New military road under construction in Kafr Qadum village

August 20, 2007

At the beginning of this month Israeli bulldozers started to open a new Military road at the length of 1904 m and width of 5 meters connecting between what so-called ' Israeli civil administration offices' in the north western side of the colony of Kaddomim and the local road that links between the village of Kafr Qadum and the main Nablus – Qalqiliay road number 55.

The aforementioned local road has been closed for Palestinian use ever since the beginning of the current uprising in the year 2000 under the pretext of being close to the borders of Kaddomim Elite (kaddomim north colony). In reality, this road was closed because it passes between the colony of Kaddomim and Kaddomim north (yellow color in the attached map), an area considered vital for the geographical continuity of the two colonies, hence, targeted for confiscation. See Map 1 & Photo 1

(Photo 1: closed local road passing by Kaddomim Elite colony)

The under construction military road bypasses the colony from the west before it meets the local closed Kafr Qadum road that leads to road number 55.

Last March, the Israeli occupation army issued a military order carrying the number of T/15/07 stating the confiscation of 9 dunums and 520 square meters for the construction of the above mentioned road for ' security matters'.

(Photos 2, 3 & 4 : a copy of the military order and attached maps)

Impact of the road on Kafr Qadum village

The following are some of the impacts of the road on the village:

1. Expropriating more Palestinian land , uprooting more than 900 fruitful olive trees and separating about 1600 dunums of most fertile land located between the under construction road and the colony of Kaddomim. This land is the main source of living for more than 50 families who will be added to the 64% unemployment record in the village because of the ongoing closure and repressive measures.

1. Some Palestinian houses are situated only 170 meters from the under construction road which will put them under the threat of demolition for ' security reasons' as always claimed..

2. The construction of the road will end the hope in any possible future re-opening of the closed Kafr Qadum road as part of it will become a military road only used by the army to reach the Nablus- Qalqiliya main road number 55. This means a total blockage of the village from the east and a geographical continuity between Kaddomim and its northern colonial expansion of Kaddomim Elite (see the attached map). The closure of this road has increased the suffering of the village citizens as they are obliged to use a longer, more costly and underdeveloped alternative road through Hajja village down south before reaching road 55 to Nablus.

Introduction to Kafr Qadum

The village of Kafr Qadum is located Qalqiliya governorate, 12 km to the west of Nablus city and 25 km to the east of Qalqiliya city. The village's total land area is 17161 dunums (one dunum equals 1000 M2) of which only 398 dunums are built up area. 2500 dunums of the village land area are grazing zones, 5000 dunums have been taken for the construction of Kaddomim colony and its future colonial expansion and the remaining areas are agricultural fields of which 85 % are covered with olive trees. Out of 640 families there are 280 families who totally depend on foreign aid for survival due to the ongoing Israeli military closure and ensuing economic hardships.

(Photo 5: a general view of Kafr Qaddum village)

Kaddomim colony

The colony of Kaddomim was established in 1975 and then extended north and south to become one of the biggest colonies in the occupied West Bank. During this on going expansion process, the colony of Kaddomim Illit (Kaddomim North) as well as the colony of Jabel Mohammed (Kaddomim South) were also founded at the expense of the lands of the Palestinian village of Kafr Qaddum. At the end of 2005, the total number of settlers living in these three colonies reached 3087, while their built up are was 1003 dunums and municipal boundaries was 2039 dunums (Source: Foundation for Middle East Peace).