The occupation authorities destroyed cisterns and ravaged lands in “Umm Kbaish”/ Tubas governorate

Violation: Demolishing cisterns and uprooting 370 olive and forest trees.
Location: “Umm Kbaish” area – East Tammoun / Tubas governorate.
Date: 12/09/2019.
Perpetrator: The Israeli occupation forces and civil administration.
Victims: Five families from the village.

Description:

Thursday, 12 September 2019, a massive army force accompanied by four bulldozers raided “Umm Kbaish” east Tammoun village , and carried on demolishing five water harvest cisterns. Reportedly, the targeted cisterns were implemented by The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture with funding from FAO in 2012 in order to revive the area.

The occupation’s machineries ravaged and confiscated 37 dunums , the ravaging uprooted 250 olive trees (aging 9 years old), leveled 9 dunums planted with 60 forest trees , destroyed 6 water reservoir (each one with a storage capacity of 1 m³) , and demolished a fence 24 m with 16 m of retaining walls. The following table shows more information about the damages:

Affected citizen	Capacity of the water reservoir	Number of affected trees	Retaining Wall length in meters	Nature of the damage	notes
Rachid Beni Oudeh	60	100	0	-Demolishing a cistern 60m^3. -Ravaging 8 dunums, uprooting 100 trees(9 years old). -destroying 3 water reservoirs (1m³).	-The reservoir is a donation from FAO. -The trees are a donation from the Arab Group for the protection of nature.
Mirshid Bani Oudeh	60	50	15	-Ravaging 4 dunums and uprooting 50 olive trees aging 9 years old. – Demolishing a water reservoir 60 m³. -Destroying a metal siege 15 m.	-the water reservoir is a donation from FAO. -The trees are a donation from the Arab Group for the protection of nature.
Hussni Bani Oudeh	60	100	9	-Demolishing a cistern 60 m^3. -Ravaging 9 dunums caused uprooting 100 olive trees aging 9 years old. -Destroying 3 water reservoirs.	the water reservoir is a donation from FAO.
Hussain Bani Oudeh	60	0	0	-demolishing a cistern 60 m³. -Ravaging 9 dunums.	the water reservoir is a donation from FAO.
Mesdeq Bani Oudeh	60	0	0	Demolishing a cistern 60. -Ravaging 7 dunums of land.	the water reservoir is a donation from FAO.
The Palestinian ministry of agriculture- Umm Kubaish reserve	0	120	16	-Ravaging 9 dunums caused uprooting 60 Acacia trees. Destroying retaining walls (16 m)	-The trees are a donation from the Arab Group for the protection of nature.
total	300	370	40

Source : First hand field observation- Israeli violations monitoring section – LRC – September 2019

Photos 1-6: The targeted cisterns

Photos 7-10: the targeted trees

Affected citizen Mirshid Bani Oudeh (39 years) told LRC reporter:

“My father Rashid Bani Oudeh and I own a plot in “Umm Kbaish” , 6 km south east Tamoun. Noteworthy the targeted plot has an area of 37 dunums , and before 2010 the plot was used for cultivation of seasonal crops. In 2012 we received fund from FAO through the Palestinian ministry of agriculture , in order to establish water cisterns in an attempt to revive agriculture in the area , after few years through the Arab group for the protection of nature we planted 250 olive trees at the mountain. But in February 2012, we received an eviction military order under claims the area a natural reserve belongs to the Israeli state, we hired lawyer Tawfiqn Jabareen to follow up the case in the Israeli court , and after few sessions we managed to get a precautionary order that delayed the eviction for a while , we also applied for Land reregistering , and the occupation court accepted but did not issue a resolution yet. Thursday , 12 September we were shocked of army forces storming the area and destroying the 5 cisterns , in addition to uprooting 60 Acacia trees that were provided by the Ministry of Agriculture with the funding of the Arab group for the protection of environment, the occupation claim that the plot is an Israeli state property and a natural reserve.”

Jalal Bani Oudeh Tamoun municipality head told LRC reporter the following:

“ “ Umm Kbaish” is a significant area, as it has a strategic location over viewing the Jordanian-Palestinian border , the area enjoys a remarkable environmental and agricultural variety , the occupation authorities hinder any agricultural developmental projects in the area. In 11 September last year and at the same location the occupation demolished two cisterns and uprooted 250 olive trees on the pretext of using a plot illegally.”

Photos 11-12: a notice to close the area

Noteworthy , in synchronization with destroying cisterns and uprooting trees , the occupation declared Umm Kbaish as a closed military zone were Arabs are not allowed to inter, as a first phase in confiscating it .