Violation: colonists of Pigut capture 50 dunums of Atouf lands.
Location: east side of Al Bqe’a Plain.
Date: July 23, 2012.
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Preface:
People living in the Jordan Valley area depend mostly on agriculture in their living; the climate and availability of water renders the area convenient for agriculture. The Israeli Occupation have been trying eagerly to take over the area by building tens of agricultural colonies and taking over the water sources.
The colonies renders the Palestinians unable to exploit their lands captured by the Israelis or turned into mine fields. So far, the Israeli Occupation Authorities have turned over 80 % of the area into closed ‘military zones’. Even shepherds are disallowed from herding in these areas.
Details:
Colonists of Pigut captured 50 dunums of lands in an area known as Medwara to the west of the colony. The captured lands are property of Bshirat family of Atouf who have been planting the lands with grains for over 20 years providing income for 23 families. The colonists fenced the lands and acted as if they owned it.
Aref Daraghma, Head of Wadi al Maleh Projects Committee, said: ‘the colonists are trying every possible way to lay their control over Al Bqe’a by trickery and putting facts on the ground. In addition, colonists attack Palestinian farmers and communities in the area, claiming that their presence is a threat to the safety of nearby colonies. Coherently, the Israeli Occupation Army assaults the communities and confiscate their cattle before demanding huge amounts of money for releasing them.
Pigut colony is a living example of land theft, 3 moths ago, colonists of Rotam captured a 9-dunum-field, property of Salem abu Mheisen; the colonists plowed the lands and started planting it despite the fact that Salem has deeds proving his undisputable ownership. Salem headed to Israeli Courts and managed to prove his ownership, at least for now, of the land but the attacks are unstoppable and the Israeli land grab program is ongoing‘.
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Pigut:
Pigut was established in 1981in Atouf; the area used to be a military camp which was converted into an agricultural colony with a total area of 160 dunums. Despite the small number of colonists, they are granted better services than the citizens of Israel (areas occupied in 1948) that includes tax exemptions, habitat, etc. Meanwhile, Palestinians are denied their most basic rights including the right to residency.
