112-488: The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions ( ICAHD ) is a group opposed to Israeli settlements, which describes itself as "an Israeli peace and human rights organization dedicated to ending the occupation of the Palestinian territories and achieving a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians." ICAHD says it uses non-violent, direct-action means of resistance to end Israel's policy of demolishing Palestinian homes in
224-406: A "48.7 percent increase in the number of suicide terrorists from an average district," while in the months immediately following a demolition, punitive demolitions caused terror attacks to decline by between 11.7 and 14.9 percent. However, Klor later described the effect of punitive demolitions as "small, localized and diminish[ing] over time" and suggested that the real reason they were carried out
336-656: A "closed military area" and blocked access for international observers. The NRC said that Israeli authorities must "immediately halt attempts to forcibly transfer around 70 Palestinians, including 35 children" following the Bedouin community's property being demolished for the seventh time since November 2020. The use of house demolition under international law is today governed by the Fourth Geneva Convention , enacted in 1949, which protects non-combatants in occupied territories. Article 53 provides that "Any destruction by
448-646: A "pattern of illegal demolitions" by the IDF in Rafah, a refugee camp and city at the southern end of the Gaza Strip on the border with Egypt where sixteen thousand people lost their homes after the Israeli government approved a plan to expand the de facto " buffer zone " in May 2004. The IDF's main stated rationales for the demolitions were responding to and preventing attacks on its forces and
560-705: A 'Dark Age' (Muhly 1998). The first-century Romano-Jewish scholar Josephus in Against Apion , citing Tyrian court records and Menander , gives a specific year during which King Hiram I of Tyre sent materials to Solomon for the construction of the Temple. However, no material evidence indisputably of Solomon's reign has been found. Yigael Yadin 's excavations at Hazor , Megiddo , Beit Shean and Gezer uncovered structures that he and others have argued date from Solomon's reign, but others, such as Israel Finkelstein and Neil Silberman , argue that they should be dated to
672-614: A July 2012 letter to the president of the European Commission , José Manuel Barroso , Steinberg wrote that ICAHD is a "fringe political NGO that fuels conflict by frequently accusing Israel of 'apartheid' and 'ethnic cleansing'. ICAHD officials are also active in promoting BDS [boycotts, divestment and sanctions] campaigns, particularly in churches in Europe and North America." Steinberg said that "In reality, ICAHD does nothing to advance coexistence and instead promotes extreme views which fuel
784-682: A basic principle of human rights law that international human rights treaties are applicable in all areas in which states parties exercise effective control, regardless of whether or not they exercise sovereignty in that area." In May 2004, the Israeli Foreign Ministry publicly stated: "...other means employed by Israel against terrorists is the demolition of homes of those who have carried out suicide attacks or other grave attacks, or those who are responsible for sending suicide bombers on their deadly missions. Israel has few available and effective means in its war against terrorism. This measure
896-455: A beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunamite , and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not." While David was in this state, court factions were maneuvering for power. Adonijah , David's heir apparent , acted to have himself declared king, but
1008-799: A criminal offense in Israeli law, and this was only extended to the West Bank in 2007. Israel has demolished or compelled the owners to demolish, 1097 homes in East Jerusalem between 2004 and 2020, leaving 3,579 people of whom 1,899 minors, homeless. The number of homes demolished in the rest of the West Bank from 2006 until 30 September 2018 is estimated to be at least 1,373, resulting in homelessness for 6,133 Palestinians, including 3,103 minors. No settler has ever been prosecuted for engaging in such infractions, and only 3% of reported violations by settlers have led to demolitions. Even huts by shepherds, on which taxes have been duly paid, can be demolished. During
1120-462: A dream, asking what Solomon wanted from God. Solomon asked for wisdom in order to better rule and guide his people. Pleased, God personally answered Solomon's prayer, promising him great wisdom because he did not ask for self-serving rewards like long life or the death of his enemies. Perhaps the best known story of his wisdom is the Judgement of Solomon ; two women each lay claim to being the mother of
1232-509: A house due for demolition." "House demolitions ostensibly occur because the homes are built 'illegally' – i.e. without a permit. Officials and spokespersons of the Israeli government have consistently maintained that the demolition of Palestinian houses is based on planning considerations and is carried out according to the law. ... But the Israeli policy has been based on discrimination. Palestinians are targeted for no other reasons than that they are Palestinians. ... [Israel has] discriminated in
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#17330855416671344-423: A means of appropriating land. This is disputed by Israeli sources, who claim that both Arabs and Jews enjoy a similar rate of application approvals. Dr. Meir Margalit of Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions writes: "The thinking is that a national threat calls for a national response, invariably aggressive. Accordingly, a Jewish house without a permit is an urban problem; but a Palestinian home without
1456-570: A member of a family had been involved in the Second Intifada . From 2006 until 31 August 2018, Israel demolished at least 1,360 Palestinian residential units in the West Bank (not including East Jerusalem ), causing 6,115 people – including at least 3,094 minors – to lose their homes. 698 of these, homes to 2,948 Palestinians of whom 1,334 were minors, were razed in the Jordan Valley (January 2006–September 2017). Violations of building codes are
1568-643: A modern framework. According to the most widely used chronology, based on that by the Old Testament professor Edwin R. Thiele , the death of Solomon and the division of his kingdom would have occurred in the fall of 931 BCE. Solomon was born in Jerusalem , the second-born child of David and his wife Bathsheba (widow of Uriah the Hittite ). The first child (unnamed in that account), a son conceived adulterously during Uriah's lifetime, had died seven days after birth. It
1680-543: A permit is a strategic threat. A Jew building without a permit is ' cocking a snook at the law'; a Palestinian doing the same is defying Jewish sovereignty over Jerusalem." Although revoked by the British the Mandatory Palestine Defence (Emergency) Regulations were adopted by Israel on its formation. These regulations gave authority to military commanders to confiscate and raze "any house, structure or land...
1792-494: A substitute,” “the ruler of peace,” or based on the deified evening star Shalim . The conventional dates of Solomon's reign are derived from biblical chronology and are set from about 970 to 931 BCE . Regarding the Davidic dynasty , to which King Solomon belongs, its chronology can be checked against datable Babylonian and Assyrian records at a few points, and these correspondences have allowed archaeologists to date its kings in
1904-539: Is Naamah the Ammonite , mother of Solomon's successor, Rehoboam . The biblical narrative notes with disapproval that Solomon permitted his foreign wives to import their national deities, building temples to Ashtoreth and Milcom . In the branch of literary analysis that examines the Bible, called higher criticism , the story of Solomon falling into idolatry by the influence of Pharaoh's daughter and his other foreign wives
2016-401: Is "customarily seen as the handiwork of the 'deuteronomistic historian(s)' ", who are held to have written, compiled, or edited texts to legitimize the reforms of Hezekiah 's great-grandson, King Josiah who reigned from about 641 to 609 BCE (over 280 years after Solomon's death according to Bible scholars). Scholarly consensus in this field holds that "Solomon's wives/women were introduced in
2128-463: Is almost surely an anachronistic exaggeration. As for Solomon himself, scholars on both the maximalist and minimalist sides of the spectrum of biblical archeology generally agree that he probably existed. However, a historically accurate picture of the Davidic king is difficult to construct. According to some archaeologists, Solomon could have only been the monarch or chieftain of Judah, and that
2240-591: Is also revered in Christianity and Islam . In the New Testament , he is portrayed as a teacher of wisdom, though excelled by Jesus of Nazareth , and as arrayed in glory, but excelled by "the lilies of the field ". In the Quran , he is considered to be a major Islamic prophet . In mostly non-biblical circles, Solomon also came to be known as a magician and an exorcist, with numerous amulets and medallion seals dating from
2352-593: Is deeply impregnated with the sense of national loss and place engendered by the Nakba , and according to physicians studying West Bankers who have had their homes destroyed, such events cause a retraumatization of the Nakba in the families affected. On 8 July 2021, Israeli army forces demolished a luxurious mansion in Turmus Ayya which was the family home of Sanaa Shalabi, who lived alone there with three of her seven children. She
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#17330855416672464-456: Is described as surrounding himself with all the luxuries and the grandeur of an Eastern monarch, and his government prospered. He entered into an alliance with Hiram I , king of Tyre , who in many ways greatly assisted him in his numerous undertakings. For some years before his death, David was engaged in collecting materials for building a temple in Jerusalem as a permanent home for Yahweh and
2576-476: Is employed to provide effective deterrence of the perpetrators and their dispatchers, not as a punitive measure. This practice has been reviewed and upheld by the High Court of Justice" House demolition is typically justified by the IDF on the basis of: Israeli historian Yaacov Lozowick , however, implied that there is a moral basis for demolishing the houses of families of suicide bombers, stating: Demolishing
2688-521: Is prohibited. However, Israel, which is a party to the Fourth Geneva Convention, asserts that the terms of the Convention are not applicable to the Palestinian territories on the grounds that the territories do not constitute a state which is a party to the Fourth Geneva Convention. This position is rejected by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, which notes that "it is
2800-688: Is rigged with explosives and booby traps ). Multi-story buildings, flats, and explosive laboratories are demolished by explosive devices, set by IDF demolition experts of Yaalom 's Sayeret Yael . Amnesty International has also described house demolitions that were carried out by the IDF using "powerful explosive charges". Some house demolitions are allegedly performed because the houses may have been built without permits, or are in violation of various building codes, ordinances, or regulations. Amnesty International claims that Israeli authorities are in fact systematically denying building permit requests in Arab areas as
2912-475: Is said to have been spectacularly opulent and possessed moving parts, making it one of the earliest mechanical devices in history. It is said that "Nothing like it (the throne) had ever been made for any other kingdom." Solomon also constructed great water works for the city, and the Millo ( Septuagint , Acra ) for the defense of the city. However, excavations of Jerusalem have discovered no monumental architecture from
3024-490: Is separated from other houses). In some heavy fighting incidents, especially in the 2002 Battle of Jenin and Operation Rainbow in Rafah 2004, heavily armored IDF Caterpillar D9 bulldozers were used to demolish houses to widen alleyways, uncover tunnels, or to secure locations for IDF troops. The result was an indiscriminate use of demolitions against civilian housing unconnected to terrorism that left 1,000 people homeless in
3136-545: Is still there, guarded by a single dedicated priest. The claim of such a lineage and of possession of the Ark was an important source of legitimacy and prestige for the Ethiopian monarchy through the centuries, and had important and lasting effects on Ethiopian culture . The Ethiopian government and church deny all requests to view the alleged ark. Some classical-era Rabbis, attacking Solomon's moral character, have claimed instead that
3248-484: Is suggested in Scripture that this was a judgment from God. Solomon had three named full brothers born to Bathsheba: Nathan , Shammua, and Shobab, besides six known older half-brothers born of as many mothers. The biblical narrative shows that Solomon served as a peace offering between God and David, due to David's adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. In an effort to hide this sin, David sent Bathsheba's husband, Uriah
3360-749: Is traditionally ascribed authorship of the Wisdom of Solomon which is included in the Scriptures of the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Church, but is considered apocryphal in Protestant traditions. According to the Hebrew Bible, the ancient Kingdom of Israel gained its highest splendour and wealth during Solomon's reign of 40 years. In a single year, according to 1 Kings 10:14 , Solomon collected tribute amounting to 666 talents (18,125 kilograms) of gold. Solomon
3472-629: The American Friends Service Committee , a non-profit advocacy group that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947, nominated Jeff Halper for the Nobel Peace Prize due to his ICAHD-related work, citing ICAHD's work "to liberate both the Palestinian and the Israeli people from the yoke of structural violence " and "to build equality between their people by recognizing and celebrating their common humanity." In 2007, ICAHD received
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-627: The Ark of the Covenant . Solomon is described as undertaking the construction of the temple , with the help of an architect, also named Hiram , and other materials, sent from King Hiram of Tyre. After the completion of the temple, Solomon is described in the biblical narrative as erecting many other buildings of importance in Jerusalem . For 13 years, he was engaged in the building of a royal palace on Ophel (a hilly promontory in central Jerusalem). This complex included buildings referred to as: Solomon's throne
3696-453: The Hellenistic period invoking his name. The life of Solomon is primarily described in 2 Samuel , 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles . His two names are traditionally taken to mean " peaceful " and " friend of God ", both considered "predictive of the character of his reign". A 2023 textbook described three possibilities for the etymology of Solomon’s name: “compensation or
3808-516: The International Committee of the Red Cross who oppose the house demolitions reject the IDF's claims, and document numerous instances where they argue the IDF's claims do not apply. They accuse the Israeli government and IDF of other motives: In 2004, Human Rights Watch published the report Razing Rafah: Mass Home Demolitions in the Gaza Strip . The report documented what it described as
3920-632: The Omride period, more than a century after Solomon. According to Finkelstein and Silberman, authors of The Bible Unearthed : Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts , at the time of the kingdoms of David and Solomon, Jerusalem was populated by only a few hundred residents or less, which is insufficient for an empire stretching from the Euphrates to Eilath . According to The Bible Unearthed , archaeological evidence suggests that
4032-588: The Rafah Refugee Camp . According to a report by Amnesty International in 1999, house demolitions are usually done without prior warning and the home's inhabitants are given little time to evacuate. According to a 2004 Human Rights Watch report, many families in Rafah own a "cluster of homes". For example, the family may own a "small house from earlier days in the camp, often with nothing more than an asbestos roof". Later, sons will build homes nearby when they start their own families. In February 2005,
4144-465: The Testament of Solomon , part of biblical apocrypha from the 1st century CE. The historicity of Solomon is widely debated. Current scholarly consensus allows for a historical Solomon, but regards his reign as king over Israel and Judah in the 10th century BCE as uncertain and the biblical description of his apparent empire's lavishness as most probably a massive anachronistic exaggeration . Solomon
4256-753: The occupied territories , publication of books and articles on the Israeli occupation of the West Bank , East Jerusalem and Gaza , international advocacy. ICAHD also organizes the rebuilding of demolished Palestinian houses using a network of Israeli, Palestinian and international volunteers. In April 2012 founding member Meir Margalit estimated that the organization had rebuilt 1,000 homes including 200 in East Jerusalem. In addition to rebuilding demolished Palestinian houses, ICAHD often takes legal actions on behalf of Palestinians whose houses have been demolished or are threatened with demolition (see example of Aqabah ). Members of ICAHD have been arrested numerous times by
4368-511: The occupied territories ." ICAHD was founded by eight activists (see box), among whom was Jeff Halper , a long-time human rights advocate and professor of Anthropology , who serves as ICAHD's Director. Halper describes ICAHD as "a critical, 'radical' organization which can envision a single democratic state in Palestine/Israel ." ICAHD's activities, which are based on nonviolent direct action , include exhibits, films, workshops, tours of
4480-465: The united Kingdom of Israel . After a reign of forty years (1 Kings 11:42), he died of natural causes, at around 55 years of age. Upon Solomon's death, his son, Rehoboam , succeeded him, but ten of the Tribes of Israel refused him as king, splitting the monarchy into the northern Kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam , while Rehoboam continued to reign over the smaller southern Kingdom of Judah . Henceforth
4592-592: The 'Josianic' (customarily Dtr) edition of Kings as a theological construct to blame the schism [between Judah and the Northern Kingdom of Israel] on his misdeeds". In a brief, unelaborated, and enigmatic passage, the Hebrew Bible describes how the fame of Solomon's wisdom and wealth reached even the far-off Queen of Sheba . The queen is described as visiting with gifts including gold, spices and precious stones. When Solomon gave her "all her desire, whatsoever she asked", she left satisfied ( 1 Kings 10:13 ). Whether
Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-521: The 1993 Oslo Accords Israel has issued over 14,600 demolition orders for Palestinian infrastructure, of which it has destroyed roughly 2,925. In the period 2000-2012, Palestinian were given only 211 permits to build, from 2009 to 2012, only 27 permits were given. In 2014, according to Ma'an News Agency, citing Bimkom, only one such permit was issued. On 7 July 2021, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said Israel declared Humsa al-Bqai'a
4816-405: The Bible depicts Rehoboam and the rest of Solomon's patrilineal descendants ruling over independent Judah alone. A Jewish prophet , Solomon is portrayed as wealthy, wise, powerful, and a dedicated follower of Yahweh ( God ), as attested by the eponymous Solomon's Temple , which was the first Temple in Jerusalem . He is also the subject of many later references and legends, most notably in
4928-645: The European Union." In 2005, the EU provided ICAHD with €472,786 for a project called "Re-framing: Providing a Coherent Paradigm of Peace to the Israeli Public" under the Partnership for Peace program. American folk-singer Pete Seeger donated part of the royalties from his song " Turn, Turn, Turn" (To Everything There is a Season) (based on the words of King Solomon from the book of Ecclesiastes ) to ICAHD. In 2006,
5040-486: The Hittite , to battle, and specifically to the front line wherein David ordered the commanding officer Joab to withdraw support for Uriah in order to have him killed in battle by the enemy. After he died, David was finally able to marry Bathsheba. As punishment, the first child, who was conceived during the adulterous relationship, died. Solomon was born after David was forgiven. It is this reason why his name, which means peace,
5152-594: The ICAHD, oppose the practice. Human Rights Watch has argued that the practice violates international laws against collective punishment, the destruction of private property , and the use of force against civilians. According to Amnesty International, "The destruction of Palestinian homes, agricultural land and other property in the Occupied Territories, including East Jerusalem, is inextricably linked with Israel's long-standing policy of appropriating as much as possible of
5264-482: The Israeli Army Combat Engineering Corps using armored bulldozers , usually Caterpillar D9 , but also with excavators (for high multi-story buildings) and wheel loaders (for small houses with low risk) modified by the IDF. The heavily armored IDF Caterpillar D9 is often used when there is a risk demolishing the building (such as when armed insurgents are barricaded inside or the structure
5376-516: The Israeli army and police for attempting to prevent the demolition of Palestinian homes. Most recently, on 3 April 2008, ICAHD Coordinator Jeff Halper was arrested for the eighth time while nonviolently protesting the bulldozing of the home of the Hamdan family in a Palestinian neighborhood of Jerusalem – a house that had already been torn down once by Israeli authorities and had been rebuilt by ICAHD. In April 2012 one of ICAHD's founders, Meir Margalit
5488-465: The Lord said to Solomon, "Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant. Yet for the sake of David your father I will not do it in your days, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to your son, for
5600-521: The Ministry of Defense ordered an end to the demolition of houses for the purpose of punishing the families of suicide bombers unless there is "an extreme change in circumstances". However, house demolitions continue for other reasons. In 2009, after a string of fatal attacks by Palestinians against Israelis in Jerusalem, the Israeli High Court of Justice ruled in favor of the IDF to seal with cement
5712-679: The Norwegian branch is located in Tromsø .. A German chapter is located in Bremen . In November 2012, Halper announced that ICAHD is in "financial collapse", which included "eviction from our office, due to over-dependency on a few major donors," and that they would return to solicit "grassroots" support. According to ICAHD's website, its "activities... depend on assistance from individuals and organizations in Israel and abroad. ICAHD also receives financial support from
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#17330855416675824-457: The Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons ... is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations." House demolition is considered a form of collective punishment . According to the law of occupation , the destruction of property, save for reasons of absolute military necessity,
5936-703: The Olive Branch Award from Jewish Voice for Peace . Writing in The Independent , Yasmin Alibhai-Brown described the ICAHD as "valiant, peaceful activists trying to stop bulldozers that daily demolish Palestinian homes and who tenaciously campaign against the occupation and land grabs by their own nation, their own people." Malcolm Hoenlein , in 2007, then executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations , said ICAHD
6048-564: The Phoenician king Hiram I of Tyre (see 'wealth' below); they sent out joint expeditions to the lands of Tarshish and Ophir to engage in the trade of luxury products, importing gold, silver, sandalwood, pearls, ivory, apes, and peacocks. Solomon is considered the most wealthy of the Israelite kings named in the Bible. Solomon was the biblical king most famous for his wisdom. In 1 Kings he sacrificed to God, and God later appeared to him in
6160-677: The Rural Women's Association building, the roads, the water tank, and nearly all private homes. According to the Rebuilding Alliance , a California-based organization that opposes house demolitions, Haj Sami Sadek, the mayor of the village, has circulated an open letter asking for assistance. Gush Shalom , the Israeli Peace Bloc, and the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions are said to be supporting
6272-480: The Second Intifada, the IDF adopted a policy of house demolition following a wave of suicide bombings . Israel justified the policy on the basis of deterrence against terrorism, and providing an incentive for families of potential suicide bombers to dissuade the bomber from attacking. Demolitions can also occur in the course of fighting. During Operation Defensive Shield , several IDF soldiers were killed early in
6384-499: The West Bank have pending demolition orders, which can be immediately executed without prior warning," the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report. Supreme Court justice Menachem Mazuz , who retired from the court in April 2021, was one of the few justices who opposed house demolitions due to the actions of a family member. He told Haaretz that I went against
6496-521: The action a violation of international obligations. A January 2015 efficacy study by Efraim Benmelech , Berrebi and Klor distinguishes between "punitive demolitions", in which homes belonging to the families of terror operatives are demolished, and "precautionary demolitions", such as the demolition of a house well-positioned for use by Palestinian snipers. Their results, which The New Republic calls "politically explosive," indicate that "precautionary demolitions" have caused suicide attacks to increase,
6608-488: The administration, including in religious positions as well as in civic and military posts. It is said that Solomon ascended to the throne when he was only about fifteen. Solomon greatly expanded his military strength, especially the cavalry and chariot arms. He founded numerous colonies, some of which doubled as trading posts and military outposts. Trade relationships were a focus of his administration. In particular he continued his father's very profitable relationship with
6720-481: The application of the law, strictly enforcing planning prohibitions where Palestinian houses are built and freely allowing amendments to the plans to promote development where Israelis are setting up settlements." In May 2008, a UN agency said that thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank risk being displaced as the Israeli authorities threaten to tear down their homes and in some cases entire communities. "To date, more than 3,000 Palestinian-owned structures in
6832-459: The area of what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea. In a Rabbinical account (e.g. Targum Sheni , Colloquy of the Queen of Sheba ), Solomon was accustomed to ordering animals to dance before him (a power granted by God), and upon summoning the mountain-cock or hoopoe (Aramaic name: nagar tura ), the bird told him it had discovered a land in the east, rich in gold, silver, and plants, whose capital
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#17330855416676944-495: The authors of the Bible suppressed the achievements of the Omrides (whom the Hebrew Bible describes as being polytheist ), and instead pushed them back to a supposed golden age of Judaism and monotheists, and devotees of Yahweh . Some Biblical minimalists like Thomas L. Thompson go further, arguing that Jerusalem became a city and capable of being a state capital only in the mid-7th century. Likewise, Finkelstein and others consider
7056-454: The biblical account, Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines . The wives were described as foreign princesses, including Pharaoh's daughter and women of Moab , Ammon , Edom , Sidon and of the Hittites . His marriage to Pharaoh's daughter appears to have cemented a political alliance with Egypt, whereas he clung to his other wives and concubines "in love". The only wife mentioned by name
7168-401: The biblical narrative, after Solomon's death, his son and successor Rehoboam adopted harsh policies towards the northern Israelites , who then rejected the reign of the House of David and sought Jeroboam as their king. In the aftermath of Jeroboam's Revolt , the Israelites were split between the Kingdom of Israel in the north ( Samaria ) and the Kingdom of Judah in the south ( Judea );
7280-422: The bulldozers. In January 2005, the group called for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions "until the occupation" is over. ICHAD supported the "Jewish Boat to Gaza" in 2010. ICAHD has set up chapters in several countries. ICAHD-USA is headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina , and is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The United Kingdom branch, ICAHD-UK, is located in London, and
7392-406: The campaign. House demolition has been used in an on-again-off-again fashion by the Israeli government during the Second Intifada. More than 3,000 homes have been destroyed in this way. House demolition was used to destroy the family homes of Saleh Abdel Rahim al-Souwi, perpetrator of the Tel Aviv bus 5 massacre , and Yahya Ayyash , Hamas 's chief bomb maker, known as "the engineer", as well as
7504-436: The child was an ancestor of Nebuchadnezzar II , who destroyed Solomon's temple some 300 years later. Jewish scribes say that Solomon's teacher was Shimei ben Gera , and while he lived, he prevented Solomon from marrying foreign wives. The Talmud says at Ber. 8a: "For as long as Shimei the son of Gera was alive Solomon did not marry the daughter of Pharaoh" (see also Midrash Tehillim to Ps. 3:1). Solomon's execution of Shimei
7616-478: The claimed size of Solomon's temple implausible. André Lemaire states in Ancient Israel: From Abraham to the Roman Destruction of the Temple that the principal points of the biblical tradition of Solomon are generally trustworthy, although elsewhere he writes that he could find no substantiating archaeological evidence that supports the Queen of Sheba's visit to king Solomon, saying that the earliest records of trans-Arabian caravan voyages from Tayma and Sheba unto
7728-439: The conflict while searching houses containing militants. In response, the IDF started employing a tactic of surrounding such houses, calling on the occupants (civilian and militant) to exit, and demolishing the house on top of the militants that do not surrender. This tactic, called nohal sir lachatz ( Hebrew : נוהל סיר לחץ , lit. 'pressure pot'), is now used whenever feasible (i.e., non-multi rise building that
7840-529: The conflict." House demolition in the Israeli%E2%80%93Palestinian conflict Demolition of Palestinian property is a method Israel has used in the Israeli-occupied territories since they came under its control in the Six-Day War to achieve various aims. Broadly speaking, demolitions can be classified as either administrative, punitive/dissuasive and as part of military operations. The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions estimated that Israel had razed 55,048 Palestinian structures as of 2022. In
7952-405: The conquest of the area in the Old City of Jerusalem known as the Moroccan Quarter , adjacent to the Western Wall . One of the first measures adopted, without legal authorization, on the conquest of Jerusalem in 1967 was to evict 650 Palestinians from their homes in the heart of Jerusalem, and reduce their homes and shrines to rubble in order to make way for the construction of the plaza . From
8064-548: The early pseudoepigraphical work called the Testament of Solomon with its elaborate and grotesque demonology . As with most biblical personages in the middle era of Israelite society, the historicity of Solomon is hotly debated. Current consensus states that regardless of whether or not a man named Solomon truly reigned as king over the Judean hills in the tenth century BCE, the biblical description of his apparent empire's lavishness
8176-462: The effectiveness of the policy during the Second Intifada in which 3,000 civilian homes were demolished, found that terror attacks increased after house demolitions, only stimulated hatred of Israel, the damage caused outweighed any benefits, and recommended the practice be dropped. Amnesty International has criticized the lack of due process in the use of house demolitions by Israel. Many demolitions are carried out with no warning or opportunity for
8288-419: The era, and no remains of either the Temple or Solomon's palace have been found. Solomon is also described as rebuilding cities elsewhere in Israel, creating the port of Ezion-Geber , and constructing Palmyra in the wilderness as a commercial depot and military outpost. Although the location of the port of Ezion-Geber is known, no remains have ever been found. More archaeological success has been achieved with
8400-494: The family homes of Palestinian terrorists as a deterrent against terrorism. As a punitive measure, one study by a Northwestern and Hebrew University group concluded that prompt demolitions brought about a lowering of suicide attacks for a month and that they are an effective deterrent against terrorism. They are related to the identity of the house's owner, and result in a "significant decrease" of Palestinian terrorists attacks. Conversely, an internal IDF report of 2005, analyzing
8512-586: The first several months of the ongoing Israel–Hamas war , Israel further demolished over 2,000 Palestinian homes in the West Bank. Administrative house demolitions are done to enforce building codes and regulations, which in the occupied Palestinian territories are set by the Israeli military. Critics claim that they are used as a means to Judaize parts of the occupied territory, especially East Jerusalem. Punitive house demolitions involve demolishing houses of Palestinians or neighbors and relatives of Palestinians suspected of violent acts against Israelis. These target
8624-694: The goddess of the Sidonians , and after Milcom , the god of the Ammonites . In Deuteronomy 17:16–17 , a king is commanded not to multiply horses or wives, neither greatly multiply to himself gold or silver. Solomon sinned in all three of these areas. In addition to his wives, he collected 666 talents of gold each year ( 1 Kings 10:14 ), a huge amount for a small nation like Israel. He gathered multitudes of horses and chariots from as far as Egypt, and as Deuteronomy 17 warns, took Israel back to Egypt in spirit. According to 1 Kings 11:30–34 and 1 Kings 11:9–13 , it
8736-426: The homes of civilians merely because a family member has committed a crime is immoral. If, however,... potential suicide murderers... will refrain from killing out of fear that their mothers will become homeless, it would be immoral to leave the Palestinian mothers untouched in their homes while Israeli children die on their school buses. United Nations agencies and human rights groups such as Amnesty International and
8848-461: The homes were said to function as screens for actions hostile to the Israeli army or settlers, were demolished. A further 110 were shelled in the belief armed men were inside, and overall another 1,497 were razed for lacking Israeli building permits, leaving an estimated 10,000 children homeless. Between September 2000 and the end of 2004, of the 4,100 homes the IDF razed in the territories, 628, housing 3,983 people, were undertaken as punishment because
8960-402: The homes where the suspects live. Proponents of the method claim that it deters violence while critics claim that it has not been proven effective and might even trigger more violence. Punitive house demolitions have been criticized by a Palestinian human rights organization as a form of collective punishment and thus a war crime under international law . Demolitions are carried out by
9072-647: The householder to appeal. In 2002, a proposed demolition case was appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court who ruled that there must be a right to appeal unless doing so would "endanger the lives of Israelis or if there are combat activities in the vicinity." In a later ruling, the Supreme Court decided that demolitions without advanced warning or due process can be carried out if advance notice would hinder demolition. Amnesty describes this as "a virtual green light" to demolition with no warning. Palestinian identity
9184-485: The inhabitants of which he is satisfied have committed... any offence against these Regulations involving violence." In 1968, after Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza , Theodor Meron , then legal adviser to the Israeli Foreign Ministry , advised the Prime Minister 's office in a top secret memorandum that house demolitions, even of suspected terrorists' residences, violated the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention on
9296-537: The kingdom of Israel at the time of Solomon was little more than a small city state, and so it is implausible that Solomon received tribute as large as 666 talents of gold per year. Although both Finkelstein and Silberman accept that David and Solomon were real inhabitants of Judah about the 10th century BCE, they claim that the earliest independent reference to the Kingdom of Israel is about 890 BCE, and for Judah about 750 BCE. They suggest that because of religious prejudice,
9408-417: The kings of Egypt and Tyre . The Gnostic Apocalypse of Adam , which may date to the 1st or 2nd century, refers to a legend in which Solomon sends out an army of demons to seek a virgin who had fled from him, perhaps the earliest surviving mention of the later common tale that Solomon controlled demons and made them his slaves. This tradition of Solomon's control over demons appears fully elaborated in
9520-443: The land it occupies, notably by establishing Israeli settlements." In October 1999, during the " Peace Process " and before the start of the Second Intifada, Amnesty International wrote that: "well over one third of the Palestinian population of East Jerusalem live under threat of having their house demolished. ... Threatened houses exist in almost every street and it is probable that the great majority of Palestinians live in or next to
9632-602: The major cities Solomon is said to have strengthened or rebuilt, for example, Hazor , Megiddo and Gezer . These all have substantial ancient remains, including impressive six-chambered gates, and ashlar palaces; however it is no longer the scholarly consensus that these structures date to the time, according to the Bible, when Solomon ruled. According to the Bible, during Solomon's reign, Israel enjoyed great commercial prosperity, with extensive traffic being carried on by land with Tyre , Egypt , and Arabia , and by sea with Tarshish , Ophir , and South India . According to
9744-475: The measure was considered to be used only in exceptional circumstances, but with that uprising it became commonplace, no longer requiring the Defense Minister 's approval but a measure left to the discretion of regional commanders. Israel demolished 103 houses in 1987; the following year the number rose to 423. 510 Palestinian homes of men alleged to be involved in or convicted of security offenses, or because
9856-541: The northeastern West Bank, is threatened by demolition orders issued by the Israeli Civil Administration against the entire village. The Civil Administration had previously expropriated large areas of privately registered land in the village, and as of May 2008 it has threatened to demolish the following structures: the mosque, the British government -funded medical clinic, the internationally funded kindergarten,
9968-413: The northern kingdom was a separate development. Such positions have been criticized by other archaeologists and scholars, who argue that a united monarchy did exist in the 10th century BCE, while agreeing that the biblical account contains exaggerations. Historical evidence of King Solomon other than the biblical accounts has been so minimal that some scholars have understood the period of his reign as
10080-411: The occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem were made homeless between January and 30 September 2020 due to demolitions, according to data compiled by Israeli rights group B'tselem. As of August 23, 2020, 89 residential units were demolished in East Jerusalem, compared to 104 in 2019 and 72 in 2018. In the first three weeks of August, 24 homes were demolished. The Palestinian village Aqabah , located in
10192-496: The others who are prepared to bring the truth into open should be praised to the skies for the invaluable work that they do." The article rues the fact that Freedman himself earlier condemned ICAHD and its work. NGO Monitor , a right-wing pro-Israel organization, notes a number of positions taken by ICAHD that it considers objectionable. Its President, Gerald Steinberg , included ICAHD in a list of 11 "key local NGOs supporting radical pro-Palestinian (and anti-Israeli) positions". In
10304-523: The outset of the occupation of the Palestinian territories up to 2019, according to an estimate by the ICAHD , Israel has razed 49,532 Palestinian structures, with a concomitant displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. Israel regards its practice as a form of deterrence of terrorism, since a militant is thereby forced to consider the effect of his actions on his family. Before the First Intifada ,
10416-548: The passage is simply to provide a brief foreign witness of Solomon's wealth and wisdom, or whether the visit is meant to have more significance, is unknown; nevertheless the Queen of Sheba has become the subject of numerous stories. Sheba is typically identified as Saba , a nation once spanning the Red Sea on the coasts of what are now Eritrea , Somalia , Ethiopia and Yemen , in Arabia Felix ; although other sources place it in
10528-476: The perpetrators of the first and second Jerusalem bus 18 massacres , and the Ashkelon bus station bombing . According to Peace Now , approvals for building in Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem has expanded by 60% since Trump became US president in 2017. Since 1991, Palestinians who make up the majority of the residents in the area have only received 30% of the building permits. According to B'tselem , since
10640-438: The protection of civilians in war. Undertaking such measures, as though they were in continuity with British mandatory emergency regulations, might be useful as hasbara but were "legally unconvincing". The advice was ignored. His view, according to Gershom Gorenberg , is shared by nearly all scholars of international law, prominent Israeli experts included. The practice of demolishing Palestinian houses began within two days of
10752-515: The sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem that I have chosen. Near the end of his life, Solomon was beset by several enemies, including Hadad of Edom , Rezon of Zobah , and his own official Jeroboam of the tribe of Ephraim . King Solomon is a central biblical figure, who, according to the Hebrew Bible , was the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem and the last ruler of
10864-475: The same child. Solomon easily resolved the dispute by commanding the child to be cut in half and shared between the two. One woman promptly renounced her claim, proving that she would rather give the child up than see it killed. Solomon declared the woman who showed compassion to be the true mother, entitled to the whole child. Solomon has traditionally been considered the author of several biblical books, including Proverbs , Ecclesiastes , and Song of Songs . He
10976-451: The stream explicitly and consciously. I considered demolishing homes to be immoral, contrary to the law and of dubious effectiveness. My feeling was that it was done to placate public opinion, and that the leadership, too, is aware that this is not what will prevent the next act of terror." In 2009, the then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized the Israeli government's plans to demolish Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, calling
11088-520: The suppression of weapons smuggling through tunnels from Egypt. The effectiveness of house demolitions as a deterrence has been questioned. In 2005, an Israeli Army commission to study house demolitions found no proof of effective deterrence and concluded that the damage caused by the demolitions overrides its effectiveness. As a result, the IDF approved the commission's recommendations to end punitive demolitions of Palestinian houses. A number of human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and
11200-535: The two kingdoms were never again united. Solomon is associated with the peak "golden age" of the independent Kingdom of Israel and is a legendary source of judicial and religious wisdom. According to Jewish tradition, King Solomon wrote three books of the Bible : The Hebrew word לשלמה appears in the title of two hymns (72 and 127) in the Psalms . This Hebrew word means "to Solomon", but it can also be translated as "by Solomon", thus suggesting to some that Solomon wrote
11312-673: The two psalms. Rabbinical tradition attributes the Book of Wisdom (included within the Septuagint ) to Solomon, although this book was probably written in the 2nd century BCE. In this work, Solomon is portrayed as an astronomer . Other books of wisdom poetry such as the Odes of Solomon and the Psalms of Solomon also bear his name. The Jewish historian Eupolemus , who wrote about 157 BCE, included copies of apocryphal letters exchanged between Solomon and
11424-601: Was "to placate the Israeli public". King Solomon Solomon ( / ˈ s ɒ l ə m ə n / ), also called Jedidiah , was the fourth monarch of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah , according to the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament . The successor of his father David , he is described as having been the penultimate ruler of all Twelve Tribes of Israel under an amalgamated Israel and Judah . The hypothesized dates of Solomon's reign are from 970 to 931 BCE. According to
11536-704: Was "trying to talk about demolitions without presenting the reason or truth for it. They couch it in more moderate terms but the anti-Israel purpose is clear." In 2007, Seth Freedman wrote in The Guardian that after a day touring with ICAHD, while the visitors "had not been fed any factual inaccuracies [by ICAHD] as far as I could tell, the complete glossing over of the other side of the story should set alarm bells ringing". Freedman felt that Halper and ICAHD should have been willing to condemn wrongdoing "on both sides". Freedman changed his mind about ICAHD in 2008, and wrote in The Guardian that "the likes of Halper, ICAHD and all
11648-470: Was a son who became Menelik I , King of Axum , and founded a dynasty that would reign as the Jewish, then Christian, Empire of Ethiopia which lasted 2900 years until Haile Selassie was overthrown in 1974. Menelik was said to be a practicing Jew who was given a replica of the Ark of the Covenant by King Solomon; and, moreover, that the original Ark was switched and went to Axum with him and his mother, and
11760-451: Was because of these sins that the Lord punished Solomon by removing most of the tribes of Israel from rule by Solomon's house. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore
11872-531: Was being singled out for political reasons stating "we're in the McCarthy era, and it will get to everyone sooner or later." In response, the Interior Ministry spokesperson said that "Mr. Meir Margalit was summoned for questioning on suspicion of building without a permit, which is a criminal act." ICAHD sends out action alerts and activists from different groups go out and engage in civil disobedience by stopping
11984-463: Was called Kitor and whose ruler was the Queen of Sheba. Solomon then sent the bird to request the queen's visit. An Ethiopian account from the 14th century ( Kebra Nagast ) maintains that the Queen of Sheba had sexual relations with King Solomon and gave birth beside the Mai Bella stream in the province of Hamasien , Eritrea . The Ethiopian tradition has a detailed account of the affair . The child
12096-574: Was chosen. Some historians cited that Nathan the Prophet brought up Solomon as his father was busy governing the realm. This could also be attributed to the notion that the prophet held great influence over David because he knew of his adultery , which was considered a grievous offense under the Mosaic Law . According to the First Book of Kings , when David was old, "he could not get warm". "So they sought
12208-404: Was his first descent into sin. According to 1 Kings 11:4 Solomon's "wives turned his heart after other gods", their own national deities, to whom Solomon built temples, thus incurring divine anger and retribution in the form of the division of the kingdom after Solomon's death ( 1 Kings 11:9–13 ). 1 Kings 11 describes Solomon's descent into idolatry, particularly his turning after Ashtoreth ,
12320-452: Was outmaneuvered by Bathsheba and the biblical prophet Nathan, who convinced David to proclaim Solomon king according to his earlier promise (not recorded elsewhere in the biblical narrative), despite Solomon's being younger than his brothers. Solomon, as instructed by David, began his reign with an extensive purge, including his father's chief general, Joab , among others, and further consolidated his position by appointing friends throughout
12432-481: Was questioned by the Israeli Interior Ministry. Margalit, who admitted being involved in the rebuilding of over 200 homes, later commented, "I was asked if I did it on purpose and answered that I do not recognize the Interior Ministry's right to question me about my activities in East Jerusalem, which is occupied territory and where Israeli law is not valid". Margalit, a Jerusalem City Councilor, felt that he
12544-581: Was the estranged wife of Muntasir Shalabi, a Palestinian-American who murdered an Israeli citizen in May. The wife has been separated from Muntasir since 2008, and her husband had married three other women in the meantime, and stayed in the home two months every year for family visits. The U.S. Embassy in Israel stated that "the home of an entire family should not be demolished for the actions of one individual." Gideon Levy called this demolition an instance of apartheid since Jewish terrorists never have their family homes destroyed. At least 741 Palestinians in
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