30 dec 2013
Israeli settlers chopped down more than 8000 olive trees in the West Bank during 2013 , Nablus is the most affected area, al- Tadamun Human Right reported. Al-Tadamun tracked the Israeli settlers attacks against Palestinians olive trees in the West Bank , and explained that they followed several ways to destroy the olive crop; they burned, uprooted , chopped down , pumped swage water at the olive trees and recently they used chemical materials to burn the trees.
The settlers' attacks vary between the uprooting of olive trees and the theft of the crop to physical attacks on the farmers and preventing them from reaching their land.
The mayors of the Nablus villages said that the settlers of "Yitzhar" and "Bracha" colonial settlements used petrochemicals in burning 1500 olive trees in last June. The fire destroyed more than 200 dunums of land owned by the people of Burin and Asira villages. The losses estimated to more than a million dollars.
The foundation tracked 24 incidents of settlers' vandalism against Palestinians olive trees , in which 5289 olive trees were destroyed just in Nablus, 1125 in Bethlehem, 600 in Hebron, 350 in Jerusalem and 150 in Ramallah.
According to the documents the Israeli attacks were concentrated on the countryside of Nablus, specifically in the villages of Awarta , Qasra , Urif , Burin , Asira and Hawara villages, which are exposed to daily attacks as they are adjunct to the illegal Israeli settlements which the Israeli army provides protection for.
The foundation reported that the Israeli settlers usually launched their attacks in the first week of olive harvest ; such attacks deny Palestinians safe access to their lands and deprive them of a key source of annual income. In the last olive season , Israeli settlers chopped down more than 2000 olive trees. Local witnesses said that the settlers used chainsaws to cut the trees at the base in the midnight , " the farmers were shocked by the sight of the felled trees, which they had been nourishing for years," they explained.
Yasser Faqha , 54, from Dier Sharaf in Nablus recalled that on the morning of 2 October, while he was at a local gas station, a worker there told him that he had seen settlers stepping out of buses and wandering around the Faqha family’s land. Despite the worker’s warning, Yasser did not anticipate that the settlers would attack his land and did not go to check on it. However, on 5 October, when Yasser, his wife and children headed towards their land for the olive harvest, Yasser’s wife saw that some olive trees had been destroyed and some of the olives stolen. Yasser asserted that a number of his trees were fruitless and many had broken branches. According to Yasser, a total of 40 olive trees were damaged in the attacks. Yasser depend s on these olive trees to provide an annual income to support his family. Each year the trees produce 20 tanks (approximately 360 kilograms) of olive oil that Yasser sells for revenue. (Al-Haq Affidavit 9052/2013)
The settlers did not only destroyed the fruit and perennials trees but they also uproot the seedlings. It is reported that more than 1400 seedlings were uprooted in the West Bank . In Jerusalem 350 seedlings were flooded with swage water and more than 300 seedlings were destroyed in Qalqilya.
The daily attacks of the settlers during the olive harvest are an integral part of the Israeli overall policy of occupation, ethnic cleansing and land theft. The kind of attacks, the locations where they are carried out and the coordination between the settlers and the Israeli military are demonstrating the existence of a systematic policy.
The attacks aimed to drive Palestinian farmers from geo-strategic locations in Area C, in order to ensure that the occupied West Bank is effectively fragmented into unviable Bantustans and Israel can ensure full control not only of the natural resources but as well the movement.
There is a strong psychological impact to the vandalism against Palestinian olive trees, since these symbolize the attachment of Palestinians to their land. Palestinians are descended from the ancient Canaanites and have been farming that land for millennia.
The settlers' attacks vary between the uprooting of olive trees and the theft of the crop to physical attacks on the farmers and preventing them from reaching their land.
The mayors of the Nablus villages said that the settlers of "Yitzhar" and "Bracha" colonial settlements used petrochemicals in burning 1500 olive trees in last June. The fire destroyed more than 200 dunums of land owned by the people of Burin and Asira villages. The losses estimated to more than a million dollars.
The foundation tracked 24 incidents of settlers' vandalism against Palestinians olive trees , in which 5289 olive trees were destroyed just in Nablus, 1125 in Bethlehem, 600 in Hebron, 350 in Jerusalem and 150 in Ramallah.
According to the documents the Israeli attacks were concentrated on the countryside of Nablus, specifically in the villages of Awarta , Qasra , Urif , Burin , Asira and Hawara villages, which are exposed to daily attacks as they are adjunct to the illegal Israeli settlements which the Israeli army provides protection for.
The foundation reported that the Israeli settlers usually launched their attacks in the first week of olive harvest ; such attacks deny Palestinians safe access to their lands and deprive them of a key source of annual income. In the last olive season , Israeli settlers chopped down more than 2000 olive trees. Local witnesses said that the settlers used chainsaws to cut the trees at the base in the midnight , " the farmers were shocked by the sight of the felled trees, which they had been nourishing for years," they explained.
Yasser Faqha , 54, from Dier Sharaf in Nablus recalled that on the morning of 2 October, while he was at a local gas station, a worker there told him that he had seen settlers stepping out of buses and wandering around the Faqha family’s land. Despite the worker’s warning, Yasser did not anticipate that the settlers would attack his land and did not go to check on it. However, on 5 October, when Yasser, his wife and children headed towards their land for the olive harvest, Yasser’s wife saw that some olive trees had been destroyed and some of the olives stolen. Yasser asserted that a number of his trees were fruitless and many had broken branches. According to Yasser, a total of 40 olive trees were damaged in the attacks. Yasser depend s on these olive trees to provide an annual income to support his family. Each year the trees produce 20 tanks (approximately 360 kilograms) of olive oil that Yasser sells for revenue. (Al-Haq Affidavit 9052/2013)
The settlers did not only destroyed the fruit and perennials trees but they also uproot the seedlings. It is reported that more than 1400 seedlings were uprooted in the West Bank . In Jerusalem 350 seedlings were flooded with swage water and more than 300 seedlings were destroyed in Qalqilya.
The daily attacks of the settlers during the olive harvest are an integral part of the Israeli overall policy of occupation, ethnic cleansing and land theft. The kind of attacks, the locations where they are carried out and the coordination between the settlers and the Israeli military are demonstrating the existence of a systematic policy.
The attacks aimed to drive Palestinian farmers from geo-strategic locations in Area C, in order to ensure that the occupied West Bank is effectively fragmented into unviable Bantustans and Israel can ensure full control not only of the natural resources but as well the movement.
There is a strong psychological impact to the vandalism against Palestinian olive trees, since these symbolize the attachment of Palestinians to their land. Palestinians are descended from the ancient Canaanites and have been farming that land for millennia.
28 dec 2013
Palestinian Workers At Roadblock
Palestinian medical sources have reported that three Palestinian workers have been injured near the annexation wall, in the Ramadeen village, south of the southern West bank city of Hebron.
The sources said that the workers were returning from work in Beersheba (Be’er As-Sabe’), when they were chased and assaulted by the soldiers.
The three have been identified as Shady Ahmad Al-Ajarma, 21, Idrees Yousef At-Torshan, 22, and Mohammad Ishak Khrekis, 22.
They were moved to the Hebron Governmental Hospital after suffering fractures and bruises to various parts of their bodies.
Mohammad Al-Arawna, head of the Media Department of the Palestinian Workers Syndicate, denounced the attack, saying that the union lodged a complaint with the International Workers Association, asking it to intervene, investigate the ongoing Israeli violations against the workers, and to hold Israel accountable to its crimes.
Al-Atawna said that the army, especially on roadblocks, frequently attacks Palestinian workers.
In related news, a number of settlers from the Havat Gal illegal settlement outpost, east of Hebron, attacked on Friday evening Palestinian orchard, cut and uprooted dozens of olive trees.
The 10-Dunam (2.47 Acres) orchard is located in Jabal Jales area, close to the illegal settlement outpost, and has been repeatedly attacked by the settlers in an attempt to expand their outpost.
Palestinian medical sources have reported that three Palestinian workers have been injured near the annexation wall, in the Ramadeen village, south of the southern West bank city of Hebron.
The sources said that the workers were returning from work in Beersheba (Be’er As-Sabe’), when they were chased and assaulted by the soldiers.
The three have been identified as Shady Ahmad Al-Ajarma, 21, Idrees Yousef At-Torshan, 22, and Mohammad Ishak Khrekis, 22.
They were moved to the Hebron Governmental Hospital after suffering fractures and bruises to various parts of their bodies.
Mohammad Al-Arawna, head of the Media Department of the Palestinian Workers Syndicate, denounced the attack, saying that the union lodged a complaint with the International Workers Association, asking it to intervene, investigate the ongoing Israeli violations against the workers, and to hold Israel accountable to its crimes.
Al-Atawna said that the army, especially on roadblocks, frequently attacks Palestinian workers.
In related news, a number of settlers from the Havat Gal illegal settlement outpost, east of Hebron, attacked on Friday evening Palestinian orchard, cut and uprooted dozens of olive trees.
The 10-Dunam (2.47 Acres) orchard is located in Jabal Jales area, close to the illegal settlement outpost, and has been repeatedly attacked by the settlers in an attempt to expand their outpost.
26 dec 2013
Responding to damage, the occupation claims 'price tag' victims at fault for failing to duly protect their land.
The Israeli occupation is claiming that Palestinians who were the recent target of a “price tag” attack are to blame for their misfortune - because they failed to adequately protect their plot of land.
This position arises from the occupation’s response to a damages filed by the owners of an olive grove situated in Area C in the occupied West Bank, under full Israeli military and civilian control.
The IOF, for its part, is refusing to install lighting around the olive grove to protect it from future vandalism, arguing that a complaint for damages has already been filed. The grove, which belongs to the Amour family, lies adjacent to highway 317 in the southern Hebron hills, across from A-Tawani village, the illegal settlement of Maon and the outpost Havat Maon. This case can well serve as a litmus test for the seriousness of declarations made by civilian and military authorities, according to which they will take action against price tag vigilantes.
In 2006, unknown persons cut down all 120 trees in the grove. In 2011, part of a surrounding fence was destroyed and a tree was felled. On the night of May 9 of this year, half of the trees belonging to the Amour family were chopped down, and the act was accompanied by a message sprayed in Hebrew letters, saying that “price tag is fed up with thieves – mutual responsibility” and “regards from Eviatar”. The perpetrators used hand saws to achieve their mission.
After each of the incidents, the Amour family filed a complaint with the police, asking for protection against future vandalism.
Ten days after the third incident, attorney Itai Mack, representing the family, appealed to occupation Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz, who was then head of the Civil Administration in the territories, asking him to specify what actions he would undertake to prevent further acts of vandalism. Mack was relying on a 2006 decision by the Israeli High Court of Justice which ruled that the authorities must “devote manpower for the protection of Palestinian property, must open an immediate inquiry when reports of harassment are received, and send out patrols by security forces to locate such activities.”
Almoz’s bureau responded by saying that the person to handle such matters was Lt. Ronnie Rivlin, the officer in charge of public complaints at the IOF’s Central Command. However, two letters to Lt. Rivlin, sent on May 23 and June 5 by attorney Mack, went unanswered.
On June 13 Mack filed a comlaint for damages against the occupation state, amounting to 65,840 shekels ($18,709) since, according to him, “the state’s incompetence, negligence and lack of serious attention to the complaints only encouraged extremist Israelis to continue their actions, giving them a sense of immunity vis-à-vis law enforcement authorities.” Mack mentioned in his petition that the state routinely safeguards the property of colonial settlers and funds security measures for them, such as fences and surveillance cameras.
The occupation state’s response to the petition was brought on October 20 by attorney Moshe Vilinger. It says that “the state’s contention is that the bulk of the blame lies with the plaintiff, who at the very least was a main contributor to the damage. The state claims that the plaintiff did not take sufficient measures to prevent the incident. For example, the plaintiff claims that had the defendant had set up lighting, the incident would have been avoided. However, he decided to wait it out, relying on security forces and the authorities to undertake an action which he could have resorted to himself.” The attorney also argued that the vandals were not emissaries of the state, which did not sanction or approve their actions.
In the meantime, the officer in charge of public complaints responded to Mack on October 3, and upon her suggestion, on October 28 representatives of the occupied West Bank illegal colonial settlements counsel and officers of the occupation Civil Administration toured the grove in order to investigate methods of protecting it. A month later, unknown persons vandalized an adjacent grove belonging to another family.
In response to a query from Haaretz regarding the setting up of lighting around the grove, the occupation military spokesman said this week that “the family’s request was carefully addressed, including tours to the area. The family chose to turn to the courts before a decision was reached by the IOF. The issue is now being handled by the legal system, and the family will be notified in the customary manner when a decision is reached.”
The Israeli occupation is claiming that Palestinians who were the recent target of a “price tag” attack are to blame for their misfortune - because they failed to adequately protect their plot of land.
This position arises from the occupation’s response to a damages filed by the owners of an olive grove situated in Area C in the occupied West Bank, under full Israeli military and civilian control.
The IOF, for its part, is refusing to install lighting around the olive grove to protect it from future vandalism, arguing that a complaint for damages has already been filed. The grove, which belongs to the Amour family, lies adjacent to highway 317 in the southern Hebron hills, across from A-Tawani village, the illegal settlement of Maon and the outpost Havat Maon. This case can well serve as a litmus test for the seriousness of declarations made by civilian and military authorities, according to which they will take action against price tag vigilantes.
In 2006, unknown persons cut down all 120 trees in the grove. In 2011, part of a surrounding fence was destroyed and a tree was felled. On the night of May 9 of this year, half of the trees belonging to the Amour family were chopped down, and the act was accompanied by a message sprayed in Hebrew letters, saying that “price tag is fed up with thieves – mutual responsibility” and “regards from Eviatar”. The perpetrators used hand saws to achieve their mission.
After each of the incidents, the Amour family filed a complaint with the police, asking for protection against future vandalism.
Ten days after the third incident, attorney Itai Mack, representing the family, appealed to occupation Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz, who was then head of the Civil Administration in the territories, asking him to specify what actions he would undertake to prevent further acts of vandalism. Mack was relying on a 2006 decision by the Israeli High Court of Justice which ruled that the authorities must “devote manpower for the protection of Palestinian property, must open an immediate inquiry when reports of harassment are received, and send out patrols by security forces to locate such activities.”
Almoz’s bureau responded by saying that the person to handle such matters was Lt. Ronnie Rivlin, the officer in charge of public complaints at the IOF’s Central Command. However, two letters to Lt. Rivlin, sent on May 23 and June 5 by attorney Mack, went unanswered.
On June 13 Mack filed a comlaint for damages against the occupation state, amounting to 65,840 shekels ($18,709) since, according to him, “the state’s incompetence, negligence and lack of serious attention to the complaints only encouraged extremist Israelis to continue their actions, giving them a sense of immunity vis-à-vis law enforcement authorities.” Mack mentioned in his petition that the state routinely safeguards the property of colonial settlers and funds security measures for them, such as fences and surveillance cameras.
The occupation state’s response to the petition was brought on October 20 by attorney Moshe Vilinger. It says that “the state’s contention is that the bulk of the blame lies with the plaintiff, who at the very least was a main contributor to the damage. The state claims that the plaintiff did not take sufficient measures to prevent the incident. For example, the plaintiff claims that had the defendant had set up lighting, the incident would have been avoided. However, he decided to wait it out, relying on security forces and the authorities to undertake an action which he could have resorted to himself.” The attorney also argued that the vandals were not emissaries of the state, which did not sanction or approve their actions.
In the meantime, the officer in charge of public complaints responded to Mack on October 3, and upon her suggestion, on October 28 representatives of the occupied West Bank illegal colonial settlements counsel and officers of the occupation Civil Administration toured the grove in order to investigate methods of protecting it. A month later, unknown persons vandalized an adjacent grove belonging to another family.
In response to a query from Haaretz regarding the setting up of lighting around the grove, the occupation military spokesman said this week that “the family’s request was carefully addressed, including tours to the area. The family chose to turn to the courts before a decision was reached by the IOF. The issue is now being handled by the legal system, and the family will be notified in the customary manner when a decision is reached.”
9 dec 2013
Local sources have reported that Israeli military bulldozers uprooted more than 40 Olive trees in order to connect settler road #60 with the Cremisan Monastery in Beit Jala town, west of Bethlehem, and other areas.
Orchard owner, Hisham Abu Ali, stated that the army previously uprooted 15 trees in his orchard in order to expand the road, and came back today to uproot 40 more olive trees, the Palestinian News & Agency (WAFA) has reported.
Road construction and expansion is leading to massive illegal confiscation of Palestinian lands in occupied East Jerusalem, including Beit Safafa town, and in Bethlehem. Israel also intends to build “National Gardens” in the area.
Furthermore, soldiers completely isolated 12 Palestinian villages near Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Yatta town, said that the soldiers placed concrete blocks sealing the main road linking Yatta with its eastern communities.
Soldiers also declared the area a closed military zone, stopped and searched dozens of residents and vehicles, and forced them back.
Orchard owner, Hisham Abu Ali, stated that the army previously uprooted 15 trees in his orchard in order to expand the road, and came back today to uproot 40 more olive trees, the Palestinian News & Agency (WAFA) has reported.
Road construction and expansion is leading to massive illegal confiscation of Palestinian lands in occupied East Jerusalem, including Beit Safafa town, and in Bethlehem. Israel also intends to build “National Gardens” in the area.
Furthermore, soldiers completely isolated 12 Palestinian villages near Yatta town, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in Yatta town, said that the soldiers placed concrete blocks sealing the main road linking Yatta with its eastern communities.
Soldiers also declared the area a closed military zone, stopped and searched dozens of residents and vehicles, and forced them back.