- Violation: cutting down and sabotaging trees
- Location: Burin village- Nablus governorate
- Date: June 25, 2017
- Perpetrators: Yizhar colonists
- Victims: farmers Bilal Abdelhadi and Mustafa Najjar
Details:
On June 25, 2017, colonists of Yizhar took advantage of Eid Al-Firit break that marks that end of Ramadan, sneaked into the area of Al-Qu'deh, which is 300 meters away from the targeted area and cut down 45 olive trees. It should be marked that the targeted area is declared inaccessible for Palestinian due to its proximity to the colony. Noteworthy, the targeted trees of farmers Bilal Abdelhadi (35 trees) and Mustafa Najjar (10 trees) were reported to be of 30-35 years in age.
It is reported that Al-Qu'deh area is constantly targeted by colonists, who torch, cut down trees and steal them. Despite complaints submitted to the Israeli side by Palestinian in that regard, no actions took place to stop such violations and attacks.
It should be marked that 80% of Burin's agricultural lands are located in the nearby of the Israeli colonies of Yizhar and Bracha, a factor which made those lands an interest for colonial expansion and takeover. This happened through transforming a vast area of land into closed military zones that are inaccessible to Palestinian but through a beforehand coordination from the Palestinian-Israeli District of Coordination Office DCO.
Villages like Burin and Huwwara witness colonial attacks that are carried out under the protection of the Israeli occupation army, which eases the task of taking agricultural lands over. During the past 15 years, many Israeli violations and attacks were reported to take place in Palestinian areas as shooting farmers, breaking into houses, damaging trees, and looting farmers’ agricultural tools. Not only that, around 14 houses that are located next to the bypass road relative to Yizhar colony have been witnessing, on daily basis, colonial attacks since three years.
About Burin:
It is located 8km to the south of Nablus city and is of 10,416 dunums in area, of which 335 dunums are the village’s built-up area. Burin has a total population of 3500 people. Two Israeli colonies are founded on the lands of Burin which are:
- Bracha: it confiscated 205 dunums from Burin’s lands
- Yizhar: it confiscated 150 dunums from Burin’s lands
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
