April 2008)
• Ha'aretz Settlers to get East Jerusalem police building in exchange (26 April 2006).
• Washington Post: "Israelis Claim Secret Agreement With U.S.: Americans Insist No Deal Made on Settlement Growth" (24 April 2008)
  US denies Israeli claim of secret agreement to allow settlement expansion.
• Washington Times: "Mideast peace prospects" (21 April 2008)
  This editorial by Ziad Asali emphasizes the importance of stopping settlement expansion and freeing up movement and commerce amongst Palestinian communities as major factors supporting the peace process.
• National Public Radio: "Israeli-Palestinian Talks Sour Over Settlements" (7 April 2008)
  National Public Radio's national rush hour news broadcast "All Things Considered" strongly condemns Israel's ongoing settlement expansion as violation of agreements made as part of Bush's Middle East peace efforts.
• Ha'aretz - Jerusalem Council okays 600 new Jewish homes in Arab area (31 March 2008) - the major Israeli daily newspaper describes ongoing settlement building and expansion since Annapolis Summit.
• New York Times: "Palestinians Fear Two-Tier Road System" (28 March 2008)
  This article describes the struggle of living under occupation, especially in terms of the settlements and the Israeli-only roads that link them.
• New York Times: West Bank Sites on Private Land, Data Show, by Steven Erlanger (14 March 2007).
  This incredible article in the New York Times discusses how a high percentage of the land which Israel has built its settlements on is actually privately-owned Palestinian lands, which is illegal according to the Israeli Supreme Court, and this includes the major settlement blocks which Israel claims it will never give up. This is based on a report by Peace Now.
• Washington Report on Middle East Affairs: Special Report: Settlement Symposium Focuses on “Obstacles to Peace”, by Greg Noakes (August 1995).
  This article describes a conference held in Washington DC that focused on the Israeli settlement movement. The conference covered such topics as its origin in the efforts of the Jewish National Fund, the change over the years in US foreign policy as it became more accepting of the settlements, and the devastating impact of the settlements on Palestinian daily life, but did not seem to come up with any real solutions according to the authors' summary of the conference.

"SPECIAL REPORTS"

• Peace Now - What Freeze? Netanyahu Clears the Way for 450 New Units (at least) in Pisgat Ze'ev, by Lara Friedman and Daniel Seidemann (August, 2009) - quote - "According to a report in yesterday's Hebrew-language business daily "The Marker", the Israel Lands Authority has decided to accept "appeals" by contractors relating to the failed Pisgat Ze'ev tenders, and award contracts for the construction of at least 450 new units".
• Peace Now - Bypassing the Settlement Freeze - Semiannual Report on Settlement Construction, January-June 2009 (August, 2009) - quote - "According to a Peace Now inspection, construction within the "settlement blocs" continues as usual, with no freeze to be seen on the ground. Conversely, construction at isolated settlements continues through various settlement-freeze "bypass" tracks".
• Peace Now - Kiryat Netafim Petition (August, 2009) - quote - "On August 27, 2009, Peace Now appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court to force the Defense Minister Ehud Barak and GOC Central Command Gadi Shamni, to halt construction of 15 permanent buildings and to request the issuing of demolition orders in the settlement of Kiryat Netafim.... Today, five months later, the initial frames of the 15 permanent structures have been built, all this done illegally without permits, on lands defined public lands and private lands owned by Palestinians.".
• Peace Now - Abusing Jerusalem to Assail Peace: the Case of the Shepherd's Hotel, by Lara Friedman and Daniel Seidemann (July, 2009) - quote - "The current project is a direct challenge to President Barack Obama and his effort to launch negotiations that can lead to Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace. If Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu sees sense and finds a way to back down and cancel/freeze this project, the chances for a serious peace process, with a credible result, may very well improve. Alternatively, Netanyahu and others may well have decided to do everything possible to use this project to deal a fatal blow not only to Obama’s efforts but to the two-state solution. If they succeed, it will be Israelis as much as the Palestinians who suffer.".
• B'TselemFoul Play: Neglect of wastewater treatment in the West Bank, by Eyal Hareuveni (June 28, 2009) - quote - "Wastewater in the West Bank – from the settlements, from parts of Jerusalem, and from Palestinian communities – amounts to 91 million cubic meters [mcm] a year. Most of it is not treated, despite the sanitary and environmental danger inherent to wastewater flowing freely. Prolonged neglect of this issue has caused severe hazards in the West Bank and is liable to pollute the Mountain Aquifer, the most important and highest-quality water source for both Israelis and Palestinians".
• Peace Now - Objection Against the Legalization and Expansion of "Water Reserve" Outpost (June 23 2009).
• Peace Now - Settlements List.
• Peace Now - Objections to Construction in the Territories at the Planning Stages - quote - "Peace Now is on a mission to stop construction in the Occupied Territories before it has even begun. In the past Peace Now has reported construction after it has already begun, but in recent months Peace Now's Settlement Watch team has been working on researching construction plans for the territories in and effort to halt projects in their planning stages. In certain cases there is an opportunity for the public to submit objections to proposed plans, in order to prevent their approvals".
• Peace Now - Around 2000 settlers in outposts in Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, by Hagit Ofran (June, 2009) - quote - "The price of the tight security is approximately 50 million NIS of the state budget".
• Peace Now - West Bank Settlements--Facts and Figures (June, 2009).
• Peace Now - Bogus Excuses for Opposing a Settlement Freeze, by Lara Friedman and Hagit Ofran (June, 2009) - quote - "A settlement freeze is good for Israel and good for peace. Settlements are bad for Israel. They constitute a burden to Israel's security services. They create points of friction between Israelis and Palestinians. They drain Israel's financial resources. They create a false impression that Israelis are not interested in a two-state solution.".
• Peace Now - Ministry of Housing’s Plans for the West Bank, by the Peace Now Settlement Watch Team (June 2009) - quote - "The Ministry of Construction and Housing is planning to construct at least 73,300 housing units in the West Bank".
• Peace Now - The Price of the Settlements in the 2009-2010 Budget Proposal, by Hagit Ofran (June, 2009) - summary from Peace Now - "An examination by Peace Now of the 2009-2010 state budget shows that nearly 1 billion shekels are explicitly designated for the settlements each year. This includes only special budget items for the settlements, without the general items where budgetary expenses involving the settlements are hidden.".
• Peace Now - What is Being Constructed in the Settlements Today! (June 2009).
• ICADH - Israeli architects must stop designing illegal settlements (May 19 2009) - quote - "ARC-PEACE has noted with dismay that Israeli architects engage in the design of illegal Jewish settlements on expropriated Palestinian land in the Occupied Territories. These activities are in clear violation of the code of ethics of the International Union of Architects (UIA), which says that “there shall be no attempt to impose solutions of one society on other societies” (article 1:2) and that professionals shall fashion an environment “expressive of the genius of the people and reflective of the substance of their culture” (article 3)".
• Peace Now - An Objection to the Expansion of Israel Railway's Jerusalem –Tel Aviv Line (May 11 2009) - quote - "Israel Railways is currently constructing an expansion to the Jerusalem –Tel Aviv Rail line though the West Bank. According to international law Israel is forbidden from constructing permanent infrastructure in the occupied territories for the benefit of the state of Israel."
• Peace Now - Halamish Petition (HCJ 3899/09), by Hagit Ofran (May, 2009) - quote - "In November 2008 the Amana organization, the private construction and development body for the settlements, together with the local council of Binyamin, began to construct a neighborhood of new private housing units in the Halmish settlement north of Ramallah. This construction is taking place without any valid planning permission or authorization.".
• Ir Amim - Evictions and Settlement Plans in Sheikh Jarrah: The Case of Shimon HaTzadik (May 2009) - quote - "This report aims to clarify the issues in Sheikh Jarrah and to place the controversy in the context of an ongoing set of development plans that threaten to spark a dangerous escalation of the conflict in the city and to preclude an agreed-upon political resolution in Jerusalem."
• Peace Now - Israeli Government’s Plans to Deepen hold over Jerusalem (May, 2009) - quote - "This government resolution planned to dramatically change the political and religious status quo in East Jerusalem, in effect deepening the Jewish hold over the Palestinian neighborhoods around the Old City.".
• Peace Now - Sansana, by Hagit Ofran (March 29 2009) - quote - "The settlement of Sansana, in the Southern Hebron Hills received approval from the Minister of Defense in May 2008 for completion of the planning stages of plan No. 501/1 in. This plan refers to the immediate construction of 68 housing units and a designation of another area for future construction, totaling 440 housing units to be constructed in this settlement".
• Peace Now - Eviction of Palestinian families to take place in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, by Hagit Ofran (17 March 2009) - quote - "Sheikh Jarrah is a sensitive area of East Jerusalem, where settlers have been trying for years to take over properties, with the purpose of preventing a two-state solution and a compromise agreement in Jerusalem.... The eviction of the families could lead to grave international criticism of Israel. Given the rising tension in East Jerusalem in past weeks due to the house demolitions, this could jeopardize the delicate relations between Israelis and the Palestinians in Jerusalem, and would undermine the moderate Palestinian leadership facing yet another negative development in Jerusalem.".
• Peace Now - Construction of Settler’s Headquarters in East Jerusalem (01 March 2009).
• Ir Amim - A Layman's Guide to Home Demolitions (March 2009) - quote - "in recent weeks there has been a great deal of news coverage regarding planned home demolitions in East Jerusalem. In response to the high volume of queries we have been receiving about the issue - focused as much on the technical aspects of Israeli home demolition policy in Jerusalem as on the demolitions themselves - we thought it would be helpful to offer this guide".
• Peace Now - How to Freeze Settlements: A Layman’s Guide, by Lara Friedman and Hagit Ofran (March 2009).
• B'Tselem - Settlement Expansion Plans (February 27, 2009) - quote - "Following the Oslo agreement, Israel made a commitment to the United States that it would not build new settlements or expand existing ones, except to meet “natural growth.” This narrow allowance, never defined, was utilized by Israel to greatly expand settlements and build new settlements, such as Modi’in Ilit".
• ICAHD - Israel planning mass expansion of West Bank settlement bloc, by Akiva Eldar (February 27, 2009) - quote - "Despite the state's formal commitment not to expand West Bank settlements, a government agency has been promoting plans over the past two years to construct thousands of housing units east of the Green Line, Haaretz has learned. The plans, which have not yet been approved by the government, were drawn up by the Civil Administration, the government agency responsible for nonmilitary matters in the West Bank. Details of the plans appear in the minutes of the agency's environmental subcommittee, which were obtained by the B'Tselem organization under the Freedom of Information Act. The plans propose the initial construction of 550 apartments in Gva'ot, located near Alon Shvut in the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, followed by construction of another 4,450 units at a later stage. At present, Gva'ot is inhabited by 12 families. The neighboring settlement of Bat Ayin, which has about 120 families, is slated to receive another 2,000 apartments, according to the plans".
• Ir Amim - Severe Threat to Al Bustan-Silwan Neighborhood (February 2009) - quote - "The actions of the Israeli authorities in the last months indicate a renewed and severe danger to the existence of Al Bustan neighborhood of Silwan. The demolition of almost 90 homes in this sensitive and disputed area is incendiary; and could hold grave consequences for the stability of the city".
• Peace Now - 2008 - the Year in Settlements in Review, by Lara Friedman & Hagit Ofran (February 2009) - quote - "Coming on the heels of the November 2007 Annapolis conference, 2008 began with high expectations for diplomatic developments on the Israeli-Palestinian peace track. However, notwithstanding Israel’s commitments in Annapolis to freeze settlements, in 2008 the government of Israel continued to permit and promote settlement construction".
• B'TselemOfra - An Illegal Outpost, by Nir Shalev (December 22, 2008) - quote - "All the settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international humanitarian law, whether or not they are officially recognized by the Israeli government. The various governments of Israel ignored this prohibition and established more than 130 recognized settlements throughout the West Bank and on the territory it annexed to Jerusalem. The population of these settlements is now almost one-half million persons. Unlike previous reports, in this report B’Tselem examines whether Israel has, at the very least, met its declared commitment to respect the local law".
• Peace Now - Don't let the settlers set fire to Jerusalem, by Hagit Ofran (December, 2008) - quote - "...with simultaneous transitions underway within the Israeli government, the U.S. government, and the Jerusalem municipal government, the issue of Jerusalem is becoming more and more delicate, tense, and potentially explosive. For the Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem, the current situation represents a “perfect storm” of conditions under which they can create – and are creating – new facts on the ground that could later make it difficult if not impossible to resolve the Israeli Palestinian conflict peacefully. We are already witnessing a serious deterioration in Jerusalem, and we fear that more moves are to come.".
• Ir Amim - State of Affairs - Jerusalem 2008: Political Development and Changes on the Ground (December 2008) - quote ".... surveys the political developments in Jerusalem over the last year in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This was a tumultuous year that began with the fanfare of the Annapolis Conference and ended with the denouement of a government leaving office in the shadow of significant global and political changes".
• Ir Amim - Demolitions in the Bustan Area of Silwan: Alert and Background (November 6, 2008) - quote - "On Wednesday, Nov. 5, when international attention was tuned to the U.S. election results, Israeli security forces massed at midday in the Bustan area of Silwan – adjacent to the Old City in East Jerusalem – in order to enable the demolition of two Palestinian homes. The demolition, which drew a barrage of rocks from local residents, and the firing of tear gas, rubber bullets and perhaps live fire from security forces, marks a new stage in Israeli policies in the area. A stage that threatens to lead to the destruction of 80-90 Palestinian homes, and the displacement of hundreds of residents, making way for the expansion of the Israeli King's Valley Plan".
• Peace Now - Givati parking lot petition (HCJ 9253/08) (November 2008) - quote - "The Israel Antiquities Authority, along with the Elad Association, is digging and building without a building permit and without valid plans, near one of the most sensitive places in the world, in the Givati parking lot, which is 30 m from the walls of the Old City and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Residents of Silwan petitioned the High Court of Justice together with Peace Now to stop the work. The Court gave the respondents five days to answer the arguments of".
• Peace NowA New Jordan Valley Settlement – Facts, Background, and Analysis, by Lara Friedman & Hagit Ofran (October 2008) - quote - "In mid-July, the Israeli Defense Minister approved a plan to turn a long-disused military outpost in the Jordan Valley originally established in the 1980s, called Maskiyot, into a new permanent civilian settlement. If the decision is implemented, this transformation of Maskiyot will represent the first new settlement in the Jordan Valley since the mid-1980s, and would conflict with the Government of Israel's longstanding and much-repeated commitment not to establish any new settlements.".
• Peace Now - The "Derech Ha'avot" Petition (HCJ 8255/08), by Hagit Ofran (September 2008) - quote - "On September 28, 2008 Peace Now appealed to the High Court of Justice together with the Palestinian owners of the lands, demanding the enforcement of the law and the evacuation of the "Derech Ha'avot" outpost (Bethlehem area).".
• Peace Now - The House in Dereceh Haavot Petition – II (HCJ 8258/08a), by Hagit Ofran (September 2008) - quote - "On April 28, 2008 Peace Now submitted a joint petition with landowner Munar Mussa for the removal of a house being construed on his private land, which has been usurped by the Illegal Outpost Derech Ha'avot.".
• Peace Now - Plans to Unify Ma'ale Adumim and Kedar Settlements - Met with Peace Now Objection (July 30 2008) - quote - "Three weeks ago an advertisement was printed in the Haraetz Newspaper, stating that a new committee was established to investigate changing the boundaries of the Ma'ale Adumim and Gush Etzion settlement bloc. And invited all objections to be noted within 30 days. The idea behind the plan is to join the settlement of Kedar with the Settlement Bloc of Ma'ale Adumim (and to remove it from Gush Etzion).".
• Peace Now - The Hebron Military Base Settlement Petition (HCJ 6492/08) (July 2008) - quote - "Today Peace Now submitted a petition to the Supreme Court requesting that the army evacuates the settlers currently residing inside the Hebron Military Base. The situation of citizens residing within a military base goes against the principle of separation between civilian and military societies. In addition this coexistence strongly suggest that the IDF annexed this plot of land in Hebron to help establish a civilian residential area and not for military purposes.".
• Peace Now - Modi'in Illit Settlement Boarders to be Determined by Interior Ministry Committee (June 29 2008) - quote - "The government is allowing an Interior Ministry Committee to determine the boarders of the settlement of Modi'in Ilit, since the boarders will not be set in stone but only left as a guideline we are unable to officially oppose any "decisions" made. Peace Now all the same has sent clear cut warning letter to the committee setting out the case regarding the legal problems over expanding boarders, constructing on private land and using the Separation Fence as a boarder".
• Peace Now - The House in Derech Ha'avot Petition (HCJ 2817/08), by Hagit Ofran (April 2008) - quote - "In Early March 2008, Munir Mussa, a resident of the Palestinian village Alkhader, discovered that settlers had begun to construct a permanent housing unit on his land. This new house is part of the outpost Derech Ha'avot, established illegally in 2001, on the lands of Alkhader. Mussa appealed immediately to the police department of the Civil Administration and informed them of the illegal construction and requested a work stop order be issued immediately. Orders were issued, yet work continued at a steady pace on the construction site.".
• Peace Now - Summary of Construction in the West Bank 2008, by Hagit Ofran (2008).
• Peace Now - Delimitations Petition Part II (HCJ 7891/07), by Hagit Ofran (September 2007) - quote - "In this petition Peace Now has requested the immediate implementation of the demolition orders issued against 6 outposts in the west Bank. This petition follows up on a commitment to demolish the outposts in question, by the Defense Ministry, which they made in a previous Peace Now petition on this matter.".
• Peace Now - Military Appeals Committee Petition (HCJ 7754/07), by Hagit Ofran (September 2007) - quote - "On 11.9.07, Peace Now, represented by Michael Sfard and Shlomy Zcharya, Attorneys-at-law, appealed to the Supreme Court, requesting that an order nisi be issued to invalidate the interim verdict handed down by the Military Appeals Committee. The Military Appeals Committee allowed the settlers in Hebron to remain in the Palestinian shops which they had invaded. Despite the fact that the settlers clearly admitted to having taken over the shops illegally, and did not submit any evidence attesting to their right to the property, the Appeals Committee, for reasons of its own and taking into account considerations which are not legal ones, decided to allow them to continue living in the plundered shops until the matter is resolved".
• B'Tselem - New settlement in Hebron violates Palestinian rights and must be evacuated (March 28 2007) - quote - "On 19 March 2007, a new settlement was established in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood in Hebron . According to media reports, the settlement is composed mainly of Israeli yeshiva students. The Israeli army has redeployed in the city to protect the settlement. The Defense Ministry initially hinted that it was considering evacuating the settlement, but as time passes, it becomes clear that the political echelon has decided to leave the settlement in place".
• B'Tselem - Illegal construction approved in the Modi'in Illit settlement (February 28, 2007) - quote - "in January, the Civil Administration's Supreme Planning Council approved the amended outline plan for the new neighborhood in the Modi'in Illit settlement, which is located west of Ramallah. The plan for the neighborhood, called Matityahu East, took effect on 23 February and retroactively "rendered fit" thirty-nine buildings, containing hundreds of new housing units, that were built in violation of the relevant planning and housing laws".
• Peace Now - The Migron Petition (HCJ 8887/06), by Dror Etkes and Hagit Ofran (October 2006) - quote - "The site of the Migron outpost, like all the other outposts, was not chosen randomly. The outpost is situated on a dominant hilltop over road no. 60, the main road that connects the northern West Bank with the southern areas, and between the settlements of Geva Binyamin (Adam) and Ofra (East of Ramallah).".
• Peace Now - Modi'in Illit - To Become a City? (November 6 2005) - quote - "The government is allowing an Interior Ministry Committee to determine the boarders of the settlement of Modi'in Ilit, since the boarders will not be set in stone but only left as a guideline we are unable to officially oppose any "decisions" made. Peace Now all the same has sent clear cut warning letter to the committee setting out the case regarding the legal problems over expanding boarders, constructing on private land and using the Separation Fence as a boarder.".
• Peace Now - A New Jordan Valley Settlement – Facts, Background, and Analysis, by Lara Friedman & Hagit Ofran (October 2008) - quote - "In mid-July, the Israeli Defense Minister approved a plan to turn a long-disused military outpost in the Jordan Valley originally established in the 1980s, called Maskiyot, into a new permanent civilian settlement. If the decision is implemented, this transformation of Maskiyot will represent the first new settlement in the Jordan Valley since the mid-1980s, and would conflict with the Government of Israel's longstanding and much-repeated commitment not to establish any new settlements." .
• B'Tselem - Access Denied: Israeli Measures to deny Palestinians Access to Land around Settlements Line (September 2008) - Quote from B'Tselem website - "For years, Israeli authorities have both barred Palestinian access to rings of land surrounding settlements, and have not acted to eliminate settlers’ piratical closing of lands adjacent to settlements and blocking of Palestinian access to them. Blocking access is one of the many ways used to expand settlements. In recent years, Israel has institutionalized the closing of such lands in an attempt to retroactively sanction the unauthorized placement of barriers far from the houses at the edge of the settlements."
• Peace Now - Eliminating the Green Line, by Hagit Ofran (August 2008) - latest report on settlement expansion since the Annapolis summit including outside the separation barrier and E. Jerusalem.
• B'Tselem - Petition to the High Court of Justice: Immediately halt construction on 9 houses in Ofra settlement (June 4 2008) - quote - "Human rights organizations Yesh Din and B'Tselem have today (June 4) petitioned the High Court of Justice, along with five Palestinian residents of the village Ein Yabrud who own land in the Ofra settlement, demanding that the court halt construction of 9 houses being built on their land and prohibit people from moving in to these houses".
• Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - 884 New Settlement Units, 10 New Home Demolitions, Palestine News Network (3 June 2008).
• Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - Settlers, Archaeologists and Dispossession in Silwan - Archaeologists for Hire, by Yigal Bronner (3 June 2008) (first published in Counterpunch; covers specific case of Archaeology being used to rationalize settlement building)
.
• Peace Now - Settlements in Focus: West Bank "Settlement Blocks, produced by Hagit Ofran and Lara Friedman (May, 2008).
• International Middle East Media Center - Right-wing Israeli settlers will move in to Palestinian town of Ras al-Amud (28 April 2008)
  This article from the International Middle East Media Center describes one settlement plan initiated by the settlers themselves.
• Amnesty International - Unlawful homes for Israeli settlers, demolitions for Palestinians (31 March 2008).
• Peace Now - The Death of the Settlement Freeze - 4 Months Since Annapolis (March 2008) - major Israeli peace group describes ongoing settlement building and expansion since Annapolis Summit.
• Peace Now - Area C: Palestinian Construction and Demolition Stats - February 2008 (February, 2008).
• Peace Now - Settlements in Focus: Jerusalem Settlements take Center Stage, Produced by Lara Friedman, in collaboration with Daniel Seideman (February 2008).
• Al-Haq - Where Villages Stood: Israel's Continuing Violations of International Law in Occupied Latroun, 1967-2007, by John J. Reynolds (December 2007).
• International Committee of the Red Cross - West Bank: food parcels for Hebron families (27 August 2007) - This report describes the hardships suffered by the Palestinian residents of Hebron since Israel brought in settlers in 1979.
• Peace Now - Reports Construction of Roads to the Settlements in the West Bank, by Hagit Ofran (26 August 2007).
• Peace Now Targeting the Old City's Muslim Quarter (August 2005).
• Badil & COHRE - Ruling Palestine. A History of the Legally Sanctioned Jewish-Israeli Seizure of Land and Housing in Palestine. , by Souad Dajani (May 2005).
• Adalah - Special Report: The Jewish National Fund.
• Arab Association for Human Rights - Discrimination in Israeli Law.
• Arab Association for Human Rights - Unprotected Citizens: Amidar public housing company threatens to evict 497 Palestinian families in Jaffa-Tel Aviv.
• B'TSelem East Jerusalem .
• - Special Report: “For Security Reasons”: The Surreal Reality of Post-Oslo Palestine, by Janet McMahon (September 1998).
• Washington Report on Middle East Affairs - Special Report: A Practical Look at Settlements From the Israeli Point of View, by Dr. Israel Shahak (March 1998) (political strategy concerning settlements).
• Washington Report on Middle East Affairs - Speaking Out: Israeli Labor Party's “Cleverly Concealed” West Bank Settlements, by Paul Findley (November/December 1994).
• Washington Report on Middle East Affairs - Middle East History: It Happened in July - With First Settlement in Golan, Israel Chose Land Over Peace, by Donald Neff (July/August 1993).

"REFERENCES"

• Shehadeh, Raja. "Palestinian Walks: Forays Into a Vanishing Landscape". Schribner (2008).