A/HRC/31/43 C. Other means of settlement control over land (a) National parks and archaeological sites 16. The Government of Israel has continued the practice of declaring and developing archaeological sites and parks as a means to expand control over land in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In several cases, the sites selected for development were located in close proximity to existing settlements, enabling either the expansion of lands under settlement control, or located in such a way that contiguous areas under settlement control could be made areas of strategic significance.6 Israeli authorities have been directly involved in this practice, either through zoning and planning processes, funding the development of sites or granting leases and management privileges to private settler organizations. 17. In July 2015, the Jerusalem municipality posted signs in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Issawiya, stating that the area reserved for a national park at Mount Scopus had been put under a “vacant lot landscaping order”, signifying the intention of municipality leaders to landscape and build facilities. The approval of the establishment of the Mount Scopus Slopes National Park in 2013, encompassing roughly 73 hectares on the eastern side of Mount Scopus, has been opposed by residents of the adjacent Issawiya and At-Tur neighbourhoods, on the grounds that it precludes the possibility of implementing much-needed urban development plans for those two areas.7 18. The Secretary-General and others have voiced concerns regarding the discriminatory urban planning regime in East Jerusalem (see A/HRC/25/38, paras. 11-14, and CERD/C/ISR/CO/14-16, para. 25), and the limitation of Palestinian development in the city as a result of the takeover of land for inclusion within national parks (A/70/351, para. 42). 19. On 7 June 2015, the Appeals Subcommittee of the National Planning Council approved plans for the development of the Kedem Compound in Silwan, promoted by the Elad settler organization to construct a major tourist site in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan, some 20 metres from the walls of the Old City. Following objections submitted by Silwan residents and civil society organizations, the Subcommittee ruled to reduce the original plans by at least half.8 These developments took place in the context of continued settlement expansion in the area. In three incidents between May and October 2015, Israeli settlers, under police escort, evicted six Palestinian families from their homes in the heart of the Palestinian neighbourhood of Silwan, following a ruling by an Israeli court in favour of the settlers who claimed ownership over the properties. In two additional incidents in August and September 2015, Israeli settlers, under police escort, moved into five residential buildings in Silwan that were previously vacated by their Palestinian residents. The buildings occupied are believed to have been sold by the 6 7 8 See case study on Khirbet Silhoun (A/70/351, paras. 63-66); Kedem Compound, City of David Visitors Centre and Spring House tourist centre; and Tel Rumeida excavations and ancient site (see A/69/348, paras. 34-35). Following legal proceedings led by Hebron residents and the Israeli organizations Emekh Shaveh and Breaking the Silence, the Israeli Civil Administration decided to delay the opening of the Tel Rumeida “archaeological park” in Hebron, and rescinded an agreement with a private settler organization for the transfer of management rights of the site. According to archaeologists at Emek Shaveh, “the archaeological park is expected to increase the presence of Israelis in Hebron, add a national-historic site to the Jewish part of the city, and form a key tool in the settlers’ drive to influence public opinion”. The park had been in planning since 2005 and was approved despite the position of then Minister for Environmental Protection, Amir Peretz. See B’Tselem, “Mount Scopus Slopes National Park and the harm it causes to al-‘Esawiya and a-Tur”, 20 July 2015. Ir Amim Newsletter, 10 September 2015. 5