- Violation: issuing a military order targeting a water pipe.
- Location: Khirbet Al-Farisiya in the northern Jordan Valley area(Al-Ghoor).
- Date: 16/12/2018.
- Perpetrator: The Israeli occupation building and organizing committee department in the Civil Administration.
- Victims: Farmer Ma’an Sawafta.
Description:
In 16 December, Israeli troops raided Khirbet Al-Farisiya, and placed a final demolition order on a water pipe (6 inches * 800m ) that provides water to 180 dunums of planted fields. The occupation claims that the water pipe was installed before getting a proper license. The military order (508325) gave the owner 30 days to remove it.
The water pipe belongs to farmer Ma’an Sawafta who told LRC reporter:
“Water pipes revived the agricultural sector in the area, providing a source of income for tens of families. The targeted water pipe composes of 300 meters of metal and 500 meters of plastic, and revived wide areas of rainfed agriculture, providing a source of income for 78 families other than mine, which means that at least 63 persons will be affected from the removal.”
Photos 1-5: the notified water pipe
Sawafta asserted: I received a halt-of-work order in July 10 , and assigned JLAC to follow up the case in the Israeli courts, but the occupation kept procrastination to lead us to this point.
The Israeli occupation attempts to destroy the agricultural sector in the Jordan Valley area by harassing farmers and prohibiting them from accessing to their lands, and halting agricultural projects and structures.
It should be marked that the Israeli occupation authorities declared in 1967 the area of Jordan Valley (720,000 dunums) as the eastern borders of Israel.
Also, the occupation took over more than 400,000 dunums from Al-Ghoor lands and declared them military zone inaccessible for Palestinians. Any agricultural or residential activity in such area is banned. Not only, the occupation established 97 military zones and planted vast areas of dunums with landmines, imposing imminent threat on residents’ lives.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC