Violation: Israeli colonists set 15 dunums of agricultural lands alight, damaging over 300 trees.
Location: Shib al Jami’ in Nahhalin – Bethlehem.
Date: June 6, 2012.
Perpetrators: colonists of Bitar Elit.
Details:
On June 6, 2012, colonists of Bitar Elit set over 15 dunums of agricultural fields alight damaging over 300 trees. The people of the village rushed towards the site to put the fire down knowing that it is difficult for fire trucks to reach the area. Eyewitnesses said that the colonists were observing with apparent joy.
Table 1: victims:
No. | Victim | Location | Area (dunum) | Torched trees | Type | remarks |
1 | Atef Abdallah | Shib al Jami’ | 2.5 | 75 | Olive | Planted since 1982 |
5 | Cactus | |||||
10 | Grape | |||||
10 | Prune | |||||
2 | Sage | Field crops | ||||
2 | Abdul Rahman and Qasem Najajra | Shib al Jami’ | 2 | 30 | Olive | Planted since 1982 |
3 | Prune | |||||
3 | Hilmi Najajra | Shib al Jami’ | 2 | 30 | Olive | Planted since 1982 |
6 | Apricot | |||||
4 | Salim Najajra | Shib al Jami’ | 3 | 70 | Olive | |
20 | Prune | 30 years of age | ||||
7 | Peach | |||||
40 | grape | |||||
Total | 11.5 | 306 | ||||
Nahhalin:
The village is located 9 km to the south west of Bethlehem and 3.5 km to the east of the armistice line of 1949. It is edged by Bitar Illit and Hadar Bitar colonies (north), al Khader (east), Wadi Fukin and the armistice line (west), and number of Israeli colonies (Rush Tzorim, Ealazr, Allon Shevut, and Ezyon) (south).
The village’s total area is 17250 dunums including 496 dunums of built-up area, inhabited by 7460 people according to the PBS statistics of 2007. Israel has confiscated 2988 dunums of the village lands for colonial expansion purposes. 5 colonies inhabited by more than 30,000 colonists reside over the village lands. They are all part of Ezyon colonial compound which hold 11 colonies within.
