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Largest Palestinian displacement looms large after Israeli court ruling

08:53 PM | 12 Jun, 2022
Largest Palestinian displacement looms large after Israeli court ruling
Source: Sara Palestune (Twitter)

Largest Palestinian displacement in decades looms after Israeli court ruling

WEST BANK – A couple of weeks after a controversial ruling by a top Israeli court, some 1,200 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank region of Masafer Yatta face the risk of forced removal to make way for an army firing zone.

The move comes after a decades-long legal battle ended last month in Israel’s highest court and opened the way for one of the largest displacements since Israel captured the territory in the 1967 Middle East war. However, residents are refusing to leave, hoping their resilience and international pressure will keep Israel from carrying out the evictions.

“They want to take this land from us to build settlements,” said Wadha Ayoub Abu Sabha, a resident of Al-Fakheit, one of a group of hamlets where Palestinian shepherds and farmers claim a historic connection to the land.

“We’re not leaving,” she said.

In the 1980s, Israel declared the area a closed military zone known as “Firing Zone 918.” It argued in court that these 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) along the Israel-West Bank boundary were “highly crucial” for training purposes and that the Palestinians living there were only seasonal dwellers.

“It has been a year of immense grief,” said Abu Sabha, her voice breaking as she sat in one of the few tents left standing, lit by a single light bulb.

The communities in this part of the South Hebron Hills traditionally lived in underground caves. Over the past two decades, they have also started building tin shacks and small rooms above ground.

Israeli forces have been demolishing these new constructions for years, Abu Sabha said, but now that they have the court’s backing, the evictions are likely to pick up.

Steps away, her family’s belongings were reduced to a pile of rubble after soldiers arrived with bulldozers to raze some of the structures. She lamented the significant losses — the dwindling livestock even more than the destroyed furniture.

Much of the argument during the protracted case centered on whether the Palestinians who live across the area are permanent residents or seasonal occupants.

The Supreme Court concluded that the residents “failed to prove their claim of permanent habitation” before the area was declared a firing zone. It relied on aerial photos and excerpts from a 1985 book that both sides cited as evidence.

The book, titled “Life in the Caves of Mount Hebron,” was authored by Israeli anthropologist Yaacov Havakook, who spent three years studying the lives of Palestinian farmers and shepherds in Masafer Yatta.

Havakook declined to comment and instead referred to his book. But he said he had tried to submit an expert opinion on behalf of the residents following a request from one of their lawyers, and was prevented from doing so by the Israeli defense ministry, where he was employed at the time.

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Rupee remains stable against US dollar, Euro, Pound, Dirham and Riyal; check forex rates

Pakistani rupee remained stable against US dollar in the open bank market on Friday.

Dollar Rate in Pakistan Today

On Friday, the US dollar was being quoted at 285.3 for buying and 288.15 for selling.

Euro moves down to 311 for buying and 314 for selling. British Pound rate stands at 358.5 for buying, and 361.5 for selling.

UAE Dirham AED stands at 78 whereas the Saudi Riyal rate stands at 76.20.

Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan – 1 December 2023

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 285.3 288.15
Euro EUR 311 314
UK Pound Sterling GBP 358.5 361.5
U.A.E Dirham AED 78 78.7
Saudi Riyal SAR 76.2 77
Australian Dollar AUD 187.2 189
Bahrain Dinar BHD 759.67 767.67
Canadian Dollar CAD 209 211
China Yuan CNY 39.59 39.98
Danish Krone DKK 41.38 41.78
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 36.63 36.98
Indian Rupee INR 3.39 3.5
Japanese Yen JPY 1.49 1.56
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 926.7 935.7
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 60.38 60.98
New Zealand Dollar NZD 173.44 175.44
Norwegians Krone NOK 26.25 26.55
Omani Riyal OMR 741.26 749.26
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 77.63 78.33
Singapore Dollar SGD 211 213
Swedish Korona SEK 26.93 27.23
Swiss Franc CHF 325.9 328.4
Thai Bhat THB 8.23 8.38

Gold rates drop in Pakistan; Check today’s gold rates 1 December 2023

KARACHI – The gold price continues to climb up in the local market in line of upward trend in international market.

Gold Rates in Pakistan Today - 1 December 2023

On Thursday, the single tola of 24 Karat gold was available at Rs217,400, and the price for 10-gram gold reached Rs186,390.

Meanwhile, the 22 Karat Gold price stands at Rs199,282, 21 karat rate for each tola is Rs190,225 and 18k gold rate hovers around Rs163,050.

In international market, the price of precious metal hovers around $2,045 per ounce.

Today Gold Rate in Pakistan

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Karachi PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Islamabad PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Peshawar PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Quetta PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Sialkot PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Attock PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Gujranwala PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Jehlum PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Multan PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Bahawalpur PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Gujrat PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Nawabshah PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Chakwal PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Hyderabad PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Nowshehra PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Sargodha PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Faisalabad PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696
Mirpur PKR 217,400 PKR 2,696

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