Israeli soldiers stand near the illegal Israeli settlement of Givat Assaf in the West Bank, Dec. 13, 2018. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)

The Israeli occupation is a constant, chilling presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and among Palestinians living in Israel: children and adults are routinely abducted, Israeli housing is built on Palestinian land while Palestinian homes are demolished – just a few examples from one “average” day. (For the history and context of this issue, see this and this, and this.)

reposted from IMEMC

IMEMC, the International Middle East Media Center, reports tirelessly on countless events in Israel/Palestine, both big and small. Even the smaller incidents – which are huge to the families impacted – add up. Here are summaries of several IMEMC articles, all from incidents that occurred yesterday (Thursday). Each is followed by background information for a sense of the scope of the occupation.

Soldiers Abduct A Child From His Home In al-‘Isawiya

Many Israeli soldiers and police officers invaded, Thursday, a Palestinian home in the al-‘Isawiya town, in occupied East Jerusalem, after destroying the main door of the property, and abducted a child in front of his brothers…causing severe anxiety attacks among seven children, who were alone in the property without their parents.

The children were trying to open the heavy door for the soldiers to enter the property without causing damage, but the army went ahead and destroyed it.

The soldiers then abducted Saleh al-Fakhouri, 13, after accusing him of throwing stones at army jeeps.

The family owns their home, stores and lands in the area since the year 1954, before Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967, but are facing constant invasions, violent searches and attempts to confiscate their property and force them out.

Editor’s note: the abduction of Palestinian children by Israeli military (almost always for alleged stone-throwing) is commonplace. IMEMC reports that 250 children were abducted in 2018. This policy is in contravention of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Eight Palestinians Abducted by Israeli Forces in Early Morning Raids on Thursday

Israel Approves 2,730 Illegal Housing Units

The Israeli government has approved the plans for the construction of 2.430 units for Jewish settlers in illegal colonies in the occupied West bank, followed by another 300 in Gush Etzion.

The approval was made by Israel’s High Planning Committee of the Israeli “Civil Administration,” the executive and administrative branch of the illegal Israeli occupation in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem.

Israeli sources said the new plans do not only include expanding settlements, but also news constructions in outposts that were built without Israel’s approval, and therefore, they will be granted official approval before more units are added to them.

France, and the European Union said: “As stated in UN Security Council Resolution 2334, these settlements are contrary to international law. This policy further heightens tensions on the ground and gravely undermines the conditions for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians based on a two-state solution.”

Israel continues to challenge the entire international community by trying to enforce new facts on the ground to void the chances for a two-state solution.

There are at least 650.000 Israeli colonists living in more than 132 and 113 outposts colonies in the West Bank, these figures do not include 13 colonies in East Jerusalem and 13 settlements in Palestinian neighborhoods in the occupied city, with a total number of 215.067 colonists.

All of Israel’s colonies and outposts are illegal under International Law, the Fourth Geneva Conventions and various United Nations resolutions.

Editor’s note: Human Rights Watch reports that “[d]uring 2017 and the first eight months of 2018, Israeli authorities approved plans for 10,536 housing units in West Bank settlements, excluding East Jerusalem…as compared to approving plans for 4,611 units…in all of 2015 and 2016, according to the Israeli group Peace Now.”

In Jerusalem, Mondoweiss reports, Israel approved 4,416 new settlement units early in 2019, which will span occupied East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem. Mondoweiss adds, “The news comes just two weeks after reports that dozens of Israeli ministers and senior lawmakers from Netanyahu’s Likud and other right-wing parties signed a petition to promote a settlement plan that would settle 2 million Jews in the occupied West Bank.”

Israeli Army To Demolish Four Homes, One Structure, Near Hebron