Blocking an Agricultural Road in Al Khader Village

Blocking an Agricultural Road in Al Khader Village
Violation: blocking an agricultural road leading to ‘Ein Qissis’ and ‘Wadi al Abyar’ areas.
Location: Al Khader town – Bethlehem.
Date: May 9, 2012.
Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Army.
Victims: families of Al Khader.
 
Details:
 
On May 9, 2012, the Israeli Occupation Army blocked an agricultural road leading to Ein Qissis and Wadi al Abyar areas, around 5,000 dunums in area. The Israeli Occupation Army placed a blocking notification which was found by a farmer who handed it to the Municipality eight days earlier. This has rendered tens of farmers unable to reach their lands forcing the farmers and the Municipality to look for alternatives. The farmers are worried that this is a step towards taking over the lands.  
Picture 1: notification
Al Khader:
 
Al Khader is located 4.5 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 council 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.
 
Area and Location:
 
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).
 

Categories: Closure