- Violation: Attacking an olive grove.
- Location: Al-Dhahrat – North Turmus’ayya/ Ramallah governorate.
- Date: January 05 -2019.
- Perpetrators: “ Adei Ad” settlers.
- Victims: Farmer Reiad Abu Sokar.
Description:
The olive harvest was once a joyful time for Palestinian families, celebrating the crop and their ties to the land. Yet for many years now, olive gathering has been taking place under the shadow of landgrab, restrictions Israel imposed on access to the plots that remain, settler attacks on harvesters and vandalization of trees.
In Saturday, a group of Israeli illegal settlers raided Turmus’ayya and headed to an olive grove belongs to Farmer Reiad Abu-Sukar (65).
The fanatic settlers cut and sabotaged 80 olive saplings aging 5 years old rendering them completely destroyed.
It is noteworthy, farmer Abu Sukar is known of his love and devotion towards his land, in the recent 5 years, Abu- Sukar’s land was subjected by Israeli settlers’ assaults of sabotaging and cutting 3 times but he remained steadfast on the face of the Illegal occupation.
Photos 1-4: the olive grove after the assault.
Photo 5 : “Adei Ad” illegal outposts on confiscated lands from Turmus’ayya.
Frequent attacks:
It should be marked that the Israeli occupation army has previously carried out attacks and violations in the area of Al-Dhahrat; the attack was represented in uprooting over 5000 olive saplings. This shows that colonists and the Israeli government – represented by the army- exchange roles in carrying out attacks against the Palestinian farmers who are left with no purpose but protecting their lands from loss.
LRC team documented the uprooting and sabotaging of 705 olive trees and saplings by “Adei Ad” settlers in 2018.
About Turmus’ayya:[1]
It is located 25 km to the north east of Ramallah city. It has a population of 2464 people (according to a 2017 census). Its total area is 18139 dunums, 1350 of which are built-up area. About 11218 dunums of land are under Area B (PA is in charge of civil matters with Israel responsible for security) and 6921 dunums are under Area C (Israel maintains full security and administrative control).
The Israeli occupation confiscated vast areas of the village for the benefit of the following colonies:
- Shilo and Mizpe Rahel devoured 1023 dunums
- Mizpe Rahel devoured 706 dunums
- The bypass road number 60 stole 12.5 dunums
In 2018 LRC field team documented several assaults on Turmus’ayya lands:
- In December 18 -2018, settlers uprooted 60 olive saplings in Turmus’ayya.
- In December 15 -2018, “Adei Ad” settlers sabotaged 244 olive saplings in Turmus’ayya.
- In November 24 -2018, “Adei Ad” settlers sabotaged 24 olive trees in As-Seder and Al-Dhahrat in Turmus’ayya.
- In October 07 – 2018, “Adei Ad” settlers sabotaged 86 aging olive trees in Al-Dhahrat in Turmus’ayya.
- In October 03 -2018, “Adei Ad” settlers sabotaged 21 olive trees.
- In June 09 -2018, “Adei Ad” settlers sabotaged 270 olive sablings from Turmus’ayya lands.
- In June 01 -2018, “Adei Ad” settlers establish new outpost and a military watch point on confiscated lands from Turmus’ayya.
- In April 29 -2018, “Price tag” settlers’ gang assaulted Palestinian cars and properties in Turmus’ayya.
[1] GIS-LRC
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC