- Violation: setting trees on fire
- Location: Aqraba town- Nablus governorate
- Date: August 07, 2017
- Perpetrators: Itamar colonists
- Victims: three Palestinian farmers
Details:
On August 07, 2017, a group of Itamar fanatic colonists sneaked into Al-Juheir area, east Aqraba town and set fire to a 26 dunum olive grove that accommodates around 32 aging olive trees. Noteworthy, the grove used to be cultivated with wheat but colonists' continuous attacks deterred farmers from cultivating crops over a period of 4 years. It is reported that the colony is only 900 away from the attack area.
At time of the fire, Israeli Occupation Forces hindered Palestinian fire department from reaching out for the fire to extinguish it, causing the fire to spread over and affect further areas.
The affected trees are reported owned by Sa'id Bani Jami' (17 trees), S'ayyed Bani Jami' (9 trees) and Eid Bani Jami' (6 trees)
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Photos 1-2: Itamar colony
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Photos 3-5: the targeted location
It should be noted that Itamar colony played a major role in damaging and polluting the southern suburbs of Nablus governorate. Its colonists carried out several attacks on lands that left immense losses and damages.
About Aqraba:
18 kilometers to the southwest of Nablus, Aqraba can be set as an example of a recurrent target for the Israeli occupation attacks.
The village totals 34,660 dunums in area, mostly, agricultural lands. However, the Israeli occupation announced more than 281,000 dunums of the village lands as "military zone" inaccessible for Palestinians while soaking the area with various colonies including Gittit. That left only 1,350 of Aqraba lands to be built-up area for the village.
The colonies founded on Aqraba lands are expanding on daily basis and are classified as “agricultural settlements”. In addition, the Israelis have placed numerous watch towers and military encampments in order to control the whole region.
More than 500 Palestinians are residing in nomads gatherings around ‘Aqraba; they face day-to-day threats against their houses, tents, shacks; basically, their existence. Additionally, the Israeli colonists try to chase these people out of their fields in an attempt to take over the area.
‘Aqraba is inhabited by around 8,180 people with unemployment rate of 50% because of the restrictions imposed by the Occupiers.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
