Israeli Occupation Forces Demolish Water Cisterns and Destroy Irrigation Networks in Al Beqa’ – East Hebron City

 In accordance with the feverish campaign waged by Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinians of Al Beqa in Hebron, these forces caused havoc in the area through the demolition of water cisterns and irrigation networks in July 2010. 

 

 

 

Israeli occupation forces completely demolished on the 14^th of July, 2010 a cistern owned by Mr. Abdel Hadi Tawfeeq Jaber. These forces also plowed a piece of land located nearby and destroyed the retaining walls surrounding it.

 

 

  

 

The capacity of the destroyed cistern was 300 m³ and it was constructed in the year 2008. It was used mainly for irrigation purposes for a 4-dunum piece of land. Mr. Abdel Hadi Jaber indicated to Land Research Center (LRC)’s field researcher that the occupation forces have effectively caused the death of the grapes field that was irrigated by the cistern.

 

Israeli occupation forces have also demolished another cistern belonging to Mr. Ziyad Hammouda Jaber the capacity of which used to be 2000 m³. The cistern was used to irrigate the vegetables and grapes of Mr. Jaber’s nearby lands.

 

 

  

 

This is the second time that occupation forces have destroyed the very same cistern as it demolished it for the first time on the 8^th of June, 2009. Since then, Mr. Ziyad rehabilitated the destroyed cistern in an effort to save his crops only to be destroyed once again in July, 2010.

 

As part of the feverish campaign against Al Beqa Palestinians, Israeli occupation forces confiscated and destroyed a number of irrigation networks used to water the crops. Residents of Al Beqa indicated that employees of the Israeli Water Company were accompanied by Israeli soldiers while they were confiscating irrigation networks and pipes. All told, Israeli occupation forces confiscated networks owned by 6 Palestinians from Al Beqa including the following:

No.	Name	Irrigated Area (in dunums)	Type of Crops
1	Fahed Salim Al Rajabi	2.5	Beans
2	Azzam Abdel Aziz Jaber	6	Cauliflower
3	Jawdy Jaber	5	Cauliflower and beans
4	Jamal Mohammad Al Rajabi	4	Tomato
5	Yaseen Suleiman Al Rajabi	4	Tomato
6	Imad Shu’eib Jaber	4	Tomato
TOTAL		30

 

In so doing, Israeli occupation forces have dealt a severe blow to the agricultural sector in Al Beqa which is considered to be the food basket of the city of Hebron. The removal of irrigation networks and cistern demolition had a profoundly negative effect on the grape season which Al Beqa is very famous for.

   

 

 

Al Beqa residents have appealed to the rights and official organizations to stand by them to save their crops which are considered to be their main source of income. The residents also indicated that the main reason behind targeting them by the occupation forces is to force them out of their lands in an effort to expand the colonies of Kiryat Arba and Kharsina. The following pictures foretell the continued expansion of the colony of Kharsina on the expense of Jaber familys’ lands.

 

 

 

Moreover, the Israeli occupation forces ordered Mr. Mowaffaq Jaber to remove a brick wall that surrounds his 6-dunum grape field.

 

 

 

Mr. Jaber indicated that the occupation forces issued a Stop Work against the wall due to “its location close to by-pass Road 60” and that “it was built atop a water pipe that delivers water to the nearby colonies.” He also expressed his fears that the occupation forces would carryout their threat which means a devastating blow to his crops and income.