RAMALLAH, September 20 (JMCC) - Campaigners against Israeli
settlements in the Palestinian territories have launched a new web and iphone application that uses powerful mapping technology. This publicizes data that was previously hidden, too costly to distribute or inaccessible.
American Friends of Peace Now (APN), a Washington-based group, says its Facts On the Ground app will allow anyone, anywhere, to access comprehensive, real-time information about Israeli settlements and to learn what is happening on the ground in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The launch comes as diplomatic pressure intensified on Israel to renew a partial moratorium on settlement-building that is due to expire this weekend. Israel has repeatedly insisted it will not renew it while Palestinians have threatened to walk out of the recently revived US-brokered peace negotiations if it does not.
Information about settlements is notoriously hard to collate and analyse because Israel makes a distinction between the West Bank and East Jerusalem – though both are occupied territory under international law – and because different government departments and other agencies can approve construction. Building and sales are private-sector activities.
Supporters of settlements are poised to initiate a wave of new building work the moment the moratorium deadline expires on Saturday. In the past, settlers have often set up unauthorised outposts and challenged the government to remove them.
Our app will update constantly to reflect breaking events such as settlement or outpost construction, outpost removals, Palestinian violence or settler violence, making it a real-time tool that provides context to the ever-changing situation in Israel and the West Bank, APN said. Campaigners against Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories have launched a new web and iPhone application that uses powerful mapping technologies to publicise data that was previously hidden away, inaccessible, or simply too costly to distribute.
American Friends of Peace Now (APN), a Washington-based group, says its Facts On the Ground app will allow anyone, anywhere, to access comprehensive, real-time information about Israeli settlements and to learn what is happening on the ground in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The launch comes as diplomatic pressure intensified on Israel to renew a partial moratorium on settlement-building that is due to expire this weekend. Israel has repeatedly insisted it will not renew it while Palestinians have threatened to walk out of the recently revived US-brokered peace negotiations if it does not.
Information about settlements is notoriously hard to collate and analyse because Israel makes a distinction between the West Bank and East Jerusalem – though both are occupied territory under international law – and because different government departments and other agencies can approve construction. Building and sales are private-sector activities.
Supporters of settlements are poised to initiate a wave of new building work the moment the moratorium deadline expires on Saturday. In the past, settlers have often set up unauthorised outposts and challenged the government to remove them.
Read more at
The Guardian…