- Violation: building 40 colonial units and ravaging lands
- Location: Kisan- Bethlehem
- Date: 25/03/2015
- Perpetrators: Ave Yenhal colonists
- Victims: families from the village
Details:
The Israeli occupation authorities on March 25, 2015 ravaged an area of 40 dunums form the village of Kisan; dozers on the other hand worked to establish an infrastructure and a cement wall with two gates to surround the leveled plot.
According to a witness from Kisan, the ravaging activity is conducted by an Israeli contractor who claims the purchase of targeted plot from the state of Israel; the colonist wants to establish an industrial zone that includes a weddings hall and a cement factory, the witness said.
The chairman of Kisan’s village council Hussein Ghazala told a researcher from Land Research Center the following: “The dozers of the Israeli occupation army are working day and night to accomplish the ravaging and construction works; residents of the village tried to stand up against this violation but no result was rendered. The occupation seems to impose a de facto”.
Photos 1-2: view of the ravaging and construction works
Building colonial units on private lands from Kisan:
A colonist from Ave Yenhal outpost named Yusi took over around 50 agricultural dunums from the village of Kisan where he installed a caravan on. The colonist also trained some dogs to attacks the sheep herds that graze in the nearby.
Ghazala also said: “Colonist Yusi intends to expand the outpost of Ave Yenhal through taking over the surrounding lands; dozers work continuously to build more colonial units on the confiscated lands as a result”
Photo 3: the caravan with a view of the ravaging works
Kisan
Located 18km south of Bethlehem, Kisan village is surrounded by Tuqu' (north), Sa'ir (west), the Dead Sea (east), Arab ar Rashayda/ Sa'ir/ Al Buweib (south). Kisan has a population of 560 people (till 2012). It has a total area of 133,278 dunums- 88,7 of which are built-up area. The Israeli occupation confiscated 2201 dunums of Kisan lands to build the following colonies:
- Maale Amos which was built in 1981 and devoured 320dunums of Kisan. It is inhabited by 299 colonists.
- Mizpe Shalem which was built in 1971 and confiscated 396 dunums. 193 colonists live in that colony.
- Mizpe Shalem B which was built in 1980 and stole 58 dunums.
- Ibei Hanachal outpost which confiscated 166 dunums of Kisan.
Israeli Bypass road number 90 devoured more than 1000 dunums.
According to Oslo Accords, 11% of Kisan is considered nature reserve while 40% is under Area B (PA is in charge of civil matters with Israel responsible for security). However, most of the village lands (49%) is under Area C (Israel maintains full security and administrative control). Here are the areas in dunums:
- Land considered natural preserve (24.480) dunums
- Area B (88.5) dunums
- Area C (108.455) dunums
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
