Violation : "Yitzhar" colonists burn down tens of olive trees
Location: Huwara town Nablus governorate.
Date: July13,2014
Perpetrators : "Yitzhar" colonists.
Victims : A number of families in Huwara.
Details:
Olive tree is considered a symbol for land Arabism and an ultimate proof that Palestinians are the legitimate owners of the land which colonists try to put hand on by all means. It is indicated that colonists tried all means of sabotaging the olive tree be it by cutting off , burning them or denying farmers access to their lands
Burning down 73 olive tree in Huwara town:" At noon of Sunday July13, 2014, a group of colonists gathered in the eastern part of Yitzhar in the area known as " Allahf" in Huwara town, east of Nablus. The area is precisely located in the western part of Huwara, 2km away from the built-up area of the town and only 1km away from Yitzhar colony."
The scene of torching trees
According to the deputy mayor of Huwara municipality,Kamal Aoudeh who stated to the LRC researcher that:" The targeted area is inaccessible unless one obtains a permit from the Israeli- Palestinian military District Coordination Office. The area is regarded as one of the overlooking places of Huwara,known for the plantation of fruitful trees especially olive trees.
Aoudeh also added" Past Monday, we were surprised by colonists setting fire to dry bushes that eventually fire spread out to reach 73 olive trees(35 years of age) rapidly causing them to burn down.
Aoudeh assured that "we tried so hard to extinguish the fire and we did it, thanks to farmers' assistance despite all danger and the occupation military presence in numbers in the area. The roughness of the place and the lack of agricultural roads that serve at controlling fires is what made it hard to extinguish the fire at time."
It should be mentioned that the burnt trees are owned by the farmer Hasan Oudeih (42trees) and the farmer AbdulNaser Oudeih (31 trees) from Huwara.
Massive acts of vandalism :
According to Kamal Aoudeh; the deputy mayor of the municipal council to the LRC researcher, "Allahef area witnesses a series of frequent assaults by extreme colonists. As for the fire set recently by colonists, it is regarded the fifth of its type during the past three years in the exact same location not mentioning the trees cut off by the same colonists in the same location. There is no law restraining colonists since they are secured and protected by the occupation army itself."
Israeli police colludes with the colonists:
It should be mentioned that the affected farmers refused to submit complaints to the occupation police as they previously did. According to the farmer Hasan Oudieh to the LRC researcher: "Several complaints were submitted to the occupation police including video recordings of colonists burning the trees. The occupation forced us thrice to come to the police center to give our testimonies with no good to be rendered. On the contrary, colonists always increase their acts of vandalism and cut off more trees.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
