Violation: harassing herders in Tana
Location: Khirbet Tana /Nablus governorate
Date: 23/02/2014
Perpetrators: Itmar colonists
Victims: 38 Bedouin families
Details:
With the new season of sheep reproduction, colonists escalated violations against farmers and herders for the sake of harassing them and destroying the fauna of the Palestinian Jordan Valley (al-ghoor ) area. Noteworthy, the fauna and flora are the sources of living for most of the Bedouin families in al-ghoor. It should be marked that Khirbet Tana has the same share of violations and assaults as all the neighboring villages and towns.
Since past Monday of 23/02/2014, the colonists of Itmar continued harassing the Bedouin farmers in Khirbet al-Tawil by chasing and banning them from using their pastures, which are located in the eastern parts of Tana. Physical assaults reached out shepherds and farmers in their fields and pastures.
On Monday of24/02/2014, a group of Itmar extreme colonists have beaten farmer Fahmi Hanani (54) from Khirbet al-Tawil while grazing his sheep. In same day, farmer Khalid Nsasra (17) has been also beaten by the same group of colonist while grazing his sheep in the surrounding areas of the Khirbet. In addition, random assaults have been occurring here and there on daily basis such like denying farmers access to their lands.
The aforementioned activities came in time with the occupation military soldiers training in the area of al-ghoor. The aim behind such activity is to displace the residents and to destroy the agricultural sector; especially the fauna.
About Tana:
Photo 1: Khirbet Tana
It is said that lands of Tana are part of the village of Beit Fouriq, which is a surveyed and registered area to the Jordanian and Turkish Department of Land and Survey. The village is known for lands fertility and water abundance and is considered one of the most captivating countryside in the area.
Since the occupation of the West Bank, the area witnessed massive lands confiscation. For example, 18,000 (50%) dunums of Beir Fouriq including the Khirbet were confiscated, which forced the farmers to work in the confiscated lands by Israelis threatening their own source of living.
It is indicated that after the occupation managed establishing the colony of Makhora as result to the takeover of Fouriq lands. In addition, the occupation set up a military training base for the army. The area has always been witnessing many assaults and violations mostly characterized in shutting down Khirbet and declaring it a closed military zone since the 1970s and until today.
It should also be marked that in the beginning of February2009, Supreme Court of Israel issued a non-negotiable order to demolish all agricultural barracks in Tana, to displace 50 families (300 citizens) and to confiscate one third of the Khirbet’s lands totaling 6,000 dunums all located within area classified C. Therefore, the Civil Administration did not allow residents to stay on their lands and to build houses and services facilities. Noteworthy, citizens lived in houses made of bricks and metal slabs, barracks, and even caves. The khirbet has only one school and one mosque.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
