Violation: The occupation halts opening a road.

Location : Wad Abu Za’arour – Tuqu’ / Bethlehem governorate.

Date: 19/03/2019.

Location : The Israeli occupation forces.

Victims: People of Tuqu’.

Description:

Thursday, 19  March 2019, the Israeli occupation forces halted work on an agricultural road in Tuqu’ , under claims of working in an Israeli state’s property.

Mahmoud from Tuqu’ municipality told LRC reporter:

“The occupation troops invaded the working site and halted work on the road and threatened to confiscate tools, after disputes between the tools’ owners and the occupation troops , the tools remained in the hands of the owners”

Mamoud asserted : “the targeted road  was supposed to lead to provide access to wide areas of agricultural lands , and have an area of 1 km * 5 m, it is implemented by LRC and funded by the Italian institution CRIC.”

Tuqu’ municipality suggested opening the road , in order to facilitate farmers access to their lands , for cultivation and development and protecting the area from colonial expansion.

Noteworthy, Israeli settlers try to lay their hands on privately owned Palestinian plots in Tuqu’ , through placing barracks and  cultivating them ,  and attacking owners whenever they try to stop them.

Despite that there are several UN general council resolutions regarding Palestinian rights and illegality of settlements. Despite that,  settlers’ expansion and attacks increase daily throughout the years.

About Tuqu':[1]

5 Km south Bethlehem, Tuqu’ is surrounded by Ash-Shawawra, Za’atara, Khalet Al-Hadad and Jannatah (north), Marah Ma’ala, Al-Ma’asara and Beit Fajar (West), the Dead sea (East), Kissan village (South).

Tuqu’ has a population of 8767 people in 2017 census. The village has a total area of 199,634 dunums, of which 1627 dunums are the town’s built up area , which includes ( Tuqu’, Khirbet Ad-Dear, Al-Mansheyeh, Beit Fajar, Kissan, Al-Menyeh, Al-Holqum, Wadi Mohammad, Khirbet Tuqu’ and Marah Ma’ala.”

The Israeli occupation authorities devoured about 1570 dunums for the following purposes:

“Tquah” settlement was established in 1977 , on 1,033 dunums of Palestinian confiscated lands, inhabited by 1,116 settlers.

“Mushki Dar Got” was established in 1991, and confiscated 93 dunums.

“Nokdim” was established in 1982 , and confiscated 345 dunums, inhabited by 646 people.

Bypass roads 356/3157/3670 devoured more than 99 dunums.

Oslo accords divided the land into C and B areas :

B area: 3,954 dunums.

C area: 195,680 dunums / of which 46,841 dunums are a natural reserve.

[1] GIS-LRC

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