- Violation: Sabotaging olive saplings.
- Location: Sinjil town / Ramallah governorate.
- Date: January 3rd 2021.
- Perpetrators: Illegal colonists.
- Victims: Heirs of Late Ahmed Al-Ghafri.
Description:
Sunday January 3rd 2021, a group of colonists from a random outpost recently built on Sinjil lands raided Ar-Rumana area north east the town and sprayed poisonous chemicals on a 3 dunums plot.
The Poisonous chemicals destroyed about 100 olive saplings aging 4 years old , 50 almond , pomegranate and figs saplings belong to farmers ‘Ayed Al-Ghafri (52) of Sinjil.
Affected Citizen told LRC:
“We sons of late Ahmed Al-Ghafri own 36 dunums northeast Sinjil , that used to be planted with wheat for many years , and in 2000 at the eve of Al-Aqsa uprising we were prohibited from cultivating our land under false pretenses , where there are three colonies , Ma’ale Levona, Giva’at HaRoe , and Har Haroe, in 2011 , we go a scholarship from the Palestinian red cross to rehabilitate the plot , 25 dunums were rehabilitated , and planted with a variety of medicinal plants , and we were taking good care of it, and in august 2020 , a group of colonists built an outpost in the area known of “Ar-Rumana” , we organized daily marches hopping that we can get rid of it , and after three weeks we succeed in making them evict the outpost.”
Owner asserted:
“Little time have passed , before the occupation forces put another outpost 200 m away from the plot , and in October 2020 we planted the plot with several trees of figs, Almonds , and olives in order to protect the three dunums, the occupation tried to stops us , but we have legal papers prove that we own the plot , and early this year 2021 , colonist sprayed poisonous chemicals on saplings which caused it a permanent damage , and when we got to the plot and tried to fix the situation, the occupation forces and colonists attacked us , and confiscated a tractor that belong to citizen Nasser ‘Asfour , on the pretext of working in a plot nearby the colony.”
Reportedly, sinjil witnesses a vicious attack by colonists , represented in building random outposts , and attempt to ravage and cultivate a plot , the occupation forces presents support and protection for colonists as they carry out these attacks.
Photo 1: Outpost in Sinjil
About Sinjil:
20 kilometer north of Ramallah, Sinjil is surrounded by Al Labn Ash Sharqia (north), ‘Abween and Jaljilia (west), Qaryut and Turmus’ayya (east), and Al Mazr’a Ash sharqia (south).
Sinjil has a total population of 5742 people according to statistics conducted in 2017. It has a total area of 14028of which 888 are a built-up area of the village.
The Israeli occupation devoured 551 dunums of the lands of the village for two colonies. The first one is Maale Levona which was built in 1983 and confiscated 298 dunums of the village, and inhabited by 497 colonists. The second is Eli which was built in 1984 and devoured 253 dunums, and inhabited by 2058 colonists.
Moreover, bypass number ’60 took over 246 dunums of the village lands.
According to Oslo Accords, 14% of Sinjil is under Area A (PA has full civil and security control) while 30% is under Area B (PA is in charge of civil matters with Israel responsible for security). However, most of the village lands (56%) is under Area C (Israel maintains full security and administrative control). Here are the area in dunums:
Area A (1980) dunums
Area B (4140) dunums
Area C (7908) dunums
The Land Research Center
LRC
