Israeli bulldozers continue to destroy and uproot hundreds of olive trees as part of the process of building the Segregation Wall around the settlement of Enav in Tulkarem governorate. The target trees belong to 9 families from the village of Beit Lid in Tulkarem district.
In April last year, the Israeli military issued decree number T/68/05 stating the confiscation of 134.7 dunums of lands from the villages of Beit Lid and Kafr Kafr al Labad for the purpose of building the Wall around Enav settlement as a preamble for total annexation to Israel.
In addition to the 134.7 dunums mentioned in the decree as a target for the construction of the Wall path another 1000 dunums are expected to be separated behind it from the two villages.
The devastation process in Beit Lid land is about 1600 meters long by 40 meters wide which, so far, has led to the uprooting and destruction of at least 1000 fruitful olive trees and the destruction of about 64 dunums under the path of the Wall and the separation of 450 dunums behind it.
Location, population and area
The village of Beit Lid is located 16 km to the east of Tulkarem city and bordered in the west by the village of Safarin, in the east by Deir Sharaf and Qusin, in the north by Kafr al Labad and Anabta and in the south by Kafr Qaddum. Beit Lid's total land area is 17411 dunums of which 928 are built up area. Its population toll is almost 5000.
(Map 1: location of Beit Lid)
Map prepared by LRC
Enav settlement
The settlement of Enav was established in 1981. In 2004, Enav had the population of 468 settlers (source- Foundation for Middle East Peace).
It is located between the villages of Kafr Al Labad and Beit Lid, therefore, the Wall, once completed, will cut any geographical continuity between them (see the attached map). More seriously, the main Tulkarem- Nalbus road will be cut off by the Wall, hence, separating between the city of Tulkarem and its eastern environs, including the whole governorate of Nublus. See Photo ). More seriously, the main Tulkarem- Nalbus road will be cut off by the Wall, hence, separating between the city of Tulkarem and its eastern environs, including the whole governorate of Nublus. See Photo
Wall Surrounding Enav Settlement
Work continues
Until the time this report was prepared the Israeli bulldozers were busy destroying the olive orchards, uprooting trees and loading them into Israeli trucks for transfer to unknown locations in an obvious act of theft of Palestinian assets. In the midst of this wide scale act of damage and robbery no Palestinian land owners or farmers are allowed to approach the scene under the pretext of security.
Olive Trees Yards dominating the lands of Beit LId
Olive tree branches trimmed prior to uprooting and stealing
Futile legal action
Immediately after the announcement of the Wall plan by the Israeli army's military decree of April, 2005, the village's local council and affected farmers and land owners presented legal objections to the Israeli legal advisor and to the Israeli Supreme Court. However, in November, 2005, the Israeli Supreme court ruled that the Wall construction was necessary for the security of the Jewish settlers living in Enav settlement.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
