Colonists Down 11 Olive trees in Kafr Ad-Dik town / Salfit Governorate

• Violation: Cutting down olive trees.
• Location: “Sosiya” area north Kafr Ad-Dik/ Salfit Governorate.
• Date: April 15^th 2021.
• Perpetrators: Bruchin colonists.
• Victims: Othmaniya Ahmed.

Description:

Thursday evening, April 15^th 2021, A group of Bruchin colonists raided Khirbet Susiya north Kafr Ad-Dik, and cut down 11 olive saplings from an olive grove nearby the colony. Noteworthy, In September same group of colonists cut 8 trees from the same grove that belongs to ‘Othmaniya Ahmed (70) years from Kafr Ad-Dik town.

Photo 1: citizen ‘Othmaniya Ahmed whose plot is targeted in the attack

Photo 2: The targeted plot

Photo 3: The plants after being cut

Citizen ‘Othmaniya Ahmed told LRC:

“I inherited a plot from my father in Sosiya area (natural block 8 piece 144), the grove has a total area of (1064 m²). We have been planting the plot with a variety of crops for ages. Since the establishment of Bruchin colony in the 80s , we’ve been in constant conflict with Israeli illegal colonists, who are trying to take over our plot to expand their colony. My family and I had already lost 9 dunums for the expansion of the colony, and now we notice colonists’ increase of activities and violence around this plot.

In September 28^th 2020, Illegal Colonists uprooted 8 trees from my plot. However, we grew new sapling, but the fanatic colonists uprooted (11) of them, this morning I went with my sons to irrigate the plants, and we were shocked to see that the saplings were uprooted. However, we will always take good care of our land, no matter what are the circumstances.”

 During the past few years, Land Research Center field team documented number of assaults around Bruchin colony, represented in demolishing an agricultural room, uprooting tens of olive trees, in addition to violent assaults targeting farmers, all of this aim to empty the area for future colonial expansions.

Kafr ad Dik:[1]

Kafr ad Dik is located 15 km to the west of Salfit. It is surrounded by Bidya (north), Rafat and Deir Ballut (west), Bruqin and Sarta (east), and Bani Zaid villages (south).

Kafr ad Dik has a population of 5551 people, according to a 2017 census.

Its total area is 15529 dunums; however, it has been suffocated by bypasses and 3 Israeli colonies that lay over its lands.

This has further limited its expansion knowing that it had already had a 791-dunum organizational plan (built-up area); it also isolated the village from its surroundings.

The Israeli occupation confiscated 2477 dunums of Kafr ad Dik lands for the benefit of:

1. Colonies devoured 1225 dunums, and they are:

*Source: Field Research- Monitoring Israeli Violations Team- Land Research Centre (LRC).

2. Bypasses stole 362 dunums
3. The Apartheid Wall seized 890 dunums and isolated 8824 dunums and is expected to be 8905 long in Kafr ad Dik lands.

Lands of Kfar ad-Dik are categorized according to Oslo Accords into lands under Area B (15% of the lands) and lands under Area C (85% of the lands).

[1] GIS-LRC