Under the the Oslo Peace Accords signed in 1994, Israel has full control of about 60% of the occupied West Bank. Palestinians have full control and building rights in only a small proportion of the territory, about 17% of the total. The Oslo accords were only meant to be temporary, but their provisions have lasted 16 years. And therein lies a big problem with the Rawabi proposals.
The Palestinians control the land on which Rawabi will be built, but not the area through which its access road will have to go. Israel has yet to grant permission for the road, which will be essential for the project to succeed. At the moment, the only way to access the site is via a narrow and bumpy back road.
Israeli authorities have formally allowed Jewish prayer for the first time inside Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied...
Haitham Rashaidh was among the last to leave his home near Ein al-Auja, a natural spring...
Life under genocide has its familiar daily rituals. A discerning eye detects latent horrors in the...
Home demolitions by Israeli forces; attacks on healthcare infrastructure, homes, and schools; mass displacement of Palestinians;...
