Violation: soaking Nahhalin with sewage.
Location: Wad al Jamala in Nahhalin, Bethlehem.
Date: July 24, 2012.
Perpetrators: colonists of Bitar Elit.
Victims: villagers of Nahhalin.
Details:
On July 24, 2012, colonists of Nahhalin pumped sewage towards agricultural lands in Nahhalin causing damage to the olive, prune, and grape trees there. The sewage damages the trees and often causes death, besides, defiled trees are considered unsuitable for human consumption which means all the yields will be disposed. The Village Council filed an official complaint to the authorities in an attempt to stop such attacks.
The targeted area is around 200 dunums owned by the people of Nahhalin. The attack caused the loss of a major source of income to people who are dependent on agriculture in their living.
In addition, the sewage damages the retaining walls built around the fields which causes further losses. The villagers have no choice but to manually rebuild these walls as mechanic work in the area is prohibited by the Israelis.
Nahhalin:
The village is located 9 km to the south west of Bethlehem and 3.5 km to the east of the armistice line of 1949. It is edged by Bitar Illit and Hadar Bitar colonies (north), al Khader (east), Wadi Fukin and the armistice line (west), and number of Israeli colonies (Rush Tzorim, Ealazr, Allon Shevut, and Ezyon) (south).
The village’s total area is 17250 dunums including 496 dunums of built-up area, inhabited by 7460 people according to the PBS statistics of 2007.
Israel has confiscated 2988 dunums of the village lands for colonial expansion purposes. 5 colonies inhabited by more than 30,000 colonists reside over the village lands. They are all part of Ezyon colonial compound which hold 11 colonies within.
