- Violation: seizure of 30 dunums
- Location: Ras Al-Auja area, north Jericho
- Date: March 17, 2016
- Perpetrators: Israeli Colonies Council
- Victims: farmers of Al-Auja
Details:
A group of colonists on March 17, 2016 seized some agricultural lands in the area of Ras Al-Auja; more specifically nearby the so-called Ameir farm, which is founded on confiscated Palestinian lands.
According to the field visits of Land Research Center, the area witnessed ravaging works and fertilizing activities in preparation for cultivation. Land Research Center estimated that losses reached an area of 30 dunums. Noteworthy, Israeli Occupation Forces provided protection for colonists at time of carrying out their violation.
Photos 1-2: Ameir farm in Ras Al-Auja area
The mayor of Jericho, Majed Al-Fityani, told Land Research Center the following:
" The targeted lands by colonists are enlisted as Absentees' Property. The occupation ,through Civil Administration, exploits such category of lands and transfers the ownership to colonists for the sake of cultivation in the same time Palestinians are banned from using such lands"
He also added:
" We ,at Jericho governorate and in cooperation with Red Cross and Palestinian Coordination Office, try to put an end to colonists' violations and attacks, which are ultimately supported by the occupation".
Director of Public Relations at Jericho Endowment Department, Yasir Al-Jamal, told Land Research Center the following:
" There is a real danger targeting the area of Ras Al-Auja; it is represented in colonists' intention to take lands over, given that there are about 1738.5 dunums that are categorized as endowment lands and are founded nearby Ameir farm; more specifically within the natural block number 44 and parcel number 2"
Al-Jamal shed light on the frequent attempts of colonists to take the area over through cultivating and changing its landmarks. Israeli Occupation Forces harass any farmer in the area and threaten them of arrest in the same time they give facility to colonists to move freely in there.
Ameir farm takes palm farms over:
It should be marked that the farm was established in the eighties through the so-called guardian of Absentees' Property and in coordination with Israel Colonies Council in the area of Palestinian Jordan Valley. The story began when a colonist was given a small land to cultivate it; the colonist then seized nearby palm farms and other agricultural lands to reach a total of 650 dunums
Above all, the occupation imposed restrictions on farmers and herders to push them away from lands. Israeli Occupation Forces are reported to harass farmers and chase herders to divert them from using the lands so that it become abandoned and later used for the favor of colonists.
It should be marked that colonists' attacks and violations came in time with the government decision to seize 2342 dunums from the eastern and southern part of Jericho to be declared as State Lands.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
