Area C Villages
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Under the Oslo Accords, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B, and C. Area A includes all of the Palestinian cities, and the Palestinian Authority (PA) has responsibility for both civil and security matters; Area B includes most of the large Palestinian towns, and the PA has authority over civil matters only; in Area C, Israel has authority for both security and civil matters. Area C constitutes 60% of the West Bank, with 150,000 Palestinians living there.
Israel conducts two separate legal systems in the West Bank – one for Israelis and the other for Palestinians. One manifestation of this discriminatory legal regime is the two systems of planning that operate in the West Bank, which distinguish between inhabitants based on their nationality – one for the settlers, and a different one for Palestinians. Many Palestinian towns and villages in Area C are not recognized by Israel and have not benefited from even minimal town planning, even though many have been rooted in this land for generations.
Through public advocacy, litigation, and education, ACRI opposes the discriminatory practices utilized by the State within Area C. These include constant home demolitions, an inequitable distribution of resources and access to building permits and the legal division between civil and military authorities. ACRI seeks to promote the recognition of the villages currently unrecognized, and the inclusion of Area C inhabitants in planning sessions. As mandated by international humanitarian law, it is incumbent upon Israel – as an occupying power – not only to recognize the towns that existed in Area C prior to the occupation, but to afford the inhabitants the opportunity to plan and build to accommodate their natural increase, traditional lifestyle, and desire to improve their living conditions.
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Al-Aqaba: A Dehydrated Village
September 4, 2012
Background The village of al-Aqaba in the Tubas governorate is located entirely within Area C – the region under … Read more
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Khirbat Zanuta Petition – Still No Solution
July 30, 2012
Court gives parties 30 days to submit additional responses; State must offer a solution for the village residents; petitioners must … Read more
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Tomorrow High Court Will Decide Fate of Khirbat Zanuta Residents
July 29, 2012
Tomorrow (30 July 2012), the Israeli High Court will hear the petition of the residents of Khirbat Zanuta and the … Read more
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Cancelling Demolition Orders in Area C Village (Khirbat Zanuta Petition)
July 22, 2012
Summary The High Court ruled on 27.9.2017 to erase ACRI’s petition from 2007 against demolitions in the village of Khirbat Zanuta … Read more
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What’s the Difference? Illegal Outposts, Palestinian Towns in Area C, and Unrecognized Villages in the Negev
March 26, 2012
In recent months, there has been an ongoing public debate in Israel regarding the demolition of houses that were built … Read more