- Violation: Opening a new segment of a colonial road.
- Date: 03/11/2019.
- Location: Al-‘Aroub refugees’ camp, Beit Ummar and Halhul / Hebron governorate.
- Perpetrator: The Israeli occupation civil administration.
- Victims: owner of lands in the targeted location.
Description:
Sunday, November 3 ,2019 , The Israeli occupation authorities carried on ravaging lands in Halhul and Beit Ummar leveling to open a new segment of a colonial road.
The ravaging commenced in Beit Ummar close to “Bait Al-Baraka” , which is controlled by settlers , the occupation machineries uprooted grapes and almond trees leveling to ravage the area , the occupation forces also prohibited farmers from accessing the area of the ravaging, and announced it “A closed military zone” where Palestinians are not allowed to access.
Photos 1-6: the ravaging works
Through their websites, the occupation authorities announced that ravaging works for “bypass 60” had commenced on the ground, asserting that the occupation government had allocated a budget of hundred millions of shekels for this purpose , the paving works will start in April 2020, while working on the road will be completed in 2022.
The occupation authorities announced the project of opening this road in 2003, farmers and landowners filed objections as the project will cause great harm to their farms and plots. However, in 2006 , the occupation authorities refused the objections, and revealed the road plan, which will be about 8 km long.
Photo 7-8: the plan of the road
According to the plan the road will start at the Gush Etzion Junctions area to the north of Al-Aroub refugees’ camp , and passes by Al-‘Aroub farm and agricultural lands , to the natural reserve (Al-Qarn Reserve ) , ending at An-Nabi Younis area in Halhul, this project will eat up vast areas of agricultural lands.
According to organizational plan number (20/901) for bypass 60, the road will pass through the following locations:
- Beit Ummar town lands: The road will pass through natural block (2): in locations known as (Khirbet Umm Tale’a , Khirbet Briqout, Beit Za’ata, Jabal Abu Soda, Jabal Al-Qarn, Wad Eshaikh), and natural block 4 (part of Wadi Al-‘Aroub location) , natural block 8, part of Al-Qaniya location , the project will devour 740 dunums of the town’s lands.
- Halhul town lands: The road will pass through natural block (8) in locations: (Khirbet Beit Khiran, Al-Hawawir , Ras Al-Qadi , Khirbet Umm Ad-Daraj , Khirbet Beit Khuraf, Aj-Jumjuma, Ein As-Shinar lands, Umm Suliman , Ar-Ramuz) , it will also pass through natural block (10) parts of locations (Dhaher Al-Baw and Wardan) , and natural block (11) , parts of (Wardan) location , this means confiscating 530 dunums of Halhul lands.
The street plan will include construction of bridges, tunnels, water discharge tunnels, walls and retaining walls, according to the plan (the project contactor is M.T.A- the subcommittee for roads), while the project presenter is ( Ma’ets- public works department – The national company for roads M.D).
In April 3rd ,2019 , the Israeli occupation authorities issued a confiscation military order on wide areas of citizens lands about (401) dunums , to pass on the road project.
According to the plan the new suggested road area is about 461 dunums , while the area of roads that are already existed and ratified Is about 105 dunums, and about (707) dunums were Palestinians are not allowed to use in construction . Thus, the total area of confiscated lands for this road and its “security area” is about (1309) dunums.
The road project means the confiscation of wide areas of agricultural lands , and areas of Palestine technical University – Khdoori- Al-Aroub branch plot , the occupation authorities will build a bridge that will be within the university campus area , it will also penetrate “Jabal Al-Qarn” reserve east Beit Ummar.
The road will also be close to Al-Aroub cemetery , and will affect the play ground in the western area of the camp.
Nevertheless, the occupation authorities issued demolition orders on number of houses in the western area of the camp.
Noteworthy bypass (60) is a road that starts in Beer Sheva and ends in Nazareth , and passes through the west bank in Hebron , Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah and Jenin , the road was modified several times to make it better in Serving Israeli settlers who reside settlements in the heart of West Bank.
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