Quds city, May 20 (SPA) - Israel has ordered a freeze on the expansion of Israeli-run stone and gravel quarries in the occupied West Bank and says it will examine the legality of the industry, the Justice Ministry said on Wednesday. The government's decision was made in response to a petition on behalf of West Bank Palestinians who say their land is being illegally exploited, according to a report of Reuters. The Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, which filed the action, said most of the stone yielded by West Bank quarries is either brought to Israel or used for Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law. In a statement to Israel's High Court of Justice, the Justice Ministry said the government would freeze land allocation processes for quarrying that have already begun, and deny approval for expansion of existing quarries. Contrary to the demand of the petition, quarrying already in operation would not be halted, the statement said. The ministry asked the court to delay a hearing on this demand for six months while it studies the legal position. Yesh Din, in a statement, said "the fact that a legal examination has never been carried out on this issue is astounding". "This type of activity constitutes a violation of the laws of occupation and hence of human rights and in some cases is even defined as pillage," the Israeli rights group said.
