Violation: Expansion work in the Israeli colony of Shvut Rahel
Location: Jalud- Nablus governorate
Date: 01/03/2014
Victims: Farmers from Jalud
Details:
Colonists of Shvut Rahel embarked on a large-scale expansion work in the eastern part of the colony. The work included land settlement and ravaging agricultural dunums in addition to the installment of 13 caravans around the circumference of the colony on the southern part of Jalud lands. The caravans are only 30m away from the houses in the village.
It should be marked that Jalud is strangled by colonial activities as it is surrounded by colonies from the north, east and west. Let alone that most of Jalud's agricultural lands are used for the colonies of Shevut Rahel, Shilo, Adi Ad and the outposts of Kodesh, Keida and Ahya. All pose a real danger on the Arab nature of the area and threaten the residents' stability and very existence. More than 1200 dunums of the village land were confiscated for colonial activities and around 90% of the village lands (that is more than 10,000 dunums) was declared military zones turning the village into an isolated area only for the protection of colonists. The school of Jalud is the boundary between Palestinian residents and colonists. The lives of the residents are under constant threat especially when radical colonists attack Palestinian property and break into houses.
It is worth mentioning that construction and expansion projects are going viral among colonies. Colonists of every colony try their best to seize as much land as possible. According to latest statistics, the number of colonial units added to the colonies in the West Bank and Jerusalem has quadrupled since 2000 (the Second Intifada).
Moreover, colonists' attacks have become so recurrent they take place on almost a daily basis. Colonists hit farmers, kill cattle and set fire on trees. All before the eyes of the Israeli occupation soldiers and police officers who provide colonists with protection.
The Jewish rabbis who are supposed to be teaching tolerance and peace help nurture violence instead as they instill in the colonists the doctrine of extremism through religious schools or different publications that entice killing Arab people, seizing lands, slaughtering cattle and torching trees. Rabbis use the well-consumed idea that the Jewish people have blood purity so they have to be a majority and expel the Arabs who are ever increasing.
About Jalud:
25km southeast of Nablus, Jalud has a total area of 16,517 dunums, 80.5 of which are a built-up area. The Israeli occupation confiscated 1207 dunums of Jalud lands for the sake of colonies. (Source: Jalud village council).
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
