Violation: The occupation threatens orally to demolish a big number of artesian wells under construction
Date: 15/08/2013
Perpetrators: The so- called Civil Administration
Victims: More than 40 families
Location: The Jezreel Valley- Kafr Dan- Jenin
Details:
On 15/08/2013, a big force of the Israeli occupation accompanying workers at the Civil Administration raided the Jezreel Valley, north of Kfar Dan village. The so-called Civil Administration warned a big number of farmers that they should stop the search campaigns for water in the village which aim at finding a solution to the water shortage in the area though it is near a flowing river.
It is worth indicating that there are many farmers in Kafr Dan started digging random water wells to look for water in the Jezreel Valley adjacent to the village. According to Kafr Dan Irrigation and Agriculture Society, there were 67 random water wells used to provide drinking water, and for agriculture and livestock in the village. These wells produce around 600,000 m3 annually.
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Pictures 1-5: Some artesian wells in the Jezreel Valley
Nonetheless, these wells are an object of attacl by the Israeli occupation. They are located in an area classified B according to Oslo Accords where the Israeli occupation is given full authority to take over managing the water resources in the West Bank according to Oslo. A privilege that is not given to the Palestinian Water Authority which does not have power to give license to build a well. Thus, the Israeli occupation keeps invading the area, destroying the wells, confiscating the tools. Since the beginning of the last year, random wells in Kafr Dan were attacked three times:
The first attack happened in February 2011, when 6 wells were demolished. In July of the same year, 8 random wells were demolished. The attacks continued in 2012 when 6 wells were demolished in September.
Farmers see in wells a temporary but much-needed solution to the dire shortage of water in the place. They need to preserve the agricultural industry amid the negativity and depression caused by the negligence officials to find a solution.
Kafr Dan is about 8, 000 dunums in area, according to the village council data. 3,000 dunums were used in agriculture before 2000. More than 600 dunums were used in harvesting oranges and known for that in the whole West Bank. Kafr Dan’s products were known and liked in the West Bank and inside the green line. It used to export vegetables and fruit especially watermelon, melon and oranges to the neighboring Arab countries.
Kafr Dan was a destination for those seeking job opportunities in the agricultural industry before 2000. But today after the water crisis it suffers from, the agricultural production is drastically decreasing; it is 70 % less than it used to be.
There are also crops that Kafr Dan was proud to produce, like oranges for example, that are now missing due to the water shortage in the village.
