Prohibiting Land Usage in Deir al Hatab

Violation: Deir al Hatab farmers are prevented from exploiting their lands.

Date: June 10, 2010.

Violators: Alon Moreh colonists supported by the Israeli Occupation Soldiers.

Victims: Deir al Hatab villagers.

Location: agricultural lands located to the east of Deir al Hatab and nearby Alon Moreh colony.

 

 

Deir al Hatab is located 5.5 km to the east of Nablus city. Its total area is 10875 dunums including 318 dunums of built up area which is inhabited by around 2213 people according to the PBS statistics of 2007.

 

It is surrounded by several Palestinian villages. In addition, a number of ruins and historical sites exist in the region. 389 dunums of the village total area were used by the Israeli Occupation for colonial expansion purposes.

 

Alon Moreh colonists escalated their attacks against the Palestinian farmers since the beginning of June. The colonists, protected by Israeli troops, used fire arms to drive the Palestinians out of their lands located 4 km to the south of the Israeli colony within parcel (1, 4, 7) known as the plain area.

 

It must be mentioned that such aggressions against Palestinians residing in Salim, Deir al Hatab, and ‘Azmout is nothing new. Since the establishment of the colony, Palestinians suffer from daily aggressions which prevent them from exploiting their lands properly. Aggressions take many forms, torching trees, stealing yields, killing livestock are just examples.

 

The colonists’ greed included taking over hundreds of dunums of Palestinian lands in the region despite the fact the large areas of Deir al Hatab lands are located outside the colony ‘security fence’. Few days earlier, a group of colonists attacked some Palestinian farmers roaming their lands located 4 km away from the colony, the objective was sending a message to the Palestinian farmers that they must not approach the area. The fertile lands of Deir al Hatab are the only source of living for the farmers.

 

Since its establishment on the hills surrounding Salim, Deir al Hatab, and ‘Azmout back in 1979, the colony is considered a constant source of anxiety for the Palestinian villagers. Since its establishment, the Palestinian farmers and herders are facing frequent aggressions against their farms, their herds, and most importantly themselves.

 

In addition, the colonists recurrently sabotaged the electricity network providing the Palestinians in the region with necessary electrical supply. Alon Moreh’s built-up area has reached 1214 dunums inhabited by around 1097 colonists.

 

 

Deir al Hatab Village Council president, Mr. Hasan stated’ at the beginning of the spring season, many Israeli planes have been seen spraying the olive fields around the colony using a strange substance. We referred to the ‘District Coordination Office’ for details about the spraying procedure and they replied by saying it is done ‘to get rid of the swine flu’.

 

At the beginning of the olive picking season, the Israeli army allows 3 villagers to go for a tour around the olive fields in the isolated area in order to check the status of the olive crop. However, it has been noticed that the olive fruits are dehydrated and incredibly small which is most probably caused by the suspicious spray that the Israeli Army uses.

 

This provides the Army with the excuse needed for preventing us from getting into our lands and harvest the olive crop. Palestinian villagers have been disallowed to reach their lands since 1984 for no apparent reason’.

 

Mr. Suleiman Abdul Jabbar (62) described his agony, he said:’ I own a 180 dunums piece of land that has been included within the colony ‘security fence’ since 1985.

 

The land was confiscated despite the fact that I have deeds (Turkish Tabo) that proves my ownership which I inherited from my father and was considered my only source of living.

Most of the trees there were planted by us. In addition, we constructed a water cistern in 1964.

 

However, we are prohibited from reaching it but sometimes I sneak near the ‘security fence’ and have a look. It grieves me to see what they have done in the land; the cistern is turned into a swimming pool and many of the trees were cut down. I filed many complaints to numerous humanitarian organizations in an attempt to regain my land; nevertheless, my efforts were futile. My only wish is to be able to get to my land even if it was the last thing I do on this earth’.