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Peace Now NEWSFLASH: 100,000 NIS Fine to Deter Illegal Settlement Construction

Israel's Supreme Court yesterday fined three construction firms 100,000 NIS (about $23,000) for building a road to the site of illegal West Bank construction.

Peace Now NEWSFLASH: 100,000 NIS Fine to Deter Illegal Settlement Construction

Israel's Supreme Court yesterday fined three construction firms 100,000 NIS (about $23,000) for building a road to the site of illegal West Bank construction. The road, paved on private property in violation of Israeli law, also violates a Peace Now-sought court injunction barring continued construction at the site.

Judge Ayala Procaccia wrote in her decision that "levying significant fines payable to the state treasury will send a message of deterrence against continued law violations at the site." Ha'aretz noted that both the penalty and the large sum were "unusual."

Peace Now filed this legal petition - against the illegal construction of 3,000 homes near the settlement of Modi'in Illit - last January. In March, Israel's State Prosecutor announced that it was considering a criminal investigation against those responsible for construction at the site.

This is the latest in a series of successful legal interventions by Peace Now, which are forcing the Israeli government to face up to abuses of the law by those trying to expand settlements. Settlements undermine Israel's security, waste its financial resources, and endanger its future as a Jewish and democratic state.

In 2005, Peace Now's legal intervention prompted Israel's interior minister to stop transferring government funds to the Settler Council's political campaigns. Another Peace Now legal petition resulted in a court order requiring the Israeli government to demolish nine permanent homes - built on privately owned Palestinian land - at the Amona settlement outpost. A number of other cases are still being deliberated.

  • Read media accounts of this court action: Ynet, Ha'aretz.

  • Read more about this court case in the January 13, 2006 edition of APN's Settlements in Focus here.

  • Read selected materials about other Peace Now legal battles at Peace Now's website.