Land Research Center

Violation: demolition and confiscation of a residential tent and an agricultural tent.

Location: Kafr Malik - Ein Samiya / Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate.

Violation date: May 24, 2022.

The aggressor: the so-called building inspector of the Israeli Civil Administration.

Affected party: Citizen Juma'a Salem Salama Ghunaimat.

Violation details:

On the morning of Tuesday, May 24, 2022, the Israeli occupation army raided the Ein Samiya area, east of the village of Kafr Malik in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh governorate, and confiscated a residential tent of an area of 90 m², and an agricultural tent of an area of 60 m², containing 120 sheep. Their ownership belongs to Juma'a Salem Ghunaimat, who supports a family of seven, including (4) females and (4) children.

As the area was stormed by a private Israeli company and a truck protecting the occupation army, the citizen was given a written order of confiscation, and the confiscated materials were transferred to an unknown destination.

The affected citizen, Juma'a Salem Ghunaimat, told the Land Research Center's field researcher the following:

“I have lived in the Ain Samiya area for more than 25 years, and breeding sheep is my main source of income. In 2019 I received a military notification to vacate the site under the pretext of attacking antiquities according to the description of the occupation. The occupation took everything from us, they left nothing for me to live.”

He also added:

“The occupation does not leave us alone. Three years ago, the colonists burned the bales of straw we collected for animal feed. They also attacked us in the pastures, and stole our agricultural equipment. They are trying to pressure us to leave the area, and this is impossible to happen”.

Ain Samiya area in the targeting circle:

It is noteworthy that the Ain Samiya area, east of the village of Kafr Malik, is considered an important tourist and agricultural heritage, as a large number of civilizations passed through the area through the history, due to its abundance of water and fertility of the land. However, since the 1990s, agriculture began to decline in the area, and even the number of tourists coming to it has become scarce. Today, the Ain Samiya area is surrounded by a large number of settlements, including the “Kokhab Hashahar” settlement, the “Adi Ad” settlement and the “Ahia” outpost, in addition to the occupation army camps that are spread here and there, and this in turn has limited tourism and agricultural investment, which has become fraught with risks there. Today, the occupation seeks to vacate the area by imposing strict restrictions that limit residency there or even land use, Among the most prominent of these restrictions is the declaration of vast areas as archaeological sites, which are prohibited to be disposed of in any way.

A glimpse on Kafr Malik village[1]

The village of Kafr Malik is located 15 km from the northeastern side of the city of Ramallah. It is bordered to the north by Khirbet Abu Falah and Al-Mughayer village, to the west by Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiah village, to the east by Al-Mughir and Al-Auja villages, and to the south by Deir Jarir village.

Its population is (2946) people as of (2017) AD.

The total area of the village is 51,891 dunums, of which 911 dunums are built up area.

About 1645 dunums of its lands were confiscated by the occupation as follows:

• The settlement of "Kokhavashahar" looted 380 dunums. It was established in 1977, and about 1,367 colonists live in it;

• Bypass Road No. 458 looted more than 726 dunums;

• The occupation looted 539 dunums to set up camps for the occupation army on.

The village lands are classified according to the Oslo Agreement as followed:

- Areas classified as B (6,574) dunums;.

- Areas classified as C (45,317) dunums.

[1] Source: GIS Unit - Land Research Center.