Israel to open new quarry in occupied West Bank

Israeli authorities are set to approve a new Israeli-owned quarry in the occupied West Bank, even though the state has previously promised the country’s Supreme Court that it would not sanction further Israeli-owned rock mining companies in the occupied Palestinian territory.

According to the report in Haaretz, “the plan for the quarry came to light during hearings about another High Court petition, filed by residents of the West Bank village of Aqraba, demanding the return of land seized by the army and against it being allocated to settlers in nearby Gitit or to be used for other purposes such as quarrying.”

In response, the state said that “a small parcel of the land had served in the past as a quarry that was later shut when the operator failed to meet his payments to the state.” Now, however, the Israeli government will “permit the quarry to be reopened.”

The state also acknowledged that “a small portion” of the land was expropriated from Aqraba.

Under international law, the occupying power should ensure that natural resources are used for the benefit of the protected population.

According to Haaretz, there are 10 Israeli-owned quarries operating in the occupied West Bank, supplying about a quarter of mined stone and marble used for Israeli construction.

Dror Etkes, an Israeli settlements researcher, told the paper that “the jungle prevailing in the West Bank” is a “paradise” for “wealthy corporations that…see the West Bank as fertile territory for enriching their coffers to the tune of hundreds of millions of shekels.”