afrinpost – Exclusive
It may come as a surprise that Palestinians in the occupied territories are financing any settlement project in Syria for the benefit of a non-Arab state that occupies areas within it. They are the victims of Israeli settlements and have suffered the plight of displacement and refuge in neighboring countries, as well as long-lasting wars. However, ideological loyalty takes precedence over national belonging, and what Palestinian organizations inside Palestine are doing is no different from the Muslim Brotherhood associations in the Gulf countries.
Palestinian funding does not stop at providing relief aid to Palestinians who have been brought from various areas of the Damascus countryside and some mosque construction projects in occupied Afrin. The broader framework includes funding settlement projects in the Kurdish region to contribute to the demographic change carried out by the Turkish authorities there.
Settlement projects directly funded by Palestinians:
Um Tuba Settlement:
On May 8th of this year, a new settlement housing project was inaugurated in the occupied Afrin, in the village of Şadêrê /Sheikh al-Deir in the Sherawa sub-district, named after the Palestinian village that provided funding for the project, located southeast of Jerusalem. The project is also situated south of the “Basmet” settlement project.
The new settlement village consists of 40 residential apartments, accommodating a total of 281 settler families, equivalent to about 1,700 individuals.
Once again, the association republished phone numbers for contact and the bank account number of “Hapoalim Bank” in Hebrew on its page, calling for further donations in the name of “Sadaqat.”
For your Sadaqat (charitable donations): 0508257221-097404278, through bank transfer – Bank Hapoalim 12, Branch 506, Account Number 364097 – Beneficiary Name: Live with Dignity.
The “Basmet” settlement was established south of the village of “Şadêrê\Sheikh al-Deir in the Sherawa sub-district” 15 kilometers south of the city of Afrin and 18 kilometers from the Turkish border. It includes facilities such as a school, kindergarten, mosque, health center, and infrastructure. The land, measuring 10,000 square meters, is owned by citizen “Ziad Habib,” who was forced to sell it. The first part was opened on October 4th, 2021, consisting of 96 residential apartments, and the second was opened on March 22nd, 2022, consisting of 125 residential apartments. Each apartment has an area of 45 square meters.
The pro-Muslim Brotherhood Syria Channel also published yesterday, May 21st, a video showing the construction of a road leading to the slopes of Mount Lelun, referred to by the channel as “Jabal al-Khalediya.” The project is implemented by the company “Watan,” and the channel stated that it came in response to appeals made by “the locals,” referring to the residents of the settlements.
Joud Settlement Project:
In a related context to settlement projects, the North Press Agency also reported yesterday, May 21st, that a new settlement cluster named “Joud” has been built with Turkish and Palestinian support in the Hersh al-Khalediya area, south-east of the city of Afrin. This adds to the density of settlement projects in Mount Lelun, which started with Al-Shamia Village project, Al-Baraka Cluster, Kuwait Al-Khair, and a residential project for settlers originating from the city of Al-Bukamal, called Project “Hope 2”.
al-Zaeem Settlement
It is worth mentioning that another settlement project named after a Palestinian village was inaugurated on August 28, 2022. The project, called “Al-Zaeem,” is located in the village of Kafr Safra in the Jindires sub-district. It is named after the Palestinian village that provided funding for the project and is situated near the city of Jerusalem. The Palestinian institution “Wafa Al-Muhsinin” implemented the project, and individuals from the occupied territories traveled to Afrin via Turkey to attend the opening of the residential settlement.
According to the institution’s announcement, 34 housing units have been delivered as part of the project. Additionally, preparations are underway for the second phase, which involves the construction of 80 housing units and began several weeks ago. It is noteworthy that the funding for this phase comes from the “Omani people,” and the settlers are expected to be relocated to these units before the upcoming winter season.
“Wafa Al-Muhsinin” Association, based in Istanbul, Turkey, in the Eyüp district, organizes the Ikinci Etap Industrial Zone.
The shocking reality is that the village of Al-Zaeem, located east of Jerusalem, is a large prison surrounded by high walls, equipped with a massive gate, and limited access at specific times. The irony lies in the fact that while Israel demolishes homes in the village, its residents are funding construction projects in Afrin.
The Settlement near Al-Muhammadiya:
On April 10, 2023, the North Press Agency reported that the “Wafa Al-Muhsinin Charity Association” has completed the construction of approximately 50 residential apartments near the village of Al-Muhammadiya, south of the city of Jindires sub-district, and construction work is ongoing. The project was built near the “Al-Zaeem Complex,” a settlement that was constructed about a year ago with Palestinian support. The total number of apartments in both villages amounts to approximately 150 residential uni
Ajnadine Palestine project:
On January 4, 2023, the Idlib Al-Watan team published a public invitation on their official Facebook page to attend the inauguration ceremony of a settlement village in Jindires sub-district called “Ajnadine Palestine.” The Islamist organization “Idlib Al-Watan” distributed around 40 houses as an initial batch to the families of armed militants from the “Ahrar al-Sham” militias, who currently control several villages in the district.
The settlement project was established on fertile agricultural land measuring 4 hectares, after clearing 280 ancient olive trees. It is located in the area between the villages of Hamilka and Raffatya, east of Jindires city, and is owned by the late Majid and Murad Manan, from the village of Shitka. Each family owns two hectares, and the land was seized after the occupation of Afrin in 2018, under the pretext of the owners’ affiliation with the Democratic Union Party.
The “Idlib Al-Watan” team implemented the settlement village project, funded by Palestinians. It was named after the “Ajnadine Charitable Relief Association,” hence the name of the settlement village project. The project includes the construction of 200 houses along with service facilities such as a school, mosque, and a religious institute for Quran memorization, as well as accompanying amenities.
Inside the settlement, there are around 40 tents where militants from the “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” militia housed their relatives to benefit from humanitarian aid designated for earthquake victims and affected individuals in the area.
According to Syrian Observatory activists on April 20, 2023, the “Ahrar al-Sharqiya” militia began constructing a residential complex on the road connecting Jindires to Afrin, after clearing 280 trees owned by displaced people from Afrin, who originated from the village of Shitka in the Mobata district.
The “Ajnadine” Palestinian organization, with Turkish approval, will provide this residential complex with 200 pre-fabricated houses, under direct supervision of the organization. As an initial step, 20 pre-fabricated houses have been sent to the new residential complex, while the remaining houses will be delivered in batches.
It is worth mentioning that the Idlib Al-Watan team has implemented various construction projects and provided relief assistance in coordination with the Ajnadine Charitable Relief Association. The supervisor of these projects is Abdullah Al-Eidou.
The announcement of the settlement village’s inauguration comes months after the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates reaffirmed its rejection of settlement in Afrin and its refusal to accept any infringement on the rights and properties of families in Afrin and other Kurdish areas in northern Syria. This was stated in an official letter on September 15, 2022.
Settlement in Maratê:
On 10/3/2023, the Palestinian association “Living with Dignity,” with an Islamist background, announced on its Facebook page that it is in the process of completing a new “settler” project described as “blessed.” The project involves the construction of a residential village consisting of 100 houses, specifically designated for orphaned families and widows in the occupied Afrin.
The association stated that the project has been approved, in addition to acquiring dozens of dunams of land for building houses in the village. They also mentioned that the infrastructure and excavation equipment for the land are provided by a “reliable Turkish association.”
The announcement stated that the cost of each house is 6,700 shekels, with a size of 40 square meters, including two rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, electricity with solar power, water, and an outdoor area.
The association did not mention the legal mechanism through which they obtained the dozens of dunams of land for building the settlement, which is owned by the Kurdish residents of Afrin.
According to information obtained by “afrinpost,” the settlement is planned to be established in the vicinity of Maratê village, near the city of Afrin, on land owned by the Dado family, without further details provided.
Previously, the association had announced on 3/2/2023 the continued transfer of settlers to the “Basma” settlement.
Azaz Settlement
In the Azaz area, the “Ataa” association, in coordination with the Palestinian organization “Merciful Hearts,” has been working since the end of last year on building a settlement in the Sijraz area near the city of Azaz.
Transfers through an Israeli bank:
The issue of financial transfers by Palestinian associations has become a sensitive matter. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry previously stated in an official letter that it does not agree to Palestinian participation in any of the Turkish settlement projects, yet the financial transfers have continued.
What is noteworthy in the association’s announcement is the mention of the cost of the house in the Israeli currency, as well as mentioning the association’s account in an Israeli bank, with the name provided in Hebrew as 364097, bank number: Hapoalim 12, branch number: 506, beneficiary name: “Living with Dignity.”
While financial transfers between the West Bank and Gaza Strip are subject to Israeli security control, the fact that they reach Afrin through an Israeli bank and in shekels raises further questions. This confirms that the settlement process is being facilitated by various actors in coordination with the Turkish government, resulting in the consolidation of demographic change and the entrenchment of the occupation reality.
