Warns Over ’Israeli’ Plan to Relocate Occupied WB Bedouin

Local Editor

The UN's Palestinian refugee agency on Sunday urged the international community to oppose "Israeli" plans to relocate thousands of Palestinian Bedouin from the central occupied West Bank.

UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl said, "If such a plan were implemented this would ... give rise to concerns that it amounts to a 'forcible transfer' in contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention," banning involuntary population relocation in occupied territory.

"It might also make way for further "Israeli" illegal settlement expansion..." he said in a statement.

"I urge the "Israeli" authorities not to proceed with the transfer ...and I also urge the donor and state community to take a firm stand against it."

Meanwhile, the "Israeli" Haaretz newspaper said an original scheme to relocate one tribe had grown to a plan to move about 12,500 Bedouin from the Jahalin, Kaabneh and Rashaida tribes, without the level of dialogue recommended by the "Israeli" Supreme Court.

"Israel" has been planning construction in the highly contentious area of the occupied West Bank, east of occupied al-Quds, since the early 1990s.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team