Israeli Forces Sabotage Water Pipelines in Bardala / Tubas Governorate

Violation: Sabotaging water pipelines and closing water sources.
Location: Bardala / East Tubas.
Date: June 11, 2020.
Perpetrator: The Israeli Occupation Forces.
Victims: number of farmers from the village.

Details:

The Palestinian Jordan valley flows above the eastern groundwater basin, that is the reason the area is perfect for agriculture. However, the situation has changed after the Israeli government took over the Palestinian water resources in the area.

It should be indicated the Israeli military training maneuvers that take place in the Palestinian Jordan Valley is a means to strike the Palestinian presence in the area and to aim at evacuating the area from its indigenous inhabitants. Noteworthy, the maneuvers occur repeatedly and systematically, rendering irreversible damage to the nature and the area in general.

Reportedly, a massive damage followed the area of Sahel Qa’on, north Bardala village after the Israeli Occupation Forces conducted military trainings in the area. A water carrier line was (200m* 6inches) was sabotaged under the chains of military tanks.

Photos 1-4: sings of the destruction in the area

A member from Bardala village council, Ahmad Suba’I told Land Research Center the following:

” The area of Sahel Qa’oun extends over an area of 1250 dunums. It is considered a source of income for many farmers from Bardala and Ein Al-Beida villages. During the past three years, several developmental projects have been implemented in the area, including the construction of a water carrier line that serves hundreds of agricultural dunums. The damaged carrier line is 200 meters in length and serves 135 dunums planted with watermelon and owned by Sawafta family”

He also added:

” The occupation forces constantly harass farmers in area in an attempt to take over the area of Sahel Qa’oun. Noteworthy, Israel Supreme Court allowed farmers to use the area after being prohibited from doing so for so long. The harassments of the occupation took the form of demolishing agricultural roads and cisterns as well as carrying out maneuver trainings that render huge damage to agricultural lands and water pipelines and carrier lines”

It should be indicated that the water carrier line was notified of stop-work during 2017. A legal objection was submitted to Israel’s Supreme Court; the case is still ongoing.

About Bardala:[1]

25 km to the north of Tubas, Bardala village is surrounded by the Green Line (north), Raba (west), Ain al Baeda (east) and Tubas (south).

It has a population of 1607 people (2017 census). Its total area is 18329 dunums, of which 404 dunums are considered built-up area.

The Israeli occupation devoured 252 dunums of its land to build bypasses road, especially road no.90. It also confiscated 819 dunums to build the Separation Wall and isolated 2100 dunums of Bardala land as a result.

According to Oslo Accords, 90% of the village is classified as area “C”, which is under Israeli authority while only 5% is area “B” that is under the control of PA.