31 dec 2018
Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian-owned structure used for agricultural purposes, uprooted olive trees and razed agricultural lands in Masafer Yatta in the southern occupied West Bank district of Hebron, on Monday.
Rateb al-Jbour, coordinator of a local popular committee in Hebron area, reported that Israeli forces demolished a greenhouse and uprooted olive trees after razing one dunam of land.
Israeli forces said that the demolished structure lacked the nearly-impossible-to-obtain Israeli construction permit.
Around 3,000 Israeli settlers live in illegal Jewish-only settlements in the Yatta region, according to the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem.
The South Hebron Hills, known locally as Masafer Yatta, lie almost entirely in Area C, the 62 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli civil and security control since the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Masafer Yatta residents were expelled at the time of the establishment of a firing zone in the 1970s and were eventually allowed back following a long court battle, but are under the constant threat of being expelled or seeing their homes demolished.
Rateb al-Jbour, coordinator of a local popular committee in Hebron area, reported that Israeli forces demolished a greenhouse and uprooted olive trees after razing one dunam of land.
Israeli forces said that the demolished structure lacked the nearly-impossible-to-obtain Israeli construction permit.
Around 3,000 Israeli settlers live in illegal Jewish-only settlements in the Yatta region, according to the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem.
The South Hebron Hills, known locally as Masafer Yatta, lie almost entirely in Area C, the 62 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli civil and security control since the 1993 Oslo Accords.
Masafer Yatta residents were expelled at the time of the establishment of a firing zone in the 1970s and were eventually allowed back following a long court battle, but are under the constant threat of being expelled or seeing their homes demolished.
25 dec 2018
Illegal Israeli colonialist settlers from Beit Yair colony, which was built on Palestinian lands east of Yatta, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron cut and uprooted, on Tuesday morning, at least 200 olive saplings.
Rateb Jabour, the coordinator of the National Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in southern West Bank, said the colonists invaded a Palestinian olive orchard, owned By Barakat Mohammad Morr, and uprooted more than 200 saplings.
He added that the colonists, from Susiya illegal outpost, also invaded Palestinian lands, owned by members of Nawaj’a family, and plowed them.
Rateb Jabour, the coordinator of the National Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in southern West Bank, said the colonists invaded a Palestinian olive orchard, owned By Barakat Mohammad Morr, and uprooted more than 200 saplings.
He added that the colonists, from Susiya illegal outpost, also invaded Palestinian lands, owned by members of Nawaj’a family, and plowed them.
19 dec 2018
Israeli settlers on Tuesday evening destroyed and uprooted dozens of Palestinian-owned trees in Tarqumiyah town, west of al-Khalil city.
Hashem al-Badarin, a Palestinian official in charge of documenting agricultural damages, said that Israelis from Adora settlement uprooted over 100 trees planted in Tarqumiyah lands.
Such attacks, which are witnessed on a regular basis in the area, are aimed at seizing more Palestinian lands in favor of settlement expansion projects.
In a related context, a group of Israeli settlers on Wednesday morning bulldozed Palestinian lands in Asira al-Qibliya village, south of Nablus.
Anti-settlement activist Ghassan Daghlas told Wafa that Israeli settlers' bulldozers leveled vast tracts of Palestinian lands in the village to pave the way for the expansion of Yitzhar settlement.
Hashem al-Badarin, a Palestinian official in charge of documenting agricultural damages, said that Israelis from Adora settlement uprooted over 100 trees planted in Tarqumiyah lands.
Such attacks, which are witnessed on a regular basis in the area, are aimed at seizing more Palestinian lands in favor of settlement expansion projects.
In a related context, a group of Israeli settlers on Wednesday morning bulldozed Palestinian lands in Asira al-Qibliya village, south of Nablus.
Anti-settlement activist Ghassan Daghlas told Wafa that Israeli settlers' bulldozers leveled vast tracts of Palestinian lands in the village to pave the way for the expansion of Yitzhar settlement.
17 dec 2018
Israeli settlers chopped up on Sunday over 160 olive trees in Palestinian lands in the villages of al-Mugheir and Tarmas’iya, in Ramallah province, in the central occupied West Bank.
Activist Kasem al-Haj Mohamed said Israelis residing in the illegal settlement of Eli Ad uprooted 160 olive trees in al-Mugheir village, northeast of Ramallah, and 100 seedlings in Tarmas’iya, to the north, that belong to Palestinian citizens Jamil al-Naasan and Salim Abu Abdullah.
The activist said settlers from the aforementioned outpost have stepped up attacks against Palestinian land and property in the area.
Activist Kasem al-Haj Mohamed said Israelis residing in the illegal settlement of Eli Ad uprooted 160 olive trees in al-Mugheir village, northeast of Ramallah, and 100 seedlings in Tarmas’iya, to the north, that belong to Palestinian citizens Jamil al-Naasan and Salim Abu Abdullah.
The activist said settlers from the aforementioned outpost have stepped up attacks against Palestinian land and property in the area.
26 nov 2018
Israeli settlers on Monday seized a new Palestinian-owned land in Jaloud town, south of the West Bank city of Nablus.
Anti-settlement researcher Ghassan Daghlas said that Israeli settlers living in Ahiya outpost, built illegally on Jaloud lands, seized a privately-owned land close to Palestinian houses located in Area C and threatened with demolition.
The land covers an area of 10 dunums, part of which has been planted with olive and fig trees for decades. It is owned by three Palestinian families in Jaloud and they have been barred from entering the land since 2001 when Israel announced it a closed military zone.
Daghlas said that Israel's land grab activity has been stepped up in Jaloud recently with the aim of adding settlement units to existing outposts in the area, establishing new outposts, and bringing more settlers to live there.
Anti-settlement researcher Ghassan Daghlas said that Israeli settlers living in Ahiya outpost, built illegally on Jaloud lands, seized a privately-owned land close to Palestinian houses located in Area C and threatened with demolition.
The land covers an area of 10 dunums, part of which has been planted with olive and fig trees for decades. It is owned by three Palestinian families in Jaloud and they have been barred from entering the land since 2001 when Israel announced it a closed military zone.
Daghlas said that Israel's land grab activity has been stepped up in Jaloud recently with the aim of adding settlement units to existing outposts in the area, establishing new outposts, and bringing more settlers to live there.
25 nov 2018
Olive oil mills in the Gaza Strip are silent in November for the first time in history. The olive oil season usually begins in early October and lasts until early December. However, 2018 witnessed an early departure of the season.
Olive oil mills have closed their doors to the few customers who came with small quantities of olives this season. The crippling blockade and deteriorating economy have added insult to injury.
The Ministry of Agriculture announced that 38,587 dunums of Gaza land were planted with olives, 31,000 of which had crops. The Ministry said that each dunum produced 580 kg of olives in 2018 because of high temperature and severe crop failure.
The Ministry estimated that olive oil mills will produce 2,100 tons of oil in 2018, while Gaza's consumption of olive oil is usually close to 4,000 tons. It added that the repeated closure of Gaza crossings has adversely affected the season.
Due to the poor olive harvest, the 29 olive oil mills scattered in the Gaza Strip have finished their work three weeks earlier.
Last day of work
After prior arrangements, the Palestinian citizen Nasr Oudeh, who owns the largest olive oil mills in the Gaza Strip, has prepared a production line to receive the last amount of olives that was delayed for the purpose of raising prices.
Nasr Oudeh said that the olive oil season of 2018 ended early due to severe crop failures amounting to 75%-80%. The prices ranged 70-90 Jordanian dinars per bottle (16 kg).
"Workers at Gaza olive oil mills refused to receive any imported oil," Oudeh told the PIC, adding that Israel's tightened blockade is a major reason for the low prices.
A ton of olives is usually pressed for 350 NIS, a price that might change a little based on supply and demand.
The Israeli occupation since 2000 has bulldozed thousands of dunums of land planted with olive trees in the Gaza Strip.
Oudeh, who has worked in the field of olive oil market for over 30 years, called for planting more and more lands with olive trees. He said that Gaza is likely to start exporting olive oil by 2020.
Silent machines
Disappointment is the case at the olive oil mill of Haj Ramadan Dalloul, a place passed from one generation to another over decades.
Ramadan Dalloul told the PIC that the olive harvest was poor this season, and that work started at his mill on 17 October but did not last for 40 days as usual.
"The crops are rich in oil but the olive harvest was poor. The past years were better," he added.
Dalloul's customers came to press their olive harvest as every year, but those who used to carry a ton of olives with them came this year with only one-quarter of the amount.
"We are 10 brothers and their children in the mill. In such days the season reaches its peak. We finished work too early. Weeks of preparation and maintenance were lost in vain. We earned nothing," Dalloul said.
During this time of the year, the air along Salah al-Din Road, the main highway of the Gaza Strip, used to be filled with the smell of freshly pressed olives, but the atmosphere is different this year.
Olive oil mills have closed their doors to the few customers who came with small quantities of olives this season. The crippling blockade and deteriorating economy have added insult to injury.
The Ministry of Agriculture announced that 38,587 dunums of Gaza land were planted with olives, 31,000 of which had crops. The Ministry said that each dunum produced 580 kg of olives in 2018 because of high temperature and severe crop failure.
The Ministry estimated that olive oil mills will produce 2,100 tons of oil in 2018, while Gaza's consumption of olive oil is usually close to 4,000 tons. It added that the repeated closure of Gaza crossings has adversely affected the season.
Due to the poor olive harvest, the 29 olive oil mills scattered in the Gaza Strip have finished their work three weeks earlier.
Last day of work
After prior arrangements, the Palestinian citizen Nasr Oudeh, who owns the largest olive oil mills in the Gaza Strip, has prepared a production line to receive the last amount of olives that was delayed for the purpose of raising prices.
Nasr Oudeh said that the olive oil season of 2018 ended early due to severe crop failures amounting to 75%-80%. The prices ranged 70-90 Jordanian dinars per bottle (16 kg).
"Workers at Gaza olive oil mills refused to receive any imported oil," Oudeh told the PIC, adding that Israel's tightened blockade is a major reason for the low prices.
A ton of olives is usually pressed for 350 NIS, a price that might change a little based on supply and demand.
The Israeli occupation since 2000 has bulldozed thousands of dunums of land planted with olive trees in the Gaza Strip.
Oudeh, who has worked in the field of olive oil market for over 30 years, called for planting more and more lands with olive trees. He said that Gaza is likely to start exporting olive oil by 2020.
Silent machines
Disappointment is the case at the olive oil mill of Haj Ramadan Dalloul, a place passed from one generation to another over decades.
Ramadan Dalloul told the PIC that the olive harvest was poor this season, and that work started at his mill on 17 October but did not last for 40 days as usual.
"The crops are rich in oil but the olive harvest was poor. The past years were better," he added.
Dalloul's customers came to press their olive harvest as every year, but those who used to carry a ton of olives with them came this year with only one-quarter of the amount.
"We are 10 brothers and their children in the mill. In such days the season reaches its peak. We finished work too early. Weeks of preparation and maintenance were lost in vain. We earned nothing," Dalloul said.
During this time of the year, the air along Salah al-Din Road, the main highway of the Gaza Strip, used to be filled with the smell of freshly pressed olives, but the atmosphere is different this year.
24 nov 2018
A group of illegal Israeli colonialist settlers invaded, Saturday, a Palestinian olive orchard in the Seder area, in Turmus Ayya village, northeast of the central West Bank city of Ramallah, and uprooted dozens of olive trees.
The colonists invaded the Palestinian orchard and cut the trees although the land is just a few meters away from an Israeli military observation post overlooking it and the surrounding areas, media sources said.
They added that the farmers filed a complaint with the Israeli army and police, and that the soldiers were already in the invaded lands when the Palestinian owners arrived and saw the damage.
Such attacks and violations against the Palestinian lands have been seriously escalating, while the military fails to apprehend or conduct a serious investigation into the ongoing assaults.
The violations carried out by the illegal colonialist setters include cutting, uprooting and burning trees, flooding orchards and farmlands with wastewater, in addition to attacks against the Palestinians, their homes and cars, in addition to racist graffiti and the defacing of graveyards and holy sites, including, burning or attempting to burn mosque and churches.
The colonists invaded the Palestinian orchard and cut the trees although the land is just a few meters away from an Israeli military observation post overlooking it and the surrounding areas, media sources said.
They added that the farmers filed a complaint with the Israeli army and police, and that the soldiers were already in the invaded lands when the Palestinian owners arrived and saw the damage.
Such attacks and violations against the Palestinian lands have been seriously escalating, while the military fails to apprehend or conduct a serious investigation into the ongoing assaults.
The violations carried out by the illegal colonialist setters include cutting, uprooting and burning trees, flooding orchards and farmlands with wastewater, in addition to attacks against the Palestinians, their homes and cars, in addition to racist graffiti and the defacing of graveyards and holy sites, including, burning or attempting to burn mosque and churches.
19 nov 2018
Israeli soldiers invaded, Monday, a Palestinian agricultural land, owned by a local farmer in Ein al-Qassis area, west of the al-Khader town, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and forced a farmer along with his family out of their land.
Ahmad Salah, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the soldiers forced the farmer, Ali Ahmad Issa, and his family out of their lands, under the allegation of being in a “security zone.”
Salah stated that the land is 150 Dunams (37 Acres), and added that the soldiers and colonialist settlers have uprooted more than 400 olive saplings in that area, since the beginning of this year.
Ein al-Qassis has been subject to frequent and escalating violations, starting several years ago, after the soldiers closed the roads leaving to it, and imposed severe restrictions on the farmers, in addition to repeatedly assaulting them.
Israel is trying to control and illegally annex the remaining lands in the area for the construction and expansion of its illegal colonies.
Ahmad Salah, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the soldiers forced the farmer, Ali Ahmad Issa, and his family out of their lands, under the allegation of being in a “security zone.”
Salah stated that the land is 150 Dunams (37 Acres), and added that the soldiers and colonialist settlers have uprooted more than 400 olive saplings in that area, since the beginning of this year.
Ein al-Qassis has been subject to frequent and escalating violations, starting several years ago, after the soldiers closed the roads leaving to it, and imposed severe restrictions on the farmers, in addition to repeatedly assaulting them.
Israel is trying to control and illegally annex the remaining lands in the area for the construction and expansion of its illegal colonies.
17 nov 2018
Israeli settlers, on Saturday, reportedly attacked a Palestinian farmer, along with his family, while they were picking olives in the Jabal Jales area, to the east of Hebron city, in the occupied West Bank.
Local resident Rashed al-Tamini, who was picking olives with his family, said that settlers from a nearby illegal Israeli settlement attacked them with stones, spreading panic among them, including the children.
No injuries were reported, according to WAFA.
Almost a few days ago, settlers destroyed and uprooted fully grown olive trees belonging to al-Tamimi family, in the same area.
Also on Saturday, Palestinians planting trees on Urif village land, in the north of the West Bank, were attacked by Israeli soldiers with both live and rubber-coated bullets, and with tear gas, according to a local official.
The Fateh movement, the Wall and Settlements Resistance Commission and the Palestinian Authority’s agricultural department, in Nablus, joined hands in planting trees on Urif village land threatened with Israeli takeover.
However, even before the tree planting began, Israeli soldiers in the area fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal rounds and tear gas at the gathering, causing cases of suffocation and forcing the activists to disperse and to take cover, to avoid being hit, according to Ghassa Daghlas, from the Wall and Settlements Resistance Commission.
Urif is constantly attacked by Israeli-army backed Jewish settlers who live in illegal settlements to the south of Nablus.
Medical sources said that three Palestinians were injured from live bullets fired by soldiers, one reported in serious condition and transported to hospital.
Others were treated for rubber-coated bullet wounds and for tear gas inhalation.
Local resident Rashed al-Tamini, who was picking olives with his family, said that settlers from a nearby illegal Israeli settlement attacked them with stones, spreading panic among them, including the children.
No injuries were reported, according to WAFA.
Almost a few days ago, settlers destroyed and uprooted fully grown olive trees belonging to al-Tamimi family, in the same area.
Also on Saturday, Palestinians planting trees on Urif village land, in the north of the West Bank, were attacked by Israeli soldiers with both live and rubber-coated bullets, and with tear gas, according to a local official.
The Fateh movement, the Wall and Settlements Resistance Commission and the Palestinian Authority’s agricultural department, in Nablus, joined hands in planting trees on Urif village land threatened with Israeli takeover.
However, even before the tree planting began, Israeli soldiers in the area fired live bullets, rubber-coated metal rounds and tear gas at the gathering, causing cases of suffocation and forcing the activists to disperse and to take cover, to avoid being hit, according to Ghassa Daghlas, from the Wall and Settlements Resistance Commission.
Urif is constantly attacked by Israeli-army backed Jewish settlers who live in illegal settlements to the south of Nablus.
Medical sources said that three Palestinians were injured from live bullets fired by soldiers, one reported in serious condition and transported to hospital.
Others were treated for rubber-coated bullet wounds and for tear gas inhalation.
6 nov 2018
The Israeli military threatened on Tuesday to uproot dozens of olive trees planted on Palestinian land in the village of Bardala, in the northern Jordan Valley.
Local activist Aref Daraghmeh said the targeted olive trees date back to over 15 years and are located close to civilian homes.
Daraghmeh said the measure makes part of Israeli attempts to rein in Palestinians’ presence in the area, destabilize farmers’ agricultural activity, and seize Palestinian lands in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
Local activist Aref Daraghmeh said the targeted olive trees date back to over 15 years and are located close to civilian homes.
Daraghmeh said the measure makes part of Israeli attempts to rein in Palestinians’ presence in the area, destabilize farmers’ agricultural activity, and seize Palestinian lands in favor of illegal settlement expansion.
2 nov 2018
Palestinian farmers in Salfit villages and towns have complained that Israeli settlements, especially Ariel settlement, keep polluting their olive groves with wastewater.
Farmers told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Ariel, the second largest settlement in the occupied West Bank, was pouring sewage into the valleys of Salfit city and the towns of Hares, Kifl Hares, Bruqin and Kafr ad-Dik as well as the tourist areas of Wad al-Mutawi and Wad al-Fawwar.
The sewage coming from this settlement, in particular, is polluting the soil in those areas, especially through getting mixed with either rainwater or spring water in Wad al-Mutawi.
The settlement of Ariel has been pumping its sewage directly into nearby Palestinian areas for years, creating a dangerous and unhealthy situation for local residents and contaminating groundwater and crops.
Farmers told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Ariel, the second largest settlement in the occupied West Bank, was pouring sewage into the valleys of Salfit city and the towns of Hares, Kifl Hares, Bruqin and Kafr ad-Dik as well as the tourist areas of Wad al-Mutawi and Wad al-Fawwar.
The sewage coming from this settlement, in particular, is polluting the soil in those areas, especially through getting mixed with either rainwater or spring water in Wad al-Mutawi.
The settlement of Ariel has been pumping its sewage directly into nearby Palestinian areas for years, creating a dangerous and unhealthy situation for local residents and contaminating groundwater and crops.
