Land devastation and physical attacks against the land and people of Al ‘Uddeisa village

February 7, 2009

The Israeli occupation forces accompanied by four armed settlers, a big hammer and bulldozer attacked the village of Al 'Uddeisa south of Sai'r town in Hebron district n devastating land, destroying terraces and physically beating owners and causing multiple injuring to six them. The surprise attack took place on February 3rd, 2009 at 8 AM. The target land whose total surface area is 150 dunums is owned by the extended families of Jaradat and Aramin. Here is a list of owners' names:

Amin Jaradat;
Kamel Jaradat;
Isma'il Jaradat;
Shahin Jaradat;
Younis Jaradat;
Nimer Jaradat.
Ghaleb Jaradat

( photo 1: part of the target land)

In an interview with the LRC field researcher, Mr. Ghaleb Jaradat, who suffered bruises in his eye and nose said the following: ' At around 8 AM on February 3rd, an Israeli military force comprising about 30 soldiers accompanied by four settlers, a big hammer and bulldozer arrived at the village. Immediately, the soldiers occupied a number of house roofs preventing ins and outs. Then, the hammer and bulldozers started to devastate the land, destroy the terracing and uproot long lived olive trees and taking them away. When we tried to defend our land the soldiers and settlers beat us with fists and rifle buttocks injuring five of us'.

(photo 2: Ghaleb Jaradat following his injury)

The following is a list of the injured persons:

1. Ghaleb Amin Jaradat, 50 years old, bruises in the eye and nose;

2. Irmisan Jaradat, 41 years old, bruises all over body;

3. Maarek Jaradat, 48 years old, contusions in the eye;

4. Haja Khadra Jaradat, 80 years old, contusions in the back;

5. Abeer Ghaleb Jaradat, feet injury.

( photo 3+4: Jaradat's devastated family land )

The five injured were transferred to Hebron governmental hospital for treatment. Haja Khadra who was amongst the injured gave the following account about her experience: ' When the soldiers were forcing one of the family members towards a military vehicle to arrest him I rushed after them and started to talk to them begging them to let him free. At that point one soldiers hit me in the backbone and threw me on the ground causing bruises and contusions to my back which necessitated medical treatment at hospital'.

( photo 5: Haja Khadra after she had been beaten)

No prior warning

The brutal attack was carried out without any prior warnings on part of the Israeli side. Land owners confirmed to LRC field researcher that the four armed settlers who led the attack were from Kiriyat Araba' municipality. They told land owners that 'they were the law and therefore no need to get any military order issued for this task !!!'.

Long history of aggressions

The 3rd of February attack was not the first of its kind against Jaradat family and land since the Israeli series of aggressions started at an early time at the beginning of the nineties when the settlers opened a longitudinal road inside the Jaradat's family land at the length of about 2 km from north to south. This road is now being used as an inspection and harassment road and local people believe that it is just the initial stage for the establishment of a Jewish colony on the land which straddles along the eastern side of the bypass road number 60. Whence opened, the bypass road devoured 6 dunums of Jaradat land and uprooted 50 long lived olive trees.

Amongst the worst aggressions against the Jaradat family had been the physical attack and arrest of the elderly Haj Amin Jaradat, whilst tending his land as well as the shooting of his brother Kamel with a high velocity (explosive) bullet in the leg. Amongst other attacks was, also, the beating of Yusif Jaradat who suffered bruises in his face and got all his green houses destroyed.

( photo 6: Haj Amin Jaradat inside his land )

Appropriate land ownership documents

Land owners in that particular area stressed that they had all the appropriate land registration ownership documents, including Turkish taboo. They clarified that few years ago they levied a case in Israeli courts and managed to get a decision reconfirming the trueness and authenticity of their ownership papers and giving them the right to tend their land and take benefit of it. However, the Israeli army and settlers pay no respect to this decision and continue to aggress land and harass people.

Al 'Uddeisa at a nutshell

It is located south of Sa'ir town and administratively belongs to it. It has the total population of 1800 people and surface land area of 9200 dunums. The village is separated from Hebron city by the bypass road number 60 and by the colonies of Kiriyat Arba' and Kharsina. The village's main entrance has been completely closed with cement blocks and a military watch tower since the year 2000 forcing people to find alternative routes to go either to Hebron city or to the mother town of Sa'ir.