Violation: opening of a colonial road near Emmanuel colony.
Date: April 5, 2013.
Location: areas in Wadi Qana located to the north of Emmanuel colony.
Details:
The so-called ‘Settlements Council’ in the West Bank embarked on opening a new agricultural road connecting Emmanuel colony with nearby agricultural lands. It seems to be a step towards the expansion of the colony knowing that over 180 dunums of Palestinian lands will be more accessible due to the road.
Picture 1-2: road
The road is 3-km-long and devouring over 40 dunums of Palestinian lands. Ayyub abu Hijla, head of Deir Istiya Municipal Council, stated: ‘connecting the Israeli colonies in Wadi Qana is a step towards consolidating the Israeli presence in the area; this is one way to merge the Israeli colonies on the expense of Palestinian farms and farmers‘.
In order to make best use of this law, the Israelis set huge areas as ‘security buffer zones’ or ‘military zones’ disallowing hundreds of Palestinian farmers from reaching hundreds of dunums, five years later, these lands become ‘state property’. ‘
In recent years, 7 Israeli colonies have been built in and around Wadi Qana including Emmanuel (east), Yakir (south), Nufim (center), Karni Shmaron, Genat Shamron, Maale Shamron (north), and Revava (west) in addition to tens of military posts and watch towers.
It must be pointed that these colonies stand as an obstacle in the way of any possibility of a permanent solution.
