Violations: Chopping down 40 olive trees and turning a cistern to rubble
Date: 04/01/2014
Location: The agricultural lands behind the Apartheid Wall- Jayyous- Qalqiliya
Victims: Izzat Khaled
Details:
In conjunction with the Israeli occupation heavy machines ravaging vast areas of farmland in Jayyous village to correct the trajectory of the Apartheid Wall, colonists of Zufin are razing vast areas of land that got isolated behind the Wall in order to expand the colony and its infrastructure. The area of the ravaged land has reached up to no less than 58 dunums planted with centuries-old olive trees.
The ravaging operation included cutting down 40 olive trees in addition to filling up a cistern used for collecting water that is 60 m3 in area and belongs to Izzat Khaled (65 years old) from Jayyous.
Khaled, caretaker for his 9-member family, asserted to an LRC observer that since 2000 and up to date, he has not been able to get access to his land that got isolated behind the Apartheid Wall. And though he has the deeds for the land, Israel does not acknowledge his legal rights.
Khaled owned a 7 dunum piece of agricultural land planted with olive trees . Besides, there is a cistern built 13 years ago. The land is adjacent to the mentioned colony and has totally been ravaged by Zufin colonists in preparation for the settlement expansion. Khaled is only left with memories of his land after he lost it for colonial activities.
Colonists of Zufin take advantage of the Apartheid Wall to carry out a large-scale expansion at the expense of Palestinian lands and people.
Zufin colony is located southeast of Qalqiliya. It was built in 1989 on Jayyous lands and was split into Tsufim A and Tsufim B.
After the Israeli occupation erected the Apartheid Wall, Zufin was annexed to inside the Wall. Thus, thousands of dunums were seized by the colony. Not content with that, colonists of Zufin are planning to keep the colony expanding until it reaches Falamya, north of Qalqiliya.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
