Violation: Banning lands rehabilitation
Location: Qusra- Nablus
Date: July 02, 2015
Perpetrators: the Israeli occupation army
Victims: a number of agricultural families
Details:
The village of Qusra is relative to the suburbs of Nablus city; its people depend on the agricultural sector as a main source of income during the current economical hardships the area goes through. The Israeli occupation invests all efforts to take over lands from the village to be annexed to the nearby colonies and outposts, which have been reported to grow rapidly.
The prohibition of lands rehabilitation:
A number of farmers from Qusra, through the Palestinian Center for Economical and Social Development, embarked on running reclamation on a 400 dunums area. The project is funded by the Representative Office of Netherlands and is implemented by Land Research Center in partnership with UAWC and Palestinian Hydrology Group.
It should be marked that a group of Yesh Kodish colonists on July 08, 2015 banned rehabilitation of the lands targeted by the aforementioned project. A total of 75 dunums from the area of Haraiq Awad Al-Wadi was banned rehabilitation; the area is classified “B” according to Oslo Accords. Also, the Israeli occupation threatened the machineries working at the site of confiscation as well.
Photos 1-2: the targeted lands by the project with a scene of the outpost in the background
The Israeli occupation army has verbally informed the farmers that act of stopping the rehabilitation came to avoid problems with colonists in the area, taking into account that the targeted lands are only 1.5 km away from the outpost.
Despite having a decision from Israel Supreme Court, the project’s implementation is halted
The chairman of Qusra village council told a researcher from Land Research Center the following:“The problem started back in the 2000; one colonist took advantage of the area’s instability to took over a plot and planted it with vine trees”
It should be marked that the owners of the taken land submitted a complaint to the Israel Supreme Court in 2005. By the year 2014, the court ordered colonists to evict the lands but no action was taken on the ground. Despite all, farmers insisted on taking care of their lands to protect them from colonial takeover plans.
The latest targeting reached out the lands of the following: Ibrahim Wadi (14 dunums), Khitam Wadi (14 dunums), Imad Haj Mohammad (13 dunums), Zeyad Haj Mohammad (15 dunums), Adli Hasan (3 dunums) Salem Hasan (3 dunums), Mohamamd Oudeh (5 dunums) and Fatehallah Abu Rayda (8 duums).
About Yesh Kodish:
The outpost Yesh Kodish was established in 2000 atop of the eastern hills of Qusra village; the outpost is considered an extension to Shevut Rahel colony. The establishment of the aforementioned came in response to the call of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to take over the tops of hills for the sake of establishing new Israeli colonies.
The outpost is the incubator of fanatic colonists, who carry out arson attacks and harassment against the residents of the area. Over the past ten years, numerous attacks were documented in the area; attacks varied from torching crops to destroying residences and structures. It should be marked that Yesh Kodish populates 150 colonists only.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
