A/HRC/34/37
in the Israeli plan as pertaining to the “Hermon National Park”. The Syrian Arab Republic
noted that plan envisaged the possible expansion of the Israeli settlements of Neve Atif and
Nimrod, both built on land pertaining to Syrian villages and towns.
22.
In its note verbale, the Syrian Arab Republic provided information about Israeli
settlement expansion in the occupied Syrian Golan, in particular, the decision by Israel to
build in five years 19 new settlements in order to attract 1,500 Israeli families volunteering
to resettle in the occupied Syrian Golan. The Syrian Arab Republic also provided
information about the plan, announced by Israel on 24 June 2016, to build 4,000 new
housing units in the Ketsarin settlement in the occupied Syrian Golan and to develop
economic, cultural and vocational installations, including a winery, multipurpose and
scientific centres, a water bottling plant, a dairy factory and a museum, with a view to
consolidating its settlement policy in the occupied Syrian Golan.
23.
The Syrian Arab Republic also referred to recent statistics released by Israel,
highlighting the significant increase in the number of Israeli settlers between 2010 and
2015, including in Bnei Yehuda, Odem, Had Nes and Avnei Eitan. According to the Syrian
Arab Republic, Israel continued to encourage Israeli settlement by offering financial
incentives and supporting investments in education and agriculture with a view to
strengthening its occupation and changing the demographic composition of the occupied
Syrian Golan.
24.
The Syrian Arab Republic provided information on alleged Israeli practices and
conduct aimed at controlling and exploiting natural resources in the occupied Syrian Golan,
in violation of Security Council resolution 497 (1981). It claimed that the right of Syrians to
work was restricted in the occupied Syrian Golan. According to the Syrian Arab Republic,
Israel had exploited the natural resources of the occupied Syrian Golan and granted Israeli
settlers exclusive use of those resources, thus depriving the Syrian population in the
occupied Syrian Golan of any benefit from them. Syrian residents had access to only
45,000 acres of land for farming, while Israeli settlers had access to 350,000 acres of land.
By preventing Syrian farmers from marketing their products in the Syrian Arab Republic,
Israel had created a situation of a de facto economic siege. The Syrian Arab Republic also
drew attention to the persistent practice conducted by Israel of burying toxic waste in the
occupied Syrian Golan, resulting in adverse health and environmental effects on Syrian
citizens. It provided, in addition, a list of companies allegedly funding Israeli settlement
activity in the occupied Syrian Golan.
5
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