Land Research Center

• Violation: Destroying irrigation pools and sabotaging palm trees.

Location: Aj-Jiftlik village / Jericho governorate.

Date: 5+6 August 2020.

Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Authorities – The Israeli Occupation Civil Administration.

Victims: three farmers and their families.

Description:

The Israeli Occupation is heavily targeting agricultural sector in the Jordan Valley area especially in Aj-Jiftlik village, Agriculture is considered the main source of income, but farmers have to struggle against the occupation’s arbitrary measurements.

Sabotaging 60 palm saplings:

Massive army forces accompanied by the government properties officer raided Khirbet Allan in Aj-Jiftlik on Monday, August 5^th 2020, and carried on cutting and destroying 60 palm trees aging (5 years old). During the operation, the occupation authorities destroyed (90m*4 inches) water lines in 2 dunums .

 pictures after the assault

The targeted plot belongs to Anwar Abu Juda from Aj-Jiftlik , the occupation authorities claim that it is an Israeli governmental property.

In May 2020, the occupation gave Abu Juda an “eviction notice” on his plot on the pretext of using governmental properties , and a “removal notice” on his barracks within 96 hours (military order 1797 for 2018).

Noteworthy, Abu Juda have always been a target of Israeli arbitrary measurements, in 2013 the occupation forces demolished a barracks at the same location , and during this year 2020 , the occupation confiscated a barracks and iron sheets allegedly because they are unlicensed.

Destroying three water pools:

Thursday, August 6^th 2020, Massive army forces accompanied by a military bulldozer raided Aj-Jiftlik and targeted 3 irrigation pools in Aj-Jiftlik .

 The targeted irrigation pools received a halt of work notice last may, and were implemented by Agricultural Development Association (PARC) in 2019.

The following table shows more information about the targeted pools:

Muneer Manasra told LRC:

“ Aj-Jiftlik suffers from Water shortage after the Israeli occupation looted the Jordan valley’s groundwater , while residents of the area depend mainly on agriculture for living , the irrigation pools provided a solution for farmers suffering from lack of water , despite all our efforts , the occupation refused to provide us with a license , and carried out the demolition.”

Aj-Jiftlik village council head Ahmad Al-Ghawanma told LRC:

“Aj-Jiftlik flows over a sea of groundwater, but its farmers suffer from water shortage because the occupation looted all the groundwater in the Jordan Valley.”

Al-Ghawanma asserted:

“There are several initiatives from Palestinian NGOs, to establish water harvesting projects in the Jordan valley, but the occupation always destroys any projects that may enhance the quality of life in the area or help farmers.”

Tens of farmers lost their jobs and/or their source of income due to the occupation arbitrary measurements that target the Jordan Valley.

About al- Jiftlik:[1]

It is located 35km to the northern part of Jericho city and is edged by the village of Beit Dajan from the northwest and Massua colony from the west. The village has a population of 3100 people until 2017 and has a total land area of 185031 dunums of which 1110 dunums are built-up area. Noteworthy, the occupation expropriated around 12040 dunums from the village as follows:

• 3207 dunums were confiscated for the favor of establishing colonies in the nearby.

• 3328 dunums were confiscated for the bypass roads no. (90, 505, and 508).

• 5505 dunums were confiscated for the favor of military camps

[1] GIS-LRC

This report was created with the financial support of the EU

The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of LRC , and do not in any way reflect the positions of the European Union