Category Archives: Viva!

BDS: Airbnb is present in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank

PNN/Bethlehem

Airbnb* is enabling anyone to rent rooms and vacation homes in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

According to an article published by the +972 Magazine last week, the list of places to rent, some of them even luxurious cottages, make no mention of the fact that they are in illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

Almost all on the list claim to be in “Israel” – despite the fact that they are in the occupied West Bank.

“Exploring the Airbnb website turns up dozend of cheap rooms and homes with pastoral views and many just a short drive from Jerusalem – all pretty enticing. Especially if nobody tells you that you’re paying to be a settler for a few days” – +972 M. reported.

Tekoa, Ma’ale Adumim, Nofei Prat, and Kfar Eldad — Airbnb gives its users the opportunity to rent a room in West Bank settlements. (screenshot from Airbnb.com).Illegal settlements of Tekoa, Ma’ale Adumim, Nofei Prat, and Kfar Eldad (screenshot from Airbnb.com).

 

The Magazine made a test: they created a fake profile of an American citizen of Palestinian descent who want to come to visti and :enjoy the quieter and cheaper option of staying in an Israeli settlement” and started making reservations at dozens of listings and contacting dozens of Airbnb hosts – settlers.

The result: they only received one positive answer back, while all of the others stated that due to the political situation it wouldn’t be possible, or even did not replied them.

 

“Someone making a reservation on Airbnb has no way of knowing that the outpost was — at least partially — illegally built on Palestinian land. There is no mention of the fact that more than one resident of Havat Gilad have been convicted of violent “price tag” attacks against Palestinians and their property”, +972 M. stated.

The major problem for people that are not familiar with the Palestine situation, is that Airbnb’s website does not differentiate between rooms in Palestinian cities towns and those in Israeli settlements — its maps of the occupied West Bank display no differentiation between areas under Israeli control, and those under Palestinian control.

A photo from the Airbnb listing in Havat Gilad (Screenshot)A photo from the Airbnb listing in Havat Gilad (Screenshot)

By charging for listings in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, Airbnb enables Israelis and foreigners alike to financially support the settlement economy and even profits itself off the theft of private Palestinian land.

+972 Magazine tried to contact Airbnb in California, but it didn’t receive any answer. When they contacted them with their fake profile, the company immediately answered saying that they were very upset with the situation.

* Airbnb was founded in August of 2008 and is based in San Francisco, California. In their website they are describe as: “A is a trusted community marketplace for people to list, discover, and book unique accommodations around the world — online or from a mobile phone or tablet.

Whether an apartment for a night, a castle for a week, or a villa for a month, Airbnb connects people to unique travel experiences, at any price point, in more than 34,000 cities and 190 countries. And with world-class customer service and a growing community of users, Airbnb is the easiest way for people to monetize their extra space and showcase it to an audience of millions”.

Taos Pueblo 16-Year-Old Demetria Maestas Missing

Demetria Maestas, 16, missing since last Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016

Demetria Maestas, 16, missing since last Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016

Demetria Maestas

Demetria Maestas

Published January 9, 2016

TAOS PUEBLO — Demetria Maestas, 16, of the Taos Pueblo, has been missing since last Sunday, January 3, 2016. Family members of Demetria are concerned about her safety and are asking to public to help them locate her.

Demetria was last seen Sunday at the Railrunner station in Bernalillo, New Mexico where she was to board a train at 4:46 p.m. to Santa Fe. From Santa Fe, she was due to board a shuttle to the Taos Pueblo, which she never did.

The 4 ft. 11 in. teen was wearing a pair of gray jeans, a faded gray sweater and a pair of black boots. Demetria wears glasses and was carrying a neon green backpack. She weighs 160 pounds; has brown eyes and hair is dyed orange.

“She is very close to her mother,” says Christina Loretto, a family cousin. “If she was a run-away, she would have contacted her friends by now.”

Demetria has not been on any social media since her disappearance, according to Loretta.

Demetria  had stayed behind to spend more time with her extended family for an extra day after a birthday party for her little sister, who turned one-year-old. Her mother and other five siblings returned to the Taos Pueblo.

Please contact police is you know about Demetria's whereabouts.

Please contact police is you know about Demetria’s whereabouts.

Because there were no witnesses when Demetria went missing, law enforcement will not issue an Amber alert, according to Loretto.

Anyone who may have seen suspicious activity involving Demetria last Sunday at the Railrunner station in Bernalillo or on the train to Santa Fe are asked to contact authorities. Additionally, anyone with information about the whereabouts of Demetria are asked to contact the Taos Tribal Police at 575-758-8645 or the New Mexico State Police at 575-758-1466.

 

 

The post Taos Pueblo 16-Year-Old Demetria Maestas Missing appeared first on Native News Online.

$165 Million Mega Millions Ticket Sold In Staten Island Deli

$165 Million Mega Millions Ticket Sold In Staten Island Deli Tonight’s Powerball jackpot is $900 million, which is just enough pre-tax cash to buy you 450 single edition Wu-Tang albums. But even if some yahoo in Michigan wins that sweet cash, a New Yorker scored some big bucks yesterday—some lucky duck bought a $165 million Mega Millions ticket at a deli in Staten Island. [ more › ]

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