Palestinian village loses half its land for Israeli Wall construction

Friday November 16, 2007 15:44 by Ali Samoudi - IMEMC News

Toura al Gharbeyah is a West Bank village located southwest of the city ofJenin.  The village has lost half its total land area for the construction of the Israeli Annexation Wall.

According to Tareq Kabaha, head of the village council, the most fertile land has been annexed by the construction of the Wall.  Kabaha said that the total area of the land confiscated for the construction of the Wall is 1000 Dunums, most of which are agricultural land.

Kabaha added that there have been certain instances in which Israeli soldiers have fired at farmers and cattle herders that came too near to the fences.

Israeli soldiers have hindered the farmers from reaching their land, using 'security' as the reason.  A gate has been constructed in the electrified series of fences, at which the Palestinians must present permits to cross.

The farmers must apply to the Israeli authorities for permits, and only a few of the farmers have been able to receive the permits to reach their land.  The ones who did not have suffered severe financial losses due to being unable to farm.

If the farmers cannot cross through the gate, either because they have no permit, or because the gate is closed (as it is most of the time), they must travel a long distance to go around to reach their land.  The fence does not fully prevent anyone from crossing, just makes it more inconvenient, making the Israeli army's 'security' reasoning irrelevant.

Khader Fares Mas'oud, is a resident who is working hard to get a permit to reach his confiscated land, which is the only source of livelihood for sixty members of his extended family.  According to the head of the village council, Mas'oud's land is located in the spot where Israeli forces have expanded their military base.

Fathi Musleh Kabaha, another farmer, was fired upon by Israeli soldiers while he was working his land, and was expelled from his land by the soldiers.

The village council head, Tareq Kabaha, said that Israeli procedures and restrictions have negatively impacted all of the village's 1300 residents.  Many of the residents depend for their income on work across the 1967 border with Israel known as the Green Line.  Since Israel closed off access to those jobs, those workers have been forced to depend on their families' income from farming.  But now even that has become impossible, as the lands have been confiscated by Israel.

Israeli authorities have also prevented any construction anywhere near the Wall.  They have refused to issue any construction permits, and have demolished the home of Naji Taher Kabaha, then handed over demolition orders of barns located in the same area.

Translated by Manar Jibrin, edited by Saed Bannoura

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