Image By Arabs48
November 20, 2011
After the "Seeba" Spanish organization managed to install Solar Panels at a Palestinian village in the West Bank, known as Amenzil, and for the first time its residents managed to have electricity, Israel issued a military injunction ordering the residents to remove the Panels.
The village never had power, but after the panels were installed, the residents started providing their homes, and event tents, with lights, bought TV sets and other electric materials.
In cooperation with the An-Najah University In Nablus, the Spanish nongovernmental organization installed two Solar Panels in the tiny village "Amenzil" located in the southern part of the West Bank, and the villagers managed to replace their gas-run generators that were barely enough for basic functions.
The Solar Panels also enabled the residents to run a water-pump to provide the village with water supplies, especially since it does not have running water.
The Israeli army claims that the small village, located in Area C in the West Bank, was built without construction permits, and issued an order last month forcing the residents to remove the Solar Panels.
Area C is %60 of the occupied West Bank, and all constructions are subject to approval from the so-called "Civil Administration Authority", that runs under the control of the Israeli Army in the occupied West Bank.
Several Israeli NGO’s, and the United Nations, are trying to convince the army to void its decision that came without prior notice.
The Spanish government is also using diplomatic channels in an attempt to prevent the army from removing the Solar Panels. The project was implemented with a total cost of nearly 365.000 Euros, largely funded by Seeba.
Head of the village council, Ali Hreizat, told France Press that "these Solar Panels were they ray of hope to the residents", and added, "We have been living here since 1948, and have nowhere else to go".
Hreizat added that the village was never recognized by Israel, and all of its constructions were built without construction permits, therefore, asking Israel to permit the installment of the Solar Panels would be in vain.
A Spanish official, in charge of the project, stated that an application was actually filed to Israel before the project started, but the military division, in charge of construction permits, never responded.
The Israeli Civil Administration said that the panels were installed without a permit, and must be removed, and claimed that the Spanish Organization was allowed to appeal "but refused to present its case in front of the Appeals Committee".
According to the Arabs48 News Website, the Spanish group filed an appeal to the head of the Civil Administration, Etan Dangot, who halted the demolish order and demanded Seeba to present detailed maps of the Solar Panels.
A spokesperson of the Israeli Army stated Wednesday that the army "is willing to approve the Panels", adding that all approvals "must be directed through legal channels".
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