Israeli Occupation Forces Extends the Seizure of 381 Dunums of the Lands of the Villages of Siniria and Al Zawiya in Qalqilia Governorate

Violation: Occupation forces extend the seizure of 381 dunums.

Location: The villages of Al Zawiya and Siniria in the Governorate of Qalaqilia.

Date: May 3^rd, 2011.

 

 

On the morning of Tuesday May 3^rd, 2011, Palestinian Liason Office in Qalqilia was submitted an Israeli military order signed by the commander of occupation forces in the West Bank, Avi Mizrahi. Order T/14/07 was titled “Continuation of Land Seizure” and called for the continuation of “placing the Army’s Hands” on around 381 dunums that were confiscated earlier in 2007.

 

The purpose of the initial seizure was to encircle the village of Azzouna Al Atma from three directions (western, eastern and southern) as to separate it from the nearby four Israeli colonies. The seized lands were used to build the Racist Wall atop it affecting, in the process, the villages of Azzun Al Atma, Siniria, Beit Ameen and Al Zawiya in addition to the town of Kufr Qasem inside the Green Line.

 

The following table lists additional information regarding the targeted lands:

No.	Name of Village	Parcel No.	Location	Area in Dunums
1	Siniria	4	Khallet Al Haratheh, Beit Al Khirbeh, Al Dhaher, Khallet Hammad, Al Sahaweil, Khirbet Ibn Atmeh, Beit Ameen.	381
		5	Jabal Oudeh
		7	Khallet Al Masaya, Al Markazeh
		8	Marj Al Ghuzlan
		9	Marj Al Dardooh
2	Al Zawiya	4	Khirbet Sirisia
3	Kufr Qasem	Unspecified

 

The initial order (which was issued in October 2007) isolated the village of Azzun Al Atma and placed only one entrance to it from its northern direction. The entrance was a manned military gate that controlled the entry and exit from and into the enclave at the whim of the soldiers manning it 24/7. In early 2010, Israeli occupation soldiers were removed from the gate which was placed, nonetheless, under strict surveillance.

 

It is worth pointing out that the Racist Wall that was established due to the Military Order had had a disastrous effect on the residents of Azzoun Al Atam and other nearby Palestinian villages including the following:

1.     The isolation of 1800 dunums of Azzun Al Atma and Siniria lands beyond the Wall which affected negatively the livelihood of its owners.

2.     The damaging and isolation of 1100 dunums of Al Zawiya lands which are planted with olive trees.

3.     The damaging and isolation of 800 dunums west of the village near the Green Line. Part of the said dunums are located in the vicinity and inside the colony of Oraniet.

All said, around 3700 dunums were isolated andor damaged by the construction of the Racist Wall. Access to lands located beyond the Wall is controlled by a military gate established south of the village since 2007 in accordance with Military Order T/78/06. Access in granted only via a military-issued permit which is of a rare occurrence.