Confiscating 1500 Dunums in Al Khader in Bethlehem Governorate

Violation: confiscating 1500 dunums of land in Al Khader.

Location: Al Khader – Bethlehem Governorate.

Date: July, 2011.

Victims: families in the target village.

 

Al Khader is located 5 km to the west of Bethlehem city; it is connected by a road to the main road, Jerusalem – Hebron road which connects it to the surrounding cities. It is administered by a local Municipality and is named after Saint George (Al Khader in Arabic).

The village holds within a football stadium, a donation of the Portuguese Government; the work in the stadium started in 2000 through Bethlehem 2000 project, however, the construction stopped for a long time because of the second Intifada (uprising) events considering the location of the stadium near by-pass road (60). It was opened in 2007.

 

 

  

 

Al Khader is 20100 dunums in area including 800 dunums of built-up area. Previous violations:The Israelis conquered 218 dunums of the village in 1948 and are trying to capture the rest of Al Khader fertile lands using the segregation wall. The Israeli authorities confiscated huge parts og Al Khader lands to construct Ezyon colony in 1967(4500 dunums in area inhabited by 461 colonists) and Daniel in 1983 (200 dunums in area).

 

Khalil Sbeih found in his field an Israeli Army Notification designated for modification of borders. According to the order, 1500 dunums are included in the Israeli ‘scheme’. 1400 dunums are planted with grapes and belong to various families in the village. A copy of the Israeli order was sent to the Municipality which acted at once by assigning an attorney to look into the case. Villagers are currently filled with fury and determined to do anything they can to protect their lands and their sole source of income.