Eviction Order for 3732 Dunums

August 22, 2012

Violation: the Israeli Occupation Authorities issues an eviction order for 3732 dunums planted with palms.

Location: Deir Hijla and Al Zour.

Date: August 22, 2012.

Details:

In an attempt to hit the Palestinian economy and ensure its reliance on the Israeli economy; the Israeli Occupation Authorities handed the owners of over 3732 dunums of palm groves eviction orders to be executed within 45 days of the orders dates. The Israelis claim that the area is property of the ‘Israeli State’.

In addition, they handed the owners of four shacks in the area stop-work orders on the pretext of unlicensed operations in area classified ‘C’ according to Oslo Accords. Mohammad al Fares, Head of Jericho Agricultural Directorate said: ‘it is a dangerous thing, it drastically affects agriculture in Jericho knowing that over 3700 dunums are targeted. Over 5200 palm trees that generate millions of Sheckles in income are now endangered. The targeted lands are under the control of the Islamic Waqf; it has been rented to companies and individuals who has been farming it for over 15year. Now, they claim its state property and want to confiscate them to serve their colonial plans.‘

Table 1: inflicted damage:

Victim	Area (dunum)	Number of trees	Damaged structures	Area (m²)
Jericho Date Farms	480	6720	Dates packing center	250
Ard al Ribat Company	490	6860	Storage	60
Sultan Company	1100	15400	Shack	120
			Green house	100
			Warehouse	40
Arab farmers Company	800	11200
Shawkat Husheyya	475	6650	shack	80
Alaa Hirbawi	387	5418
Total	3732	23268		650

*source: Field Observations – Monitoring Israeli Human Rights Violations Team – LRC

orders 1-11: photocopies of military orders

pictures 1-9: threatened farms and structures

Jericho Governorate is 609 km2 including 1207 dunums of built-up area inhabited by 44961 people. The Governorate has been a subject to Israeli colonial activities since the Israeli Occupation in 1967 due to its location along the Israeli-Jordanian borders and agricultural potentials.

Over 29 Israeli colony, covering over 2343 dunums of area spread all around the Governorate; these colonists are inhabited by around 5110 colonists. In addition over 881 dunums of military bases are in place within Jericho’s borders.