Violation: expansion works on Emmanuel colony
Date: 06/01/2015
Location: Deir Istiya / Salfit governorate
Perpetrators: Emmanuel colonists
Victims: farmers of Wad Qana
Details:
The area of Wad Qana is known for its green hills and breathtaking sceneries, which reflect the unique bio-diversity of the area; it is also famous for water abundance and that is what made it an attraction for visitors and bio-diversity specialists. In the same time, the Israeli occupation works day and night to take over the area's natural resources to serve the occupation. Colonial expansion through confiscation was a way through which the occupation sought to impose the de facto policy in the area .
It should be marked that the northwestern area of Wad Qana is witnessing ravaging works to expand the colony of Emmanuel; this is for the sake of establishing and annexing new units to the colony to be the foundation stone of more futuristic confiscation.
Ravaging works, until the issuance of this report, reached out 23 agricultural dunums(a dunam is the equivalent of 1,000 square meters ) mostly planted with olive trees. The targeted lands are located in Deir Istiya, east of Emmanuel colony. Noteworthy, the colony of Emmanuel is excepting not less than 25 new colonial units to be added to it.
Photos 1+2: Emmanuel colony
Photos 3: the ravaging works on Deir Istiya lands
It is known that the expansion works Emmanuel undergoes is considered part of a plan aiming at creating a colonial mass that includes the seven colonies in the area of Wad Qana; this mass will be used as a means to Judaize the whole area and annex it to the state of Israel.
About Emmanuel:
It was established in 1981 with a total area of 520 dunums. It is inhabited by around 2585 colonists, most of them are western Europeans.
It is edged by Jinsafut (west), Amatin (north), Deir Istiya (south).
The colony holds within its boundaries a synagogue, high schools, medical centers, military camps, and an industrial zone that holds the following industrial plants:
- Aluminum processing facility and workshops.
- Furniture factories.
- Food processing facility
- New industrial facilities are being built .
The Israeli occupation established part of the apartheid wall nearby the colony, which separated 578 dunums from Deir Istiya behind it.
Deir Istiya:
It is located 6 km to the north west of Salfit. Its total area is 34, 765 dunums including 1527 dunums of built-up area. 40 % of the total area of Deir Istiya has been subjected to colonial activities.
The town is inhabited by around 4000 people who depend largely on herding and agriculture in their living knowing that fertile soil and plenty of water are available.
It is considered one of the most concerned towns with education, compared to other surrounding towns and villages.
It is subject to colonial activities and colonies that are sporadic all over it, trying to seize every dunums and invades every place like cancer.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
