- Violation: Israel imposes control over “Deir Sama’an” monastry.
- Location: Kafr Ad-Dik town / Salfit governorate.
- Date: September 3rd 2020.
- Perpetrators: The Israeli Occupation Civil Administration.
- Victims: People of Kafr Ad-Dik.
Description:
The Israeli civil administration published a military order in Hebrew newspapers in Thursday , Sept 3rd 2020 that include taking over Deir Sama’an historical site in Kafr Ad-Dik Salfit.
Photos 1-3: Deir Sama’an historical site
The Israeli Occupation issued a notice to take over the site in reference to the Israeli Antiquities law, which authorizes the military commander to decide the fate of Antiquities sites in under the pretext of public interest. The Military Commander in coordination with the high organization council prepared a new organizational plan to (develop the location to serve the public) according to the Israeli narrative.
It is expected that the occupation authorities will change features of the site to make it representative of the Jewish Narrative, and then annex it to the illegal colony of Leshem.
Photos 4-6: military order published at Hebrew Paper
The military order, as translated by Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission Provides for:
Resolution: According to the Land Law (Confiscation for public use) in Judea and Samaria number 321 for 1969, which confiscates Khirbet Deir Sama’an location with a total area of 6,057 dunums and registered as plot 2 of Khirbet Deir Sama’an .
The military governor believes that the confiscation is for the public interest to maintain and repair the Historical site of Khirbet Deir Sama’an.
Objects on this resolution to be received within 60 days from the announcement day at the Liaison office and Palestinian public media in both languages Arabic and Hebrew, in addition to the targeted site where the resolution will be also hanged.
The Occupation authorities claim that the confiscation came under pretext of rehabilitation for “Public interest” , but the only “Public” that actually benefit from such project are illegal colonists.
Human Rights Activist Fares Ad-Dik told LRC the following:
“The main objective is to take over the whole place; the area is already closed in the faces of Palestinians, while colonists can freely enter the area, and change its features. Noting, that Leshem colony was built nearby the site, which makes it subjected to colonists’ assaults and invasions.”
Ad-Dik pointed out that number of colonists stole Antiquities from Deir Sama’an area and replaced them into the colony, in an attempt to change historical facts.
Noteworthy, the so called antiquities department in the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration bans Palestinian construction on several sites under claims of “protecting” antiquities especially in the Jordan Valley area.
Deir Sama’an:
Built on the ruins of a Byzantine Monastery, Deir Samaan is located on the summit of a ridge, at an altitude of 379m, only 3 km to the northwest of Kafr Ad-Dik . Deir Sama’an is located halfway between Kafr Ad-Dik and Deir Ballut west Salfit, in an area aging more than 1600 years.
The Monastery contains more than 12 rooms, an olive mill, wine making room, and a cereal mill. It also contains four remains of water reservoirs connected to each other with tunnels linking to stone walls and pass under the mosaic floor. It also contains a monastery, store for cereals and stables. In the southern side of the monastery there is a room still in its original form unconnected to the building which overviews three water pools in the rocks.
There are many other antiquities that reflect the several historical periods that passed on the monastery.
Photos 7-8: the illegal colony of Leshem
