Category: Nablus - Page 14 - International Solidarity Movement

Israeli settlers use chainsaw to destroy over 60 olive trees near Nablus

23rd June 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwwara Team | Nablus, Occupied Palestine

On Sunday, 21st of June, residents of the Jamma’in village in the Nablus region discovered that Israeli settlers had cut down over 60 Palestinian owned olive trees. They suspect that the trees had been destroyed the previous day with a chain saw. The trees were owned by farmers from both Jamma’in and Yasuf, both villages are situated close to each other just south of Nablus.

The olive trees were said to be over 150 years old and have been harvested by generations of the Zeiden family, as well as others from the Yasuf village. 40 of these trees belonged to three brothers from the Zeiden family, who when witnessed the destruction to their land said, ‘We have lost our livelihood’. With the olive harvest only a few months away, this year the family will lose a major portion of their income from the production of olives and oil.

The brothers explained how devastated they felt after seeing the trees cut down. They said that after they themselves had spent tens of years seeing that the trees were well kept and healthy, and then harvesting them yearly, it wasn’t only an economic catastrophe but also emotionally traumatic. For the brothers, and other locals, the trees had become symbols of years of memories, which they have now lost.

Yesterday, another resident of Jamma’in accompanied a Palestinian agricultural development group (PARC) to the area but were stopped by Israeli military who had blocked the road leading to the land. After finding another route, the group documented the destruction. They described it as very upsetting to see the tree branches laying on the ground with the olives almost ready to harvest, ‘We were very sad to see that the trees had been cut and were completely destroyed so close to the harvest time’.

nablus1 — The damage that settlers did to Palestinian olive trees.

The land surrounding these villages has also been targeted in the past. Two years ago Jamma’in residents faced a similar attack from Israeli settlers who destroyed more of their olive trees. Not only have the settlers targeted the local livelihood but they have also been physically violent. There are regular attacks on farmers throughout the year but they face more danger of settler violence leading up to and during the olive harvest. Many locals label the settlers from the illegal Kfar Tappuah settlement terrorist because of their repeated use of excessive violence on unarmed civilians.

The 505 road that connects Tel Aviv and the illegal settlement Ariel also causes continued issues for Palestinians living in this area. The Israeli settlers often stop their cars when passing Palestinian farmers, or anyone trying to cross the road, to intimidate them by brandishing their weapons and shouting abuse. The farmers with land close to the road and settlements have also been physically attacked and had their crops stolen by settlers during the harvest.

The Israeli occupation forces do not intervene during these attacks and in this instance it is presumed that Israeli courts will claim the trees were cut by an unknown person, meaning the farmers will be unable to receive any compensation.

All photo credit goes to Jamma’in municipality.

Life in a refugee camp – New Askar, Nablus

11th May 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwarra Team | New Askar, Nablus, Occupied Palestine

New Askar refugee camp is situated north-east of Nablus in the Askar area. It was created in 1965 to accommodate the increased number of refugees who were living in (old) Askar Camp that was established in 1950 after hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes in the Nakba. This ethnic cleansing of 1948 was part of the creation of Israel. The camp has since grown to a total of 6.000 people living on an area of 0.5 km². This high density creates both a claustrophobic and at time a dangerous environment.

Located in Area C, under full Israeli control, it does not have the status of a refugee camp. This means that if the occupation was to end and refugees were able to return to their hometowns, those living in New Askar would not be given this right. They cannot take part in the elections of Nablus municipality either. Instead, the camp has its own internal government and elections take place every two years. All political parties, except for Hamas, are represented and currently there are nine elected men and two women.

But although the camp has a good level of self-organisation, many problems remain unsolved; one of the main ones being drugs. The camp is plagued with drug dealers and as it is located in Area C, there is no presence of Palestinian police. The camp is also open to local settlers, Israeli soldiers and Samaritans to come and buy whatever they want.

Another issue is health. Until 2007, there were no public services and even today they are extremely limited. Islamic Relief in the US and the Norwegian government have helped provide for a clinic and a school. However, there is only one doctor for the whole of the camp’s population and there is no help from the Palestinian Authority, their presence is only seen at times of election.

The director of the youth centre, Nasser, explained to us that all children of the camp, (60% of the population), are now able to have primary education on site, whereas they have to travel to Nablus for their secondary education. “We need to build the minds of our children, explain their real history which has been denied them for so long.” And their history has been politically very active, as is the case with most refugee camps. Throughout both the first and second Intifadas, the majority of resistance fighters came from the camps, which endured a particularly significant Israeli military presence. During these times, New Askar withstood high levels of structural loss, 65% of its youth was arrested and at least 200 residents were injured and 30 were killed. Many years later, the living conditions remain challenging and unemployment has reached 70% of the adult population.

"We will return". The camp's walls are covered in graffiti of resistance — “We will return”. The camp’s walls are covered in graffiti of resistance

Living in such an intense area, as much demographically as socially, a community full of gossip and internal problems has developed. Nonetheless, “Here, no one will go to bed without food or sleep on the street. In the end, we will all help each other out”, comments Nasser.

He continues by saying that he is in favour of one state. “This land is for all of us. We need to share and we have the right to live here, including the Jews, but not the Israelis”. In the past, Samaritans, Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together side by side. But now, “We have become a small Palestine here. People are refugees from all over 48 [term used to describe what is now called Israel], we are refugees in our own country”.

UPDATE: Shepherds in Salem

7th May 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Huwarra Team | Salem, Occupied Palestine

Update 14th May:

The wheat is not ready for harvest yet. The call for people to help the shepherds and farmers on their land is postponed until next Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd. Please come in numbers as the Israeli forces are making it harder and harder for them to live of their land.

*******

The farmers and shepherds of Salem, near Nablus, are asking for you help. They are being beaten, humiliated and pushed off their land. They are asking you to join them on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th to help them save their harvest.

Mahfouda - shepherd from Salem who's worked her land for 40 years — Mahfouda – shepherd from Salem who’s worked her land for 40 years

In the village of Salem, near Nablus, the wheat is ready for harvesting. Once the crop has been collected, the sheep and goats will graze on the leftovers in the field and the shepherds will then milk them in order to make cheese and butter. The animal’s droppings are dispersed on the land; a perfect cycle is created.

However, Israeli occupation forces have forbidden the farmers from harvesting the wheat and forbidden the shepherds from crossing the road that cuts through their land, dividing it in two. See report written by the International Women’s Peace Service here.

Harassment happens on a daily basis and many of the shepherds can recount life-threatening stories. This is the case with Rabih, for instance. Only five days ago, as he was taking his sheep out to graze and was accompanied by his young nephew who was going out into the fields to work for the first time in his life; Israeli soldiers arrived. They pointed their guns to his brother’s head, threw his nephew to the ground and attacked Rabih with the butt of an M16 rifle. They ordered Rabah to take his clothes off. When Rabih refused they beat him and took him away blindfolded and handcuffed and threw him out hours later in the middle of the countryside. “I am getting used to being humiliated”.

Shepherds and farmers are asking for a large number of people to accompany them on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th May. From early in the morning, they will attempt to work a part of their land to the east of Salem that the occupation forces are preventing them from using. A call out will be made on the mosque’s megaphone to gather as many people from the village as possible.

These dates are coordinated with the 67th anniversary of Naqba day, when the ethnic cleansing of Palestine started. in 2014, 67% of Palestinians were registered as refugees or Internally Displaced Persons, according to UNWRA. Until today, they have not been allowed to return to their homes. Those who have been ‘lucky enough’ to not be pushed out are living either as third class citizen within the now called state of Israel, or under military occupation inside the West Bank and Gaza. Many Palestinians live from their land and it is part of the whole zionist expansion plan to grab more and more of it by whatever means possible.

Come and work with the farmers and shepherds of Salem, along with many others from the village, to help repossess their stolen land. Extra presence throughout the whole harvest season is also being called for as the attacks and threats are ongoing.

For more information, you can get in touch with ISM: palreports@gmail.com

Successful olive tree planting action in Bruqin

4th April 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Salfit Region, Occupied Palestine

On 4th April 2015 over 25 Palestinian activists from Bruqin and the surrounding area of Salfit region of the West Bank, gathered on top of a near by hill to plant roughly 30 olive saplings. The group were joined by international activists who accompanied the locals in planting the young trees across the hill side.

Unusually, this time the protesters managed to successfully plant all trees mere meters from the settlement without facing harassment or violence from settlers or military. Locals are planning further actions to continue their grass-roots non-violent struggle.

Activists digging in Bruqin (photo by ISM) — Activists preparing for olive tree planting in Bruqin (photo by ISM)

Today’s tree planting was an act of resistance against the expansion of Ariel West Industrial Park, an illegal Israeli settlement originally colonized by Israel in 1999. As in the rest of the West Bank, this settlement growth is causing daily life of Palestinians in the villages of Bruqin and Kufr al-Dik to steadily deteriorate. Land is progressively being confiscated for settlement growth, sewage from settlements flows freely onto Palestinian owned land, including between the village houses. Despite plentiful water resources, water for the Palestinians is highly restricted. There is not nearly enough land to support Palestinian population growth.

To the north of the villages is the settlement of Bruchin, to the north west are Alei Zahav and Lesham, to the north east is Ariel, to the west is the Industrial Zone, and to the South-West Peduel settlement. This illegal expansion is referred to by some as the ‘long finger of the occupation’; it’s aim is to divide the occupied West Bank in two halves, separating Nablus from Ramallah. Ariel West forms part of the “Ariel Finger”- a zone of settlements stretching from the 1948 Green Line towards the Jordan Valley. If completed, this settlement area would cut the West Bank in half. Salfit, Nablus and Jenin would be separated from the southern West Bank.

Areas in and around illegal Israeli settlements are classified as “Area C” under the Oslo Agreement. Palestinians who own land in area C are banned from doing almost any work or making any changes on their land. They can neither plant a tree, nor move a stone; if they do, the Israeli military will come and order them to return the land back to its original state or face demolition. At the same time if the land is not worked on for three years Israel will confiscate it using an old Ottoman law. In almost all such cases, the land confiscated from Palestinians would be handed over to illegal settlements.

By planting trees in the shadow of Ariel West settlement, Palestinians are reaffirming their ownership of the land in the face of the Occupation.

Ongoing harassment and restrictions on farmers around Nablus

12th March 2015 | International Solidarity Movement, Nablus Team | Burin, Salim, and Awarta, Occupied Palestine

Early spring marks an important time of the year for farmers around Nablus, where critical work must be done to ensure a quality olive harvest in October. In high tension regions, where farmers risk settler attacks while accessing their land, District Coordination Offices have negotiated to ensure specific days when Palestinians can access their land under the “supervision” of Israeli forces.

In Burin, farming has been severely restricted by harassment from the surrounding Yizhar and Bracha illegal settlements. Sunday 8th March was the first of only three days in which farmers of Burin were permitted to access their own land. On this day, farmers attempting to reach their olive trees found 75 cut down and the road blocked by large stones, placed by settlers from the nearby illegal settlements. The following day, 3 villagers on tractors were attacked by settlers who threw stones from the hilltops. Israeli forces declared the area a closed military zone and the Palestinians were forced to leave. This restriction remained in place for what would have been their final access day.

Burin road block — Settlers blocked the road to Burin’s farmland with a stone barrier – Photo by Palestinian farmer in Burin

Settler harassment is common in Burin, with tensions running high during this critical period which also coincides with the 40 days of mourning since the death of 19 year old Ahmad Al-Najar.

grafitti Burin — Hebrew graffiti reads “God is King” on a Burin house which has been abandoned due to its proximity to settlements

The story is similar in nearby Salim, where Palestinian farmers found 300 olive trees uprooted by Israeli forces. Furthermore, in nearby Azmut it has been reported that farmers’ bulldozers have been confiscated and 2 men arrested on the grounds that the area is now classified as an Israeli Nature Reserve.

On Tuesday, ISM volunteers accompanied farmers from Awarta village as they plowed the land around their olive groves. Trees in this valley are reported to be from Roman times, along the ancient route to Jordan.

olive tree awarta — Roman-era olive trees in Awarta village

Local residents explained that turning the soil increases crop quality, removing weeds and thus competition for water and nutrients. Military presence had been limited thus far, with little contact with settlers. In previous years, clashes have broken out with residents of the illegal settlement of Itamar, which has recently constructed an access road through the farming land.

Many farmers have only 3 weeks a year in total to access their land; up to a week for plowing and around two weeks for harvesting their entire crop. Access outside of these periods entails high risk of settler attacks and military force. Thus crops are left vulnerable to settlers, with many trees cut down, burnt, poisoned, or used as for grazing livestock, damaging soils and young trees. Restricted access also significantly diminishes the ability to establish new crops as water and nutrient requirements are far greater in this time. As a result, many farmers are choosing to leave their land and find other means of income.