Violation: torching pastures and olive trees within area classified B
Date: 31/07/2014
Location: Bourin/ Nablus governorate
Perpetrators: Givat Yacoub colonists
Victims: farmers from Bourin
Details:
A day before Eid al-Fitr (feast of breaking the fast), a group of extreme colonists from Givat Yacoub, which is located on the northern lands of Bourin in the area known as Karm esh-Shaquf, set fire to grazing pastures and to 16 fruitful olive tree in the southern fields of Bourin.
The background of colonists’ violation:
The human rights activist Munir Qadous (31), about the torching violation, to the LRC observer stated that: “at noon of Thursday 31/07/2014, a group of right-wing colonists organized a march in the Givat Yacoub security zone and the area of Karm esh-Shaquf, that is classified B according to Oslo Accords and is 400m away from the colony. The village’s youth stood for them where the occupation forces fired them with sound bombs and live ammunition. Taking advantage of that, colonists set fire to an area of 12dunums torching 16 olive tree aging 25 years before the fire department could step in and extinguish the fire”.
Photo1+2: the burned down pastures
The affected trees belong to Salah Najjar (5trees) and Muayad Najjar(11 trees).
Photo3: the torched trees
Non-stop assaults by the occupation:
It is indicated that the area of Karm esh-Shaquf, supposedly under the Palestinian authority, is declared inaccessible to Bourin farmers. Colonists have been attacking and harassing farmers in their fields where soldiers have been firing sound bombs and declaring the area closed military zone despite its location within area classified B according to Oslo Accords.
The colony of Givat Yacoub:
In 1999, the Israeli occupation confiscated 4 dunums from the village of Bourin, 1km west of Bracha colony, for the sake of establishing a new military zone. In2000, colonists started using the confiscated lands by installing residential units, turning the zone into an outpost named Givat Yacoub. The aforementioned outpost has been a threat on the lands of Bourin. In the past couple of years. Acts of torching, confiscation, and raids violations have been documented in that area.
About Bourin:
8km to the west of Nablus city Bourin is located with a total land area of10,416 of which 335dunums is built-up area and a population of 3500people. There are two colonies located on the lands of Bourin namely ( Bracha colony , which confiscated 205 dunums from village, and Yitzhar colony, which confiscated 150 dunums form the village)
The LRC observation team followed up the Israeli violations against lands and housing in Burin during 2014. They came as follows:
- Yitzhar colonist damage 25 olive seedlings, 21/01/2014 (Ar, Eng)
- Deposit of master plan of Bracha colony, 06/07/2014(Ar, Eng)
- Expansion works on Bracha colony, 06/07/2014( Ar, Eng)
- Bracha colonists burn down olive trees in Irak Burin 11/07/2014 (Ar, Eng)
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
