Violation: Closing off As-Sakut spring.

Location: As-Sakut area / east the northern Jordan Valley.

Date: May 30^th 2021.

Perpetrators: a group of Israeli Colonists.

Victims: People of the area especially farmers.

Description:

Sunday evening, May 30^th 2021, Israeli illegal colonists closed off the gate of a siege that surrounds ‘Ein As-Sakut spring at the Jordan Valley.

The gate will prevent Palestinian farmers and visitors from exploiting and enjoying the spring. While colonists will easily reach and enjoy using the spring, noting that the metal siege was installed around the spring last March by illegal colonists under the protection of the occupation forces.

Depriving Palestinian farmers from their only source of water is a violation of International Humanitarian Law and a breach of the Israeli Supreme court resolution in 2014 (which admitted that the Palestinian people have the right to exploit As-Sakut spring).

Photos 1-4: The Siege around As-Sakut spring

During the past few years, colonists were trying to take over As-Sakut lands and close off the area to Palestinian farmers and visitors, and hinder any developmental projects. Two years ago, the occupation destroyed irrigation networks that provide water for 3500 dunums of agricultural lands in As-Sakut , implemented within a project by Palestinian Agricultural Development Association (NGO). In early 2019 , the occupation forces closed off the road that leads to As-Sakut spring via cement blocks, and now a siege was sat up around the spring , and Palestinian farmers were denied entry.

Before 1967, As-Sakut was full of farmers producing a variety of agricultural products and was a destination for agricultural investments. After 1967 , the occupation Authorities took over it and planted it with landmines as the area is at the borders of Jordan . However, in 2011 the landmines were dismantled, which was followed by a scheme to take over fertile lands at the location (3500 dunums) originally belong to Palestinians, the scheme failed after owners filed a petition to the supreme court in 2012, and where able to regain their right to the land and returning it to its original owners in 2014, but illegal colonists are still trying day and night to illegally seize the land to use it in future colonial projects.

Noteworthy, Colonists are trying to take over most water springs in C area, Protected by the Israeli Occupation forces. In 2021, Israeli Colonists targeted three water springs including: ‘Ein Al-Hilweh spring east Tubas; colonists brought construction materials, built a pool and changed features of the spring.  Second, ‘Ein Fasayil Spring in Jericho; a group of colonists closed off a spring and prohibited Palestinian owners from approaching the location. Israeli Occupation Authorities and colonists are trying to make life in tolerant for residents in order to drive them out of the area.

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