Violation: Sabotaging vitis trees.
Date: May 25 -2018.
Location: Balotat Ewais / Hebron governorate.
Perpetrator: Fanatic colonists.
Victims: Farmer Mohammad Abu Rajab and his brothers.
Description:
Settlers sabotaged 700 vitis trees in Balotat Ewais belong to farmer Mohammad Abu Rajab.
Mohammad abu Rajab (63) said: on Saturday morning we received a phone call from a neighboring farmer informing that our land was attacked, when I reached the plot I found that settlers sabotaged all my trees and wrote hatred inciting slogans in Hebrew on the retaining wall.
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Photos 1-4: Abu Rajab plot after the attack.
The targeted plot has an area of 12 dunums and is cultivated of 700 vitis trees; it is located by the crossroad of bypasses 60 and 317.
Abu Rajab asserted that the plot provides a sub-side source of income for about 30 members; in 2017 the owners harvested 7 Tons of grapes (estimated 20,000 NIS).
Noteworthy Abu Rajab went to The Israeli police station in “Kiryat Araba’” and filed a complaint; the Israeli police reached the plot and observed the damages.
Abu Rajab asked the Israeli officer about the slogans, he said that they meant “Stop agricultural terrorism, we are everywhere”, Settlers consider Palestinian farmers are assaulting “The Land of Israeli” and do not have the right to use them.
It is important to point out that this is not the first assault of this type. Field observation in settings of such assaults showed several cooperant factors:
- Such assaults target vitis trees, Hebron city is historically known of growing vitis trees.
- Assaults occur in harvesting seasons.
- Using electronic saws to sabotage as many trees as possible in little time.
- Assaults occur in isolated agricultural lands.
- Perpetrators always leave similar hating inciting slogans on the walls.
- The targeted lands are close to bypass roads to facilitate running.
- The targeted lands are closed to the Israeli forces watch points to insure protection in case needed.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
