Violation: removal notices for vegetable stalls.

Location: The Jordan Valley / Tubas governorate.

Date: April 25^th 2021.

Perpetrators: Israeli Settlement Council at the Jordan Valley.

Victims: three Palestinian families.

Description:

Sunday, April 25^th 2021, three citizens from the Jordan Valley received written notices from the so-called Settlement Council in the Jordan Valley to remove their market stalls nearby bypass 90. Noting that this is the first time the so-called Jordan Valley Settlement Council issues a notice.

As mentioned in the notices, the settlement council claims that the stalls are in their “area of control”. The stalls are nearby Jordan Valley Palestinian communities. Consequently, it is a policy to impose realities on the ground, and impose administrative control on the area.

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Photos 1-3: The notices that targeted the market stalls

Photo 4: a stall that belongs to Shadi Daraghma (targeted)

Photo 5: a stall that belongs to Ibrahim Mtawe’a (targeted)

The targeted stalls belong to:

• Ibrahim Mtawe’a, owns a market stall that offers vegetables and fruits with a total area of 12 m² , Mtawe’a is the bread winner for a family of 9.
• Shadi Daraghma, owns a market stall that offers vegetables and fruits with a total area of 16 m² , Daraghma is the bread winner for a family of 13.
• Mahmoud Sawafta, owns a market stall that offers vegetables and fruits with a total area of 12 m² , Mtawe’a is the bread winner for a family of 5.

One of the affected, Mahmoud Sawafta told LRC: “The Occupation targets the stalls frequently. They were destroyed before by the civil administration, and now colonists are allowing themselves to notify them.”

Sawafta asserted: Demolishing the stalls means losing the only source of income for three families, most of them are from Jordan Valley villages. Noting that the occupation is targeting every source of income for people of the Jordan Valley, including posturing and cattle breeding, agriculture and now these small market stalls.”

The Responsible on Colonization file in Tubas Governorate: “The Occupation is trying to give administrative authorities for the so-called Jordan Valley Settlement Council to organize construction in C area. Therefore, destroy every chance of expansion or development for Palestinians. While, on the other hand, give full control and freedom for colonists in the Jordan Valley leveling to annex it in the future.”

The Palestinian Jordan Valley (Al-Ghour):[1]

The Jordan Valley is distinct for its special climate and fertile lands that are main factors to the growth a variety of crops, the Jordan valley can possibly provide vegetables and fruits for the Palestinian Market, in addition to exporting to other foreign markets. The area is blessed with water availability located above one of the largest artesian wells in Palestine.

 The Jordan Valley is located northeast the West Bank, starts from the occupied city of Bissan (north) all the way to Jericho (south), bordered by the Jordan river (east), and Tubas and Nablus governorates (west).

The Jordan Valley has a total area of (1,024,722) dunums, of which (13,000) dunums are a built-up area (only 1 % of the total area), its population is (62,876) people in 27 Palestinian communities:

The Northern Ghour (Tubas Governorate) includes: (Bardala, Ein Al-Bayda, ‘Atouf, Kardala, Al-‘Aqaba, Ibziq, Yarza, Al-Faresiya, Al-Malieh, Ras Al-Ahmar, Humsa).

The Intermediate Ghour (Nablus Governorate) includes: (An-Naseriya, Al-‘Aqrabaniya, Beit Hassan , Ein Shably).

The Southern Ghour (Jericho governorate) includes: (Marj Na’aja , Aj-Jiftlik, Fasayel, Al-‘Auja, An-Nuwe’ima, Ein Ad-Duyuk, Ein As-Sultan, Jericho, Deir Al-Qelt, Aqabet Jaber, Deir Hajla, An-Nabi Musa).

Oslo accords divided the Jordan Valley area as follows:

A area: (115,361) dunums, about 11 % of the total area of the governorate- Under Palestinian authority’s Administrative and security control.

B area: (42,951) dunums, about 4 % of the total area of the governorate- under the Palestinian Authority administrative control, and Israeli Security Control.

C area (866,409) dunums, 85 % of the total area of the governorate – under Israeli full administrative and military control.

[1] GIS-LRC

This report was prepared as part of Secure Palestinian Land & Housing Rights project activities

The Contents of this document are the responsibility of LRC and do not reflect EU position