Tag it:

Hebron region

Palestinian residents of the old city of Hebron have been exposed to constant harassment at the hands of Israeli settlers for months. This area has been the site of continuous tension because of its proximity to the settlement of Kiriat Arba?, whose settlers keep attacking it during their visits to the old city, and to other settlements in the old city.

At the beginning of this month, settlers took over land belonging to Khader Meswade on the eastern part of the city, near the settlement of Kiriat Arba?. This happened during the night, while Palestinian residents were under curfew. The settlers built a tent beside Meswade?s house, and threatened the family to leave the area within 16 days. Only after clashes started between the residents and the settlers did the army arrive to evacuate the settlers.

In the same area, settlers fenced a piece of land owned by Omar Al-Ajrab. When the family tried to dismantle the fence the next day, more than 20 armed settlers arrived at the scene and attacked the family, causing injury to Sua?ad Al-Ajrab, 85, who was taken to hospital for treatment.

Bulldozers have been put to work on opening a road between Kiriat Arba? and the Ibrahimi Mosque (Hamakhpela cave). In the initial stages of the plan for the road, 16 demolition orders were issued against houses belonging to Palestinians in the old city, but these were put to a halt by a temporary court order. Paradoxically, work on the road continues east of the city, near Kiriat Arba?.

Ramalla region

Settlers from Elit and Shilo destroyed lands belonging to the village of Senjel last week. These lands were planted with almonds, wheat and were used as pasture areas. When the residents of the village saw the bulldozers at work on their lands, they tried to reach them and put an end to the destruction, but they were stopped by soldiers and by some armed settlers who started shooting in the air.

The lands of the village that are close to the settlements were confiscated 4 years ago. The confiscation orders were contested by the Palestinian Land Defense Committee, and are still up for trial in the Israeli court.

Nablus region

On July 4, settlers from Eli plowed about 80 dunums of land of the village of Al-luban Al-Sharqieh.

Nayef E?wis, the mayor of the village and one of the owners of the plowed land, reported that his family owns about 80 dunams of the land that was plowed, and that he and others were denied from farming their lands in the last 4 years because of settlers? attacks.

Jenin region

Settlers have been fencing large parts of land belonging to the Palestinians of Tubas and the Jordan Valley, surrounding the settlements of Mehola, Shedmot Mehola, Hamra and Bqao?t. This measure has been taken for the purpose of confiscating thousands of dunums in the area.

Ahmad Asa?d, chairman of the National Institute in the area, says that the fencing will also disconnect many people from their agricultural lands.

Last week, tens of settlers from the settlement of Mehola attacked the Palestinian fields destroying and stealing crops in the process.

~ Land confiscation and the Separation Wall ~

Nablus region

On July 3, a military order was announced for the confiscation of three thousand dunums of Al-luban Al-Sharqieh lands (including the girls? school), 90% of which belonged to the Palestinians. The lands are agricultural lands and provide the only opportunity for future expansion of the village.

Nayef E?wis, mayor of the village, says that security reasons were provided as an excuse for the order, but experience has taught the residents of the village that the real reason for the order was to expand the settlement of Eli.

Hebron region

The Israeli Supreme court has decided to allow the resumption of construction on a settler?s house in Tel-Rumeida, a historical site in Hebron. This decision was given in response to a petition submitted on behalf of the owners of the neighboring houses against construction in the area. This decision endorses the expansion of Jewish settlements within the old city in Hebron. It will also cause the destruction of the historical sites in the area, where building has been forbidden since the British mandate in order to preserve it as an archeological site. Adv. Shlomo Leker, the lawyer representing the locals in the petition, says that this decision is a dangerous sign as it gives the settlements a more sustainable status, a status that differs from that given to the temporary caravans that currently exist on the site.

At the same time, the Israeli civil administration has ordered the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee to stop rehabilitation work in the old city. This decision prevents Palestinians from maintaining the important historical sites in the city and denies hundreds of Palestinians their means of livelihood.

Tulkarem region

14 dunums were confiscated of the lands of the village Artah with the pretence of security considerations and defending settlers.

25 dunums of agricultural lands belonging to the village of Faru?on were destroyed as part of the work on building the wall of separation. Five thousand dunums of the village?s lands were already confiscated last year for the purpose of building the wall.

Confiscation orders of a hundred dunums in Baqa Al-Sharqieh were issued for the purpose of building the separation wall. Moaid Housin, mayor of the village, says that most of the lands of the village are threatened by the construction of the wall. Four thousand dunums were confiscated in the past few months, indicating that the village will be one of many villages that will be isolated due to the construction of the wall.