Violation: Expansion of the West Bank colony of Maskiyyot at the expense of Palestinians
Date: 10/03/2014
Location: Al Malih- Tubas governorate
Victims: People of Wad al Malih
Details:
The northern Jordan Valley is witnessing a ferocious wave of attack on the lands of the Valley in preparation for expanding the colonies and military camps founded there.
Wad al Malih , 60, 000 dunums of area and at the heart of the Jordan Valley, has always been attacked by colonists who wreak havoc in the Wad after turning most of its lands closed military zones where the presence of any Palestinian is totally forbidden. The Israeli occupation confiscated lands, denying shepherds and farmers access.
It should be marked that Maskiyyot is built on Al Maleh lands, near Ein al Hilweh to be more specific. On March 10, 2014, colonists of Maskiyyot ravaged 15 dunums of agricultural lands nearby the colony in preparation for expanding it. Meanwhile, colonists were active building concrete homes within the boundaries of the colony for the same purpose.
Photo 1: Concrete structure inside the colony
Colonists were not satisfied with expropriating land only, so they installed greenhouses as well. A move supported by the Israeli occupation government that provided them with the needed infrastructure.
Mr. Aref Daraghmeh, head of the council of al Malih and Bedouin communities told an LRC observer that:
"During the last few years, tenths of assaults on farmers by the Israeli occupation forces were recorded. Not to mention that many died by the mines planted in the northern part of the Jordan Valley."
Maskiyyot was built in 2002 in a place used by the Israeli occupation forces in the seventies in the last century to oversee the Jordanian borders as Wad al Malih overlooks the Jordanian mountains.
In 2002, the military camp was evacuated and religious students came to inhabit the place. And in 2005, after Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, tenths of colonists from Shirat Hiyam and Gush Katif blocs were transferred to Maskiyyot.
In 2008, the colony underwent a radical expansion as most of the caravans were replaced by prefab houses. Back then, the colony's area was 609 dunums. The colony kept growing as more prefab houses and caravans were added until its area was doubled at the end of 2013.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
