Last December, the Israeli occupation forces issued two new military orders for the construction of a new section of the Segregation Wall in the south east corner of the West Bank in Hebron district.
The first order carries the number of T/195/05, stipulating the confiscation of about of 610 dunums (maximum length of 6070 meter by maximum width of 100 meter). It concerns the Wall section starting from the Palestinian Khirbet Imneizel where the current Wall stage is almost completed until Khirbet Twail Ash Shih. See map number 1- green color route). .
The land area mentioned in the order is related only to the area expected to be bulldozed under the route of the Wall.
See photos No. 2 & 3: Military order number 195 and the attached map)
The Wall route in this section travels in basin number 1 and 2 in the areas of Arqub Shalal, Wadi Al Khalil, Jinba, Um Al Khos, Imneizel, Ihribat An Nabi and Bir Al 'Id. The lands targeted for confiscation and separation in these areas are estimated to be about 5000 dunums of agricultural and grazing lands belonging to the families of Al Hreini, Abu Ali, Mur and Rashid, Jabarin, An Na'amin and Abu 'Iram from Yatta town.
Wall route revised to pleasing settlers
The wall route in this section was revised so as to guarantee the annexation of the colony of Bit Yattir ( Mezodat Yeuda, established in 1980, pop. in 2003 was 412) and a small colonial post in Um Al Khos under the name of 'Nov Yensher' occupied by a single settler named Yacouv Dali ( for location see black arrow on the attached map number 1). As a result of this amendment, and as mentioned above, about 5000 dunums of lands will be confiscated or separated.
The second order carries the number of T/196/05 and stipulates the confiscation of 1355 dunums of land (maximum length of 13550 meter by maximum width ranging between 97 and 172 meter). Again, this area only refers to the lands deemed for bulldozing under the route of the Wall, while there is no mention of the areas that will be separated behind the Wall which are estimated to be another six thousands dunums of agricultural and grazing zones.
According to this military order, the target lands are located between Khirbet Tawil Ash Shih and the Arab Bedouin of Hazalin (See the attached map number 1- blue color route).).
The confiscation and/or separation of these vast areas of lands will have severe economic effects on four local Bedouin communities who totally depend on animal husbandry as main income. These communities use the lands either for grazing their cattle or for planting cereals to produce animal fodder locally. The four Bedouin communities have a total population of 4000 people.
The following are a list of Bedouin communities to be affected: Az Zuweidin; An Najada; Al faqir and Hazalin.
Legal objections:
Following the distribution of the two above mentioned military orders, more than 120 land owners and farmers from Yatta region presented immediate objections against them. The objections were presented during a meeting held between lawyers from the Land Defense Committee in Hebron who were authorized to follow the cases in Israeli courts.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
