Violation: using Palestinian residences for military training.
Location: Yirza – Tubas.
Date: March 6, 2012.
Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Army.
Details:
Yirza is one of the most targeted communities in the Jordan Valley. The Israelis consider the area as a military zone and numerous bloody aggressions took place there. The Israelis never hesitate in using extreme power against the helpless citizens in order to capture lands, force them to leave, and use the lands to fulfill their colonial plans. In March, 2012, the Israeli Occupation Army used the village for a military skirmish which drastically affected the daily life of the villagers. Omar Einyabousi, an inhabitant, said to an LRC observer: ‘in spring of every year, the Israelis conduct these trainings to damage the crops, especially the green pastures since most of the locals rely on herding in their living. It had a negative effect on the people and also on the cattle.‘
It must be noted that the Israelis have turned several Palestinian communities into mine fields; mines can be found adjacent to residences, water sources, and farms. Hundreds of people in Yirza lost their lives or hands or legs due to the detonation of mines.
Maysar al Masa’eed lost her son in 1992 due to the explosion of a mine while herding. Ibrahim died at the age of 7 while herding with his cousin who lost his leg in the accident. Hafiz Masa’eed (31, eleven at the time of the accident) said: ‘while herding, we found a little toy, we rushed to play with it not knowing that it was booby trapped. Ibrahim died and I lost my leg.‘ He wished that no one suffers from a similar incident.
This is not the only heart-breaking story; an eye witness described Mahmoud Einyabousi’s death, he said: ‘Mahmoud was 15-year-old at the time of his death, he was a smart guy. I was sitting on an opposite hill watching Mahmoud while he was herding when I suddenly heard an explosion and saw smoke rising. I rushed to the site and that where I found the remains of Mahmoud body as he was torn apart.‘
Yirza:
Yirza is located 10 km away from Tubas Governorate, in Al Buqe’a Plain. 12 families (100 people) reside in the area, these are the remains of its original population, counting hundreds, and used to plant the 25000 dunums area including 283 dunums classified as “country root”. More than 75% of Yirza lands are registered property of Palestinian families according to Jordanian laws, however, the Israeli measures of land confiscations and house demolitions forced most of its population to immigrate.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
