Israeli occupation forces are placing the final touches on an electrical network crossing through Al Shu'aba neighborhood which is located near the colony of Kiryat Arba in Hebron City. Occupation authorities have embarked upon this project about 6 months ago as it started, without any prior permission from the Palestinian land owners, the digging process in the neighborhood.
Pic.1:The electricity station in Al Shu'aba neighborhood
Pic.2: The colony of Kiryat Arba facing Al Shu'aba neighborhood.
The electrical line runs from the so-called 'electricity mountain', where an electricity station is located to provide the Hebron Mount colonies with electricity, to the colony of Hadar Beitar west of the town of Husan in Bethlehem governorate. Currently, work on the new line is being undertaken in the area between the station and Road 60 east of the city of Hebron. The high voltage electrical towers are present in the area. The Land Research Center's field researcher has witnessed the installation of the electrical cables on the towers under the protection of an Israeli military jeep. It is estimated that cables have been installed over a 10 kilometer distance between the station and Road 60.
Pic.3: Electrical wires in the skies of Al Shu'aba providing electricity to colonists at the expenses of the Palestinians
The Palestinian residents of Al Shu'aba have indicated that they have filed legal complaints in Israeli courts to stop the project that threatens them, their houses and their lands. However, these complaints were rejected and work continued unhindered and it almost reached its completion in Al Shu'aba neighborhood.
Pic.4: The high voltage towers and cables in the agricultural fields in Al Shu'aba
LRC's field researcher has mapped out a number of Palestinians affected by the new electrical lines including the following:
1- Haj Subhi Al Karaki and Masoud Al Karaki who both own a 6-dunums piece of land in the area. A high voltage tower was erected on the tree-filled land.
2- Palestinians from the clans of Jabber, Sammour and Khalaf. The total area of the affected lands is about 20 dunums planted with olive trees, grapes and almonds. A number of high voltage towers were erected on those dunums without prior consultation with the owners.
3- Mr. Abdel Jabbar Al Siori who owns a 4-dunum piece of land in Al Shu'aba. The land used to be of a prime commercial value as its market price used to be between 70 and 80 thousand dollars. Now that the tower was erected in its midst, its market value has seriously deteriorated as building is not allowed under the high voltage cables.
Pic.5: A high voltage tower erected atop Palestinian lands in Al Shu'aba
4- Mrs. Fayza Al Natsha who owns a 6-dunum piece of land also of prime commercial value. Currently, the land is worthless as it is not suitable for either selling or building due to the presence of a high voltage tower on it.
Pic.6: The land of Mrs. Fayza Al Natsha
5- Mr. Azmi Al Salayma who owns a number of commercial shops on the main street in Al Shu'aba. He was planning to build a home for himself and his family atop the shops. However, the electricity line was installed in the vicinity of his shops. As such, he was informed by the occupation authorities that he cannot build anything atop his shops.
Pic.7: A high voltage tower near the shops of Mr. Azmi Al Salayma
6- Mr. Abdel Jabbar Al Siori who was affected on two fronts; first, Israeli occupation forces have installed a high voltage tower on his land which reduced its market value and secondly these forces have placed the old electrical line beneath his lands. Mr. Siori also mentioned that he used to see the electrical sparks in the old electrical line and he fears that the same problems will happen in the new line which runs right next to his house.
Pic.8: The electrical wires near the house of Mr. Abdel Jabbar Al Siori
Pic.9: The high voltage electrical tower in the lands of Mr. Al Siori. Note the
destruction and damages caused by the Israeli bulldozers.
It is worth noting that the Israeli workers and occupation forces guarding them have informed the residents that in case they want to build anything in the area that they need to leave a distance of 12 meters to the right of the electrical line and an additional 12 meters to the left of it as a buffer zone. Also, the nature of the land on the neighborhood is mostly commercial. Yet, the erection of the high voltage towers and the burial of the old electrical line beneath its lands and the inability to build in the area as a result of new network have rendered the value of the lands a fraction of its original value.
Prepared by:
The Land Research Center
LRC
