Violation: a plan to establish a sewer system for the colony
Date: 05/02/2015
Location: Azzun village/ Qalqilya
Perpetrators: Shaare Tikva colonists
Victims: Azzun residents
Details:
In synchronization with implementing the apartheid wall in Azzun village, the machineries of the occupation on February 05, 2015 embarked on ravaging 20 agricultural dunums, causing 30 olive trees to get entirely uprooted. According to a field observation conducted by Land Research Center, the ravaging works were intense at Azzun's only entrance, which links it to other Palestinian villages and towns.
The secretary of the village council Mr. Abdelkarim Ayoub said that Israel is aiming at establishing a sewage water pipeline for Shaare Tikva. The line will pass through Azzun to dispose waste water in a valley called Beit Amin; "we witnessing a new colonial plan to take over lands and serve the colonies of the nearby" said he.
Photos 1-3 : the ravaging works
Photo 4: Shaare Tikva settlement
It is obvious that the occupation is to exploit the valley of Beit Amin- which was previously full of water springs- to dispose waste water in. This will have a very negative effect on the environment of the area since the place is known to accommodate hundreds of agricultural dunums that are planted with fruits and citrus. The bio-diversity and the area's natural beauty will be destroyed as a result.
Oranit and Shaare Tikva are considered the primary sources of pollution for the valley due to the waste water coming out from them; three underground wells that are located in the area have been badly affected. For example, the underground well of al-Abit pumps 60m3 of per hour for agricultural purpose and for drinking as well where the other well named al-Salman pumps also 60m3 per hour.
Insects have spread around and bad odors arose; what once was orange groves became a sewer swamp. Green houses and crops were damaged and farmers lost their of income as a result.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
