Violation: torching and destroying tens of olive trees.
Violators: Barakha and Yitzhar colonists.
Date: the beginning of the olive picking season – 2010.
Location: Burin village – Nablus Governorate.
Victims: a number of Burin villagers.
Preface:
With the beginning of the current olive picking season, the Israeli colonists brutality seems to be higher than previous seasons. The aggressions against the blessed tree, as viewed by the Palestinians, have increased dramatically.
The colonists who torch, uproot, destroy the trees are unstoppable. In addition, they are provided with protection and support by the Israeli occupation army. The colonists feel no shame when conducting their vicious actions against the Palestinians properties and even persons during the daytime as if they own the land!
Details:
On October 6, 2010, Burin farmers, who suffered a great deal in order to be allowed to get to their olive fields nearby Yizhar colony, were shocked to see that their crop was stolen.
It was a disaster knowing that the colonists had got to their produce before them. It is obvious that the colonists had taken advantage of the fact that the Palestinians have extremely limited access to their lands that if they have access at all.
They benefited from the situation and stole the crop under the protection of the Israeli Occupation Army. The Israeli Occupation Police and Army totally ignored the Palestinians complaints over the colonists claiming that there is not enough evidence. The colonists actions inflicted a great deal of damage on the Palestinian farmers including Walid ‘Eid and Ahmad Falah.
Apparently, the Israeli colonists are never satisfied; at the evening of Friday, October 8, 2010, a group of colonists from Barakha colony destroyed an agricultural vehicle and a number of spare parts using inflammable materials.
The vehicle belongs to a contractors company which is implementing a project funded by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture. The ministry intend to open an agricultural road that serves tens of dunums in Burin and nearby Barakha colony.
Burin’s Agony:
Burin is located to the south west of Nablus city. It is located in a valley and surrounded by two mountains which are supposed to be part of the village. However, the Israeli Occupation decided to build two Israeli colonies, Barakha to the north and Yizhar to the south of Burin. The names of these colonies have been directly connected to suffering, killings, theft, etc.
All of the Palestinian families in Burin suffered either directly or indirectly from the colonists aggressions. Hundreds of murder, assaults, and theft cases have been recorded through the years. The colonists tend to force the Palestinians out of their lands to ease the process of seizing it.
Burin:
It is located 8 km to the south of Nablus city. Its total area is 10416 dunums including 335 dunums of built up area inhabited by around 3500 people. Two Israeli colonies are built over its land, Barakha, 205 dunums of Burin lands, and Yizhar, 150 dunums of Burin lands.