“Bruchin” settlers cut 42 olive tree in Bruqin town / Salfit

• Violation : cutting and tamping 42 olive tree.
• Location: North of Bruqin town/ Salfit.
• Date : 9 October 2018.
• Perpetrators: settlers of Bruchin settlement.
• Victims: farmer Jamal Othman Salama Salama  

Details:

On the northern hills of Bruqin town, close to the Palestinian lands where "Bruchin"  the Israeli settlement is growing , citizen Jamal Othman Salama (63) is sitting down watching the remains of his land after the radical settlers cut and tamped 42 of his olivetrees, These trees that he spent so much of his time protecting them from danger that keeps crawling towards what remains of his 5 dunums and a half land in an area known as "Hariqat Al-Muqur" and "Al-Khalayel"  in basin (20) , land (121) , north Bruqin, close to confiscated land were "Bruchin" settlement is built.

Farmer Jamal Salama told the story to (LRC) observer: "In the early morning hours, Tuesday , 9 October and when I was going to my land to harvest olives , I was shocked when I found that 42 of my trees, about ten years old were destroyed by settlers from "Bruchin" settlement, that is built on our stolen lands , close to my land"

This assault made Jamal cry, despite his old age, the olive trees are like his children.

"If the judge was your enemy,  who to sue?" In these words, citizen Jamal told us the results when he submitted a complaint to the Israeli court , nothing was done until now, the occupation always find excuses for the radical doings of the settlers"

Jamal who used to be an Arabic teacher for 30 years and is the supporter of a family of 8, tells his story of suffering with the occupation :

"My battle with the occupation is very long, but I get my strength from God and my devotion to the land, that I have been living in since my childhood. In 1986 "Bruchin" settlers uprooted 200 olive plant from my land . In 2000 while they were carving a bypass road on parts of my land 90 olive tree were destroyed in addition to ravaging 3 dunums . The attacks on the trees continue in 2011 settlers of "Burchin" burnt 120 olive tree."

Farmer Jamal Salama added:

 I planted 120 olive plant Immediately after they burnt my land, in attempt to resist the continuous attacks. In 2016, the Israeli company "Mekorot" uprooted 60 olive plants from my land in order to construct a water bearing line to "Bruchin" settlement. In 2017 while they were expanding the settlement , they threw  spoil bank in my land. If These doings continue to happen,  a big part of my land is in danger.

What happened to the farmer Jamal Salama happens to many farmers in the Palestinian countryside that are close to Israeli settlements that eat up the land day by day and is danger on the Palestinian land and farmer but the world remain silent on what is happening in the occupied Palestinian land.

Bruqin

It is located 13 km to the west of Salfit city; it is one of the Palestinian villages that depend mostly on agriculture in its income. The village's total area is 13273 dunums including 1336 dunums of built-up area inhabited by around 4,047 people. 1200 dunums are planted with olives while 3000 dunums are used for herding purposes; the rest (8000 dunums) are under the nearby colonies control. The village is facing vicious attack from the Israelis; more than 8000 dunums of the village lands were confiscated for colonial expansion purposes.

Table 1: land confiscations in Bruqin:

 *GIS unit – LRC

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC