Demolishing a Water Cistern Threats to Four Others in Tammoun and Ras al Far’a – Tubas Governorate

Violation: demolishing a water cistern in Tammoun and threatening four others in Ras al Far’a.

Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Army.

Date: September 13, 2011.

Victims: tens of Palestinian farmers.

 

In a new step in the ‘water war’ and the Israeli endless attempts to control the natural resources, especially water, of Palestine, concurrently with the demolition of three water wells in An Nassariyya, the Israeli Occupation Army demolished a water cistern in Tammoun on the pretext of no construction permit, this time, in area classified ‘B’ according to Oslo agreement.

 

It must be known that the Israeli Water Company, Mikrot, is monopolizing water industry.It seems that that Israelis are not recognizing agreements with the Palestinian side any more.

 

Israeli troops accompanied with the so-called Civil Administration officers broke into Al Far’a area, southern Tubas, and ordered the dismantling of a number of water cisterns or they will face demolitions.This is an extremely dangerous threat as the threatened cisterns are located in areas classified ‘B’ according to Oslo Agreement and they are under the Civil Control of the Palestinian Authority.The cisterns are authorized to operate by the PA; however, it seems that the Israelis stopped recognizing the agreements made and they are acting as if they control the West Bank.

 

  

 

Abdul Minim Ghannam, Ras al Far’a Projects Committee Director stated to an LRC observer: ‘it is clear that the Israelis are targeting the water resources located in the eastern parts of Palestine. There are 27 water beds in Al Far’a area, 16 in Ras al Far’a alone knowing that all these wells are considered an Israeli target. The Israelis tend to dry out the Palestinian-controlled wells which can have a disastrous effect on the lives of people and the future of agriculture in the area.’

  

  

He added:’ the wells that have been recently notified of demolition are used to irrigate more than 1200 dunums of cultivated lands; in addition, it supplies more than 200 households as well as workers working in the fields with water.If these were demolished it will drastically damage the source of income of these workers and many of the families; water shortage has reached alarming levels in the area.‘

 

Owner	Location	Depth	Pumping rate m3/hour	Lands and people	remarks
Mwafaq bani Odeh	Tammoun	180	80	150 dunums of cultivated fields; also used to water 800 goats	Demolished on September 13, 2011
Ahmad abu Khayzaran	Ras al Far’a	300	100	600 dunums of cultivated fields, 40 dunums of greenhouses, 70 families work in the fields, and supplies 75 households with water.	Demolition order
Sameeh Daraghma	Ras al Far’a	300	100	480 dunums of cultivated fields. 60 families generate their income from these fields in addition to 1000 goats. 2500 trees are watered from the well water in addition to 40 dunums planted with ‘medical’ herbs.	Demolition order
Nasser Rizq	Ras al Far’a	260	80	280 dunums of cultivated fields, 800 goats. 50 families use the fields to generate income as well as supplying 56 households with clean water.	Demolition order
Salah al Ali	Ras al Far’a	270	85	200 dunums of cultivated fields. 55 families use the fields to generate income as well as supplying 70 households with clean water.	Demolition order