Background
The village of Jalbun is located 12 km to the east of Jenin city close to the green line. The population of the village is estimated at 2500 people. The total area of the village land is 37400 dunums, of which, 28000 dunums were confiscated in 1948. Recently, 2000 dunums of land were confiscated for the construction of the Segregation Wall. The remaining area is 7400 dunums of which 540 are used as Palestinian built up areas.
The village and the Wall
The wall travels 5 km in the village land and affects a number of 82 farmers. The landowners were informed of the military confiscation order which was issued by the commander of the Israeli army in the West Bank on April 4th, 2003. Actual works started on July 3rd, 2003.
Seventy percent of the targeted land was planted with bearing trees, 20 % was used as grazing land and the remaining 10% was utilized for the cultivation of seasonal field crops. The Wall was built over an area of 450 dunums classified as followed:
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230 dunums were planted with at least 2300 olive trees which were totally uprooted;
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40 dunums were cultivated with seasonal rainfed field crops and completely bulldozed;
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80 dunums were used as pastures and destroyed.
The total area of land segregated by the Wall is estimated at 1550 dunums divided as the following:
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1250 dunums are planted with about 9980 olive trees in addition to 6 dunums planted with almonds;
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100 dunums were used for the cultivation of rainfed seasonal field crops;
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194 dunums were used as pastures.
The distance of the village houses from the Wall varies between 5 to 350 meters.
Problems and complexities created by Wall construction
1. The deprivation of at least 290 workers from reaching their workplaces inside the green line which, in return, has aggravated poverty levels in the village;
2. The uprooting of more than 2300 olive trees and the separation of another 1250 tree, apart from the rainfed crop fields, which have been separated from their owners in the village;
3. The increase of unemployment rate to unprecedented level of 65%;
4. The deterioration of nutrition levels among village inhabitants due to the decrease of purchasing power among them;
5. The increase of psychological problems among youth and unemployed which. consequently raises the level of crime and suicide attempts;
6. The lost of personal security and self-respect as a result of continuous physical and psychological attacks and harassment of the Israeli military patrols guarding the Wall on the Palestinian villagers.
A copy of the land seizure order issued by the Israeli army
Prepared by
The Land Research Center – Jerusalem
LRC
