JNF’s Canada Park. Built on the ethnically cleansed and destroyed villages of‘Imwas, Yalu, and Bayt Nuba

Synopsis

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) is a multi-national corporation with offices in about dozen countries world-wide. It receives millions of dollars from wealthy and ordinary Jews around the world and other donors, most of which are tax-exempt contributions. JNF aim is to acquire and develop lands exclusively for the benefit of Jews residing in Israel.

The fact is that JNF, in its operations in Israel, had expropriated illegally most of the land of 372 Palestinian villages which had been ethnically cleansed by Zionist forces in 1948. The owners of this land are over half the UN registered Palestinian refugees. JNF had actively participated in the physical destruction of many villages, in evacuating these villages of their inhabitants and in military operations to conquer these villages. Today JNF controls over 2500 sq. km of Palestinian land which it leases to Jews only. It also planted 100 parks on Palestinian land.

In addition, JNF has a long record of discrimination against Palestinian citizens of Israel as reported by the UN. JNF also extends its operations by proxy or directly to the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the West Bank and Gaza. All this is in clear violation of international law and particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention which forbids confiscation of property and settling the Occupiers’ citizens in occupied territories. Ethnic cleansing, expropriation of property and destruction of houses are war crimes. As well, use of tax-exempt donations in these activities violates the domestic law in many countries, where JNF is domiciled.

This report compiles the facts about JNF activities, supported by new maps and tables detailing JNF violations of international and domestic law.

Content

• What is JNF?
• Its Objectives
• The Land Acquired by JNF in Palestine
• During the British Mandate (1920 – 1948)
• After Creating the State of Israel (1948 – )
• Early Conflict Between the State and JNF and its Resolution
• The Demise of the Kibbutz
• Split between ILA and JNF
• Illegal Practices of JNF
• Ethnic Cleansing and Destruction of Property
• Discrimination and Apartheid against the Palestinian Citizens of Israel
• Violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention
• Violation of Domestic Law where JNF operates outside Israel

Appendices

1. JNF Offices World-wide
2. List of 372 Palestinian Villages whose land was expropriated by JNF, the registered refugees from these villages and the parks planted on it.

Tables

• List of Refugee Land ‘Sold’ to JNF in January 1949 (The First Million)
• JNF-Usage of the “Second Million” Donums of Refugee Land ‘Purchased’ in 1950
• Palestinian Refugee Land Acquired by JNF 1948
• Land Usage According to ILA
• Palestinian Lands in the Possession of the JNF, 1992-2003
• Palestinian Lands in the Possession of the JNF in 2003 according to Region

Map

• Approximate Location of Palestinian Land Expropriated by JNF in 1949 and 1950
• Affected Village Boundaries by Transfer of its Land to JNF and Location of Parks Planted on it
• Land Acquired and Planted by JNF in the Occupied West Bank and in and around Jerusalem