Land Research Center

Violation: The Israeli occupation announce confiscating 8.071 dunums.

Location : Al-Khader and Beit Jala towns  / Bethlehem governorate.

Date: 01/09/2019.

Perpetrators: The Israeli occupation civil administration.

Victims: People from Al-Khader and Beit Jala.

Description:

The Israeli Occupation Civil Administration – competent Authority head “Ghassan ‘Elian” issued in the 1^st of September 2019 a resolution of Seizing and taking power of disposal in agricultural lands with a total area of 8.071 dunums for public interest. The resolution was entitled “seizure and taking power of disposal “expanding and repairing road 60” implementation of seizure order 93/1.

The military resolution states that the civil administration referred to articles 4 and 12 of lands seizure regulations for public interests, after they decided to expand and repair road 60 in Al-Khader area.

Noteworthy, the resolution means confiscating privately owned agricultural lands in Al-Khader and Beit Jala. In fact , as usual , the Israeli occupation authorities will use this resolution to impose control over wide areas around the road under several claims such as security. There are always new laws that facilitate and give legal standing for land grabs.

The announcement said that affected owners will receive reparation, but what reparation will make up for losing one’s inherited land? , owners refused the idea of reparation because world money won’t be a price for the land of ancestors. The owners grew up with the trees taking care of them day by day , how could they give up on them.

The Israeli occupation have been heavily targeting Bethlehem governorate recently, there is an escalating wave of attacks and land grabs under public interest claims, but with one purpose  which is devouring more and more of the Palestinian lands.

However, affected landowners and Al-Khader and Beit Jala municipalities unified efforts to object to the resolution.

 The targeted lands in Al-Khader and Beit Jala

About Al-Khader village:[1]

Al-Khader village is located 4 km from the western side of Bethlehem, it is bordered by Beit Jala and Batir from the north, Hussan and Nahaleen villages from the west, Aldoha, Wadi Rahhal, Beit Jala villages from the east, and Wadi Al-Nees from the south. Its population is 11,960 people in 2017. Its gross area is 8,279 donums; 184 of them are the construction area.

The Israeli colonies have despoils 29 donums from the village's lands; two are colonies existed upon a part of the lands. The first one " Efrat" was constructed in 1979 A.D; they have usurped 5.8 donums, and its population 7037 colonists. The second one " Nafy Danial" eas constructed on 1982A.D; they have usurped 23 donums, and its population is 1073 colonists. A part of which is established upon the village's lands.

The bypass roads number 60 and 375 also despoiled more than 487 donums. In addition to establishing the apartheid upon its lands which causes the demolishing of 280 donums and isolating of 5638 donums behind it. The length of this apartheid existing upon the village's land is 2,805 meters.

The village's lands are classified in accordance with Oslo concord into areas( A,B ,C). Area A composes 10% , Area B 6%, Area C is the greatest area and it is under the total occupation domination, and it composes 84% from the total area. The areas are clarified in donums as following:

Area A (808) donums

AreaB (475) donums

Area C(6,996) donums .

Land Research Center sees that grabbing and confiscating Palestinian lands is a flagrant violation of all international conventions and agreements that are related to natural resources:

Article 1 of the International convent on Civil and Political rights: part 2. All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.

  Article 17, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property

[1] GIS-LRC

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