This Is How Bennett Follows in Netanyahu's Footsteps Without Changing Israel's Settlement Policies

A Spanish newspaper has highlighted an Israeli human rights report documenting a marked increase in violence perpetrated by settlers against Palestinians and in the number of demolitions in the occupied territories, which confirms the continuation of Israeli policy unchanged.

El Pais newspaper said that “the Israeli occupation forces killed at least 313 Palestinians, including 71 minors, during the year 2021.”

The Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem stated, in a report in January 2022, that: “The year 2021 was the bloodiest year in the occupied territories since 2014.”

 

Displacement and Killing

On the other hand, about 895 Palestinians, including 463 minors, in the West Bank and East Jerusalem became homeless during the same period, because the occupation demolished 295 homes, the highest number during the past five years.

“The year 2021 witnessed a pivotal event that explains the increase in the number of Palestinian martyrs, that is, the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, specifically in the month of May,” the newspaper added.

In this aggression on Gaza, “Israel” killed at least 232 Palestinians, including 54 minors, according to B'Tselem's statistics, the majority of those killed did not participate in the conflict.

As for talking about the largest number of Palestinian casualties in one year, it is necessary to go back to 2014, when Gaza was subjected to an Israeli military attack that left more than 2,000 martyrs.

“The report states that the Israeli policy of lethal, unjustified and illegal shooting has caused the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians during the year 2021,” the newspaper quoted.

Moreover, about 70% of these people were martyred in the Gaza Strip as a result of the criminal policy of bombing densely populated areas.

“Senior Israeli officials justify the policy of shooting. They insist on using lethal shooting as it has become their last resort under the guise of Israeli and international law. They confirm that accidents are investigated,” the report adds.

“But the facts show the opposite: Deadly bombing is a routine matter, and no one is held accountable,” according to the organization.

“The occupation forces killed about 77 other Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, 32 of them were killed in or near demonstrations or in incidents in which Israeli officers or civilians were stoned,” the newspaper reported.

At the same time, the report highlights the martyrdom of 8 of them in protests against the establishment of the wild Eviatar settlement on land belonging to Palestinian villages in the northern West Bank, because of which the Israeli army prevents Palestinian farmers from entering their lands.

 

Apartheid Regime

“The study confirmed an increase in Israeli settler violence during the year 2021. B'Tselem documented 336 violent incidents last year, compared to approximately 251 in 2020,” the newspaper pointed out.

According to the organization, “the increase indicates that this violence is another tool adopted by the Israeli apartheid regime in order to seize more Palestinian land.”

In the same context, the report also indicates that “36 Palestinians were shot dead in incidents in which they attacked, or they attempted or allegedly attacked the occupying forces or Israeli settlers.”

The report notes that “in these cases, there is no justification for the automatic use of lethal fire.”

At the same time, B'Tselem notes that in recent years there has been a steady increase in home demolitions in the West Bank.

As the data shows, the Israeli occupation demolished about 199 homes, compared to about 151 homes in 2020 and 104 homes in 2019.

“Approximately 548 additional non-residential units were dismantled by order of the Israeli authorities including wells, agricultural facilities, warehouses, businesses and public buildings, this is the highest number since 2012,” the report indicates.

Commenting on the demolitions and dismantling of residential facilities, the report clarifies that “what is happening is not a matter of law enforcement, as Israel claims.”

Meanwhile, Palestinians who build homes without permission are not criminals, the organization says.

“The Israeli apartheid regime prevents nearly all manifestations of Palestinian development in large areas of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” the report continues.

On the other hand, “Jews are allowed to build houses or settlements extensively, in this situation, this policy leaves the Palestinians no choice but to build without permits.”

 

Without Change

Dror Sadot, a spokeswoman for B'Tselem, was quoted by El Pais newspaper as saying: “The end of the era of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the formation of a new coalition government, in June 2021, led by the ultra-nationalist Naftali Bennett, did not lead to a significant change in policy and attitudes.”

“It is too early to acknowledge this fact, but, according to the data, we cannot perceive or feel that there is a difference at the level of current policies,” Sadot continues.

In fact, house demolitions are only increasing, so we are not seeing changes in this regard, Sadot said.

The newspaper pointed to the spread of surveillance cameras in the occupied Palestinian territories and the gradual introduction of civilian facial recognition systems at checkpoints and checkpoints.

The newspaper also spoke about recent complaints of privacy breaches by Israeli-made spyware.

“At least 6 smartphones belonging to Palestinian activists were hacked by the Pegasus military espionage system, which is manufactured by the Israeli company NSO,” it reported.

Moreover, 3 of the hacked devices belong to members of non-governmental organizations that “Israel” has declared banned.

“It should be noted here that the humanitarian organizations that defend the Palestinians were not immune to the Israeli siege in the occupied territories,” the newspaper concluded.