Palestinians continued to demonstrate in the territories this week against what they claimed are Israeli settlers’ attempts to appropriate their land.
On Wednesday, a new confrontation developed when several dozen Palestinians protested at a construction site near the West Bank settlement of Atei Zahav, where an industrial zone is slated to be built.
The Palestinians threw stones at Israeli troops attempting to disperse them. Israeli soldiers reportedly used percussion grenades and fired at the protesters, but no Palestinians were hurt.
The issue of Israeli settlement expansion catapulted to the fore of already tense Israeli Palestinian relations in December, when Palestinians protested the construction of new apartments near the West Bank settlement of Efrat.
Meanwhile, settler leaders with the Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria and Gaza have announced plans to begin developing state lands that lie within the planning boundaries of settlements in the territories.
On Tuesday, bulldozers began clearing land southwest of the settlement of Elkana in the northern part of the West Bank.
The head of the Elkana local council said the settlers did not plan to build a new neighborhood there, but were only attempting to assert their ownership of the land “after Arabs took over the area a few days ago.”
The council head, Aharon Domb, was referring to several Palestinians who came to the area claiming the land was theirs.
Domb rejected their claims, saying ”the Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria and Gaza will not touch any private lands.”
Palestinians have also launched demonstrations near settlements of Yakir and Revava.
The government last week decided to review all plans for expanding settlements in the territories, even if they were already pre- approved.
Still, Palestinian leaders have accused the Israeli government of giving into the settlers.
At the same time, the Israeli opposition has accused the government of giving in to Palestinian demands in the name of furthering the peace process.
Palestinian Authority official Yasser Abbed Rabbo said this week that continued expansion of settlements in the territories could bring a halt to the peace process.
“I think that this is the end of the road,” said Rabbo. “Either all these activities should stop and the settlers withdraw from the occupied and confiscated land, or the Palestinian Authority will have to take serious and decisive decisions.”
Reacting to his remarks, Environment Minister Yossi Sarid on Wednesday called on Israelis and Palestinians alike to stop using the peace process as a means for threatening the other side.
For the Palestinians, the main issue is settlement expansion, Sarid said, while for the Israelis it has been terror attacks on Israelis launched by Palestinians.
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