Ravaging 500 Olive Trees in Wadi Qana in Salfit Governorate

Violation: ravaging 500 olive trees.

Location:  Abu Dras, Wadi Qana, Salfit Governorate.

Perpetrators: Revava colonists.

Victim(s): Harb Rayyan.

Date: September 18, 2011.

 

 

‘Everything I have done in the last ten years have been lost; what crime did the olive tree commit to deserve such hatred from these extremist who came to spread destruction everywhere!’With these words, Harb Hassan (56) of Qarawt Bani Hassan village started talking about the vicious attack sustained on Sunday, September 18, 2011 when a group of Revava colonists broke into his olive 23-dunum-field and ravaged 500 15-year-old olive trees.The field is located in Abu Dras area, one km to the north of Revava colony.

 

It must be noted that the attack was held in a brutal way, a way that shows the brutality of these extremists and expresses the amount of hate and despise they have for everything that is Palestinian.This won’t be strange considering the fact that these colonists did nothing but spreading destruction, stealing lands, displacing people, uprooting trees, murders, etc. under the protection of a ‘state’ built over similar measures.

 

Wadi Qana is known for its beauty and diversity; however, this seemed to encourage Israeli colonization in the area. The Israelis built 8 colonies in Wadi Qana area.Ironically, the Israelis have declared Wadi Qana area a ‘natural reserve’ where land exploitation is prohibited; nevertheless, it seems to be prohibited for Palestinians only.

 

The colonsist herds were set free in the area, spreading fear and destruction; they not only expand the colonies in Wadi Qana but they also attack Palestinian communities, cut down trees, and recklessly pump sewage water there.Revava was established in 1991. Nowadays, its total area reaches up to 2800 dunums including 160 of built up area; inhabited by 827 people. (*source FMEP).Since its establishment, the colony has been obstructing development of Deir Istiya in general.