The Israeli Occupation Notifies 5 Bedwin families of leaving their shelters

Violation:  notifying 5 families of evacuating their shelters in 48 hours.

Location: Khirbit Um al Rashash, Duma, Southern Nablus Governorate.

Date: July 30, 2010.

Violators: the Israeli Occupation Army.

 

 

With the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan; whereas the Israeli Army Command claimed that it will not target any Palestinian house as a sign of good faith and in respect to the Holy Month.

 

Nevertheless, this did not stop the Israeli Occupation Army from issuing an eviction order against 5 nomad families residing near Duma. The Israeli Army order was to be executed within 48 hours and was justified by claiming that the houses do not meet the Israeli Army terms.

 

Khirbit Um al Rashash is an extension of Duma village. The fertile land and the warm weather in the area attracted many bedwin families who came and took refuge there.

 

Herding and agriculture are the only source of living for these people; counting more than 300 nowadays. It must be pointed that the area and its surrounding has always been a target for the Israeli Army.

 

It has always been classified as a “military zone” where the Palestinians are not allowed despite the fact that the Palestinians have been living there long before the Israeli conquest of the West Bank in 1967.

 

It is not the right of the Israelis to announce it a military zone unless war erupted and without affecting the property of the people according to the International Law.

 

In addition, all the houses and farms in the area have been suffering from the Israeli unjust measures; this caused the displacement of many Palestinian families.

 

Nevertheless, the Palestinians are considered targets wherever they are! The Israelis attempt to talk over the land using any means necessary. Whether by classifying it as closed military zones or by building colonies and by-pass roads.

 

No.	Victim	Family members	Children (under 18)	Structures
				Houses	farms
1	Suleiman Ka’abna	8	5	2	1
2	‘Atwah Ka’abna	9	5	1	2
3	Ahmad Ka’abna	10	6	1	2
4	‘Abed Zawahra	13	9	3	1
5	‘Ata Ka’abna	10	7	2	2
Total		50	32	9	8

 

 

Duma is located 24 km to the south east of Nablus city. It is edged by Majda Bani Fadel village from the north, the Jordan Valley from the east, Khirbit al Maghir from the south, and Qusra and Jalud from the west.

 

Tens of Duma’s houses are built outside the village’s organizational plan due to the limited area. Thus, 27 houses had received demolition orders.

 

Duma’s total area is around 18000 dunums. Two Israeli colonies are built on the village lands, these are Shivut Rahel (east) and Ma’ale Afram (north).

 

The village population was 2500 people in 2006. the residents depend largely on agriculture, especially rain-fed agriculture and trees. They also depend on herding in their living. There are three main springs around the village (Fasayel (west), Ein Duma (south), and Um Umeir).

 

Fasayel, the largest of them, was captured by the Israelis and is now used for supplying the nearby colonies with water.