Military Order to establish a Waterline to Serve Colonies nearby Salfit lands

May 9, 2021

• Violation: Water plan that serves illegal colonies.
• Location: villages and towns west Salfit Governorate.
• Date: May 9^th 2021.
• Perpetrators: The So-Called Israeli Civil Administration.
• Victims/ affected: People of Salfit Governorate.

Description:

The Israeli Occupation Authorities announced a new water plan to provide water to many Israeli illegal colonies in Salfit Governorate.

The Coordination and Liaison administration received a military order signed by an officer in the water management department at the Israeli Civil Administration and signed for Sunday May 9^th 2021, entitled “Order related to Authorities of water laws number (92) for the year 1967 “Water officer resolution for a water line for Elkana and Burkan number 1/93/2021”. Which refers to a military order issued in 1967.

The Order is attached by a water line (14 inches*12 thousand meters) , and serves Elkana , Burkan Industrial area , Kiryat Netavim , Ma’ale Israel, Rivava , and Ariel colony, through connecting them to a new water source on the Salfit lands, according to the notice the waterline will pass through these towns, that are going to be affected:

• Masha village: (Al-Wajeh Al-Qebali, Al-Wajeh Al-Gharbi).
• Haris village: (Wad ‘Awwad, Khirbet Al-Hadidiya).
• Bruqin town: (Khirbet Al-Fakhakher, Khirbet Qerqesh).
• Bidya town: (Khirbet Salama, Al-Maqa’ad, Deir ‘Ammar, Khallet Al-‘Aqdeh, Khallet Abu Taqiya, Abu An-Nawwas, Qurnet Jebreen, Al-Mrouj).
• Sarta town: (Al-Wajeh Al-Qibly, Al-Wajeh Ash-Sharqi, Al-Wajeh Al-Gharbi).

Photos 1-4: The Notice and the attached map

This plan will have a devastating impact on the agricultural sector, which is already suffering under the occupation’s arbitrary policies. If the project was implemented, many agricultural lands will be destroyed in the excavations and the ravages , noting that most of these lands are olive groves.

In reality, projects related to colonies infrastructural developments are not subject to objections, and most petitions filed by Palestinian affected land owners are not considered in Israeli courts.

Noteworthy the Israeli Occupation authorities through infrastructure department implemented several infrastructural development projects to enhance services and water supplies in Israeli illegal colonies and attract more colonists.

Photos 5-6: The illegal colony Ariel on Salfit lands

Commentary:

At the time The Israeli Occupation Authorities is providing enhanced water services in illegal colonies, it destroys Palestinian water lines. In February 2019, the occupation forces destroyed a water network that provides water to 13 villages in Masafer Yatta for about 1300 people, the targeted network is about 26,000 m, the occupation also targets many water pipes in “C” area.

According to the Field Observation Team at Land Research Center during the past 12 years  “2008-2020”, the Israeli Occupation and its colonists destroyed (802) cisterns, pools, reservoirs, including (263) tanks confiscated on the pretext of building in “C” area, in addition to (71) cisterns and pools destroyed by illegal colonists. In total, the targeted reservoirs provided water to (15,415) dunums.