- Violation : destroying a pastoral reserve.
- Date: 03/07/2019.
- Location : Umm Al-Khair – East Yatta/ Hebron governorate.
- Perpetrator: The Israeli occupation forces.
- Victims: People of Umm Al-Khair.
Description:
Wednesday, 3 of July 2019, the occupation authorities destroyed a pastoral reserve in Umm Al-Khair – East Yatta / Hebron governorate.
An army force accompanied by 4 machineries (A Hyundai excavator , a Caterpillar bulldozer and a JCB excavator) raided Umm Al-Khair, the occupation troops spread in the reserve , encircled it and carried out uprooting and ravaging trees, leaving 500 pastoral trees aging 15 years old completely destroyed.
Photos 1-5: The pastoral reserve before and after the ravaging
Noteworthy, in 20 January 2018, the occupation authorities served an eviction notice on the pastoral reserve , under claims that it is located in a “shooting area”.
Members of Al-Hathaleen clan cooperated with Union of Agricultural Work Committees to create the pastoral reserve on their land in 2003, they provided a (750 dunums ) plot for the reserve .
In 2004, 9 water harvest cisterns were constructed in the plot (each one with a storage capacity of 70 m3), 400 dunums were planted with pastoral trees , while the rest of the area were used for cultivating winter crops.
After the construction of the cistern, the occupation authorities served a halt of work notice on the pastoral reserve, While Umm Al-Khair village council and Union of Agricultural Committee hired a lawyer to object on the unjust notice.
Members of Al-Hathaleen clan came to know that the colonial NGO Revagim , is the one behind the destruction of the reserve after it was observing it with a drone , and putting pressure on the Israeli civil administration in order to destroy it.
Noteworthy, in 2013, the village people established a small family park within the reserve in order to create an entertainment location for the area’s people , with rides and games for children on 1 dunum, but in 2015 the occupation authorities served a halt of work order on the park, and it was removed eventually.
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