Violation: obstructing the digging for an artesian well on the pretext of working before getting proper  licenses.

Location: Sahel Al-Bikai’a area / East Tamoun .

Date: 27/03/2019.

Perpetrator: The Israeli occupation water department in the civil administration.

Victims: Farmer Ahmad Abu Khaizaran.

Description:

In the evening of 27 March 2019, a massive Israeli force raided Sahel Al-Bukei’a area, and headed towards a plot that belongs to Abu-Khaizaran family, where the farmer is digging in an attempt to find a solution to the water shortage. In addition to that, the fanatic forces confiscated abagger from the location , which belongs to citizen Mohammad Yassin.

It is worth indicating, that the occupation forces also destroyed 60m of water pipes.

These wells are an object of attack by the Israeli occupation. They are located in an area classified B according to Oslo Accords where the Israeli occupation is given full authority to take over managing the water resources in the West Bank according to Oslo, A privilege that is not given to the Palestinian Water Authority which does not have power to give license to build a well. Thus, the Israeli occupation keeps invading the area, destroying the wells, confiscating the tools.

 

Ahmad Abu Khaizaran told LRC reporter:

“My family owns about 505 dunums in Sahel Al-Bukei’a  and depends mainly  on agriculture for living , the area contains two artesian wells , We were shocked Wednesday morning, when the bulldozers showed up and halted our work in digging to reach a new artesian well, that was meant to provide water for 50 dunums of agricultural lands”.

Photos 1-8: The targeted well

 

 

Abu Khaizaran family was subjected by several Israeli assaults and attacks, the most prominent assault was destroying water pipes, and obstructing water supply to tens dunums of agricultural lands.

 

Photos 9-10:  a farmer from Abu Al-Khaizaran family in Sahel  Al-Bukia’a.

 

Sahel Al-Bukei’a in lines:

Al Bukei’a is located in Tubas, stretching from Tamoun town and reaching up to the Jordanian borders in the east.

Its total area is around 60000 dunums.

8 residential gatherings are placed in the area, 6 of them are random ones. Most of the people there depend on herding in their livings.

This area witnessed too many violations and attacks by the Israeli occupation over the past 40 years. Lately, the Israeli authorities confiscated 2km of water pipelines that were used to move water from the area of Beit Dajan to Sahel al-Bikai’a. Not only, shepherds were not safe from the Israeli violations represented in dentition , sheep confiscation,  and physical assaults. Fines are imposed on shepherds as per restoring their sheep as a result.

There is no doubt that the military trainings held in the area are causing massive destruction to agricultural lands and crops, subsequently affecting animal reproduction season.

In 2000, the occupation started digging a trench(2km in length, 3m width, and 4m in depth) for the sake of taking over the lands of the area and limiting the farmers movement in and outside the valley ” Sahel al-Bikai’a”. As a result, more than 40,000 dunums were segregated to the western side of the trench. Not only that, the agriculture sector was badly affected in terms of farmers and products.