Violation: damaging 35 olive seedlings.
Location: Khallit al Amoud – Wadi Qana.
Date: August 31, 2011.
Perpetrators: Yakir colonists.
Victim: Abdul Kareem Mansour.
Details:
As part of the ongoing Israeli land confiscation and capture policy and while trying to prevent the Palestinians from exploiting their lands in Deir Istiya; a group of Israeli colonists uprooted and destroyed 34 olive seedlings in Khallit al Amoud and nearby the Israeli colony of Yakir. It must be pointed that the Israeli Occupation Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) strictly prohibits the Palestinians from manipulating the lands there in any way, claiming that it is a natural reserve area and shall not be changed.
On the other hand, Israeli dozers and heavy machineries are active in the area while milling by-passes and expanding Israeli colonies while brushing aside all the laws which seem to be put for Palestinians only.
As for Abdul Kareem, he is not the only one suffering from such attacks; others suffered from beatings, murder threats issued by colonists roaming the area.He suffered from three attacks already as well as a notification from the Israeli EPA stating that he must uproot the seedlings and return the land to its status quo or face penalties and imprisonment. However, he seems to be persistent and he is not willing to succumb to all the harassments.
Wadi Qana has suffered from numerous attacks during the past 5 years; hundreds of olive, citrus, and prunus trees were lost as a result of the Israeli vicious campaigns against the lands and their owners. The Israeli EPA handed 19 orders obliging the locals not to exploit the lands for any reason while allowing the colonists to release wild boars in the area.
Wadi Qana – an Overview:
Wadi Qana is located to the north of Deir Istiya village. Its total area is more than 10000 dunums that hold 11 water springs within. It is considered a natural reserve according to Oslo Agreement. 6 Israeli colonies were established in Wadi Qana, they are:
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Emmanuel: it is located on the eastern part and pumps its sewage randomly; it polluted Al Joza and Al Fawwar springs.
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Yakir: southern part
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Nuvim: southern part
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Karni Shamron, Ginat Shamron, and Maale Shamron: northern part.
The state of insecurity and the day-to-day colonists’ aggressions against dwellers and visitors drastically damaged agriculture. Furthermore, the unjust and unlawful laws imposed by the Israeli EPA made thing even worse.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
The Land Research Center
LRC
