Israeli occupation authorities have given 'Stop Work Orders' to seven Palestinian farmers in Hebron and Bethlehem governorates preventing them from using their lands after its rehabilitation. The area of the affected lands is 55.5 dunums rehabilitated in cooperation between the farmers and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) and OXFAM – Belgium.
The rehabilitation project, financed by the European Community, aims at protecting and supporting small farmers in an attempt to improve their food security and livelihoods. UAWC has been implementing this project in the cities of Hebron, Bethlehem and Dura over a three year period with the goal of rehabilitating 1500 dunums owned by 250 farmers. The project also calls for the building of 24,000 meters of supporting walls, the planting of 75,000 fruitful seedlings as well as the construction of 30 kilometers of agricultural roads while creating 1575 work opportunities with an average of 40 working hours per opportunity.
Israeli occupation soldiers accompanied by officers from the so-called 'Civil Administration' and colonists – according to eye witnesses- submitted the orders to the farmers. The orders were issued under the pretext that the targeted lands are located 'very close to By-Pass Road 60.' One of the farmers was told that the order was issued due to the fact that he has built a supporting wall atop the water pipeline that provides water to Israeli colonies in the Bani Na'eim area. That was despite the fact that the farmer has exerted special effort to distance the rehabilitation away from the water line.
Most of the affected farmers are from the areas of Hebron City and the town of Halhul. They were planning to plant grapes in the rehabilitated lands due to the perfect soil conditions for such type of agriculture in these two regions. The following table lists the names of the affected farmers and other relevant information:
|
No. |
Name of Farmer |
The Region |
Area (in Dunums) |
No. of Beneficiaries |
Type of Plants |
|
1 |
Salah Mahmoud Ammar |
Marah Ma'alla – Bethlehem |
10 |
6 |
Almonds |
|
2 |
Jibreel Tafweeq Jweihan |
Al Bweira -Hebron |
9 |
50 |
Grapes |
|
3 |
Hani Dawood Zama-ara |
Wadi Al Shunnar -Halhoul |
3 |
40 |
Grapes |
|
4 |
Mohammad Abdel Mahdi Abu Rayyan |
Wadi Muheisen -Halhul |
10 |
30 |
Grapes and almonds |
|
5 |
Akram Khalil Zama-ara |
Al Jumjuma -Halhul |
8.5 |
31 |
Grapes and almonds |
|
6 |
Abdel Hadi Tawfeeq Jaber |
Al Bweira -Hebron |
10 |
50 |
Grapes |
|
7 |
Khader Mohammad Al Shabbak |
Al Jumjuma – Halhul |
5 |
35 |
Grapes |
|
TOTAL |
55.5 |
242 |
|
||
The affected farmers have asked humanitarian, agricultural and rights organizations to pressure the Israeli occupation authorities to repeal the orders especially in light the current economic hardship in the occupied Palestinian territory. The farmers have also expressed their fear that the affected lands are slated for confiscation for the benefit of enlarging By-pass Road 60 or Israeli colonies situated on it at the expense of Palestinian livelihoods.
Prepared by:
The Land Research Center
LRC
