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PCHR
is concerned that land leveling by IOF in the northern Gaza Strip is
a step aimed towards seizing more Palestinian land to create a
buffer zone along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR on Sunday morning, 18
September 2005, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have leveled areas
of Palestinian land in the northeastern area of Beit Hanoun, a town
in the northern Gaza Strip. They also placed sand and other
construction raw materials nearly 200 meters inside the Gaza Strip
territory. The affected areas of land belong to a number of
Palestinian families and were razed by IOF during the al-Aqsa
Intifada. A PCHR field worker reported that he saw barbed wire in
the area, indicating that IOF plan to establish a separation fence
along the border. Consequently, large areas of Palestinian land will
be threatened with confiscation. A 500-meter-long section of fence
was already established to the north of the former "Nissant"
settlement and the Erez Industrial Zone during the implementation of
the "Disengagement Plan" in the Gaza Strip.
PCHR
believes that such developments have arisen in the context of an
integral process aimed at creating a buffer zone inside Palestinian
territory, extending from the southeast of Rafah to the northern
Gaza Strip. The creation of this buffer zone further evidences the
continuing Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip, despite the
implementation of the unilateral "Disengagement Plan". Consequently,
PCHR calls upon the international community to immediately intervene
to pressurise Israel to end its occupation of the Gaza Strip and
prevent it from seizing more Palestinian land.
Source:
PCHR
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