Violation: Colonists assaults Olive trees.

Location: Ras Karkar Village / Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate.

Date: April 5^th 2023.

Perpetrators: Nirya Colony illegally built on the Ras Karkar lands.

Victims: Farmer ‘Azmi Samhan .

Description:

Wednesday , April 5^th 2023 , a group of radical colonists sneaked to “Bab Al-Mureeh” , and “’Iraq At-Tarrar” area north east Ras Karkar Village in Ramallah Governorate, and viciously cut and sabotaged about 15 olive trees aging more than 15 years old , which rendered in complete partial and total damage. The targeted trees belong to farmer ‘Azmi Samjan who supports a family of 8 , among them 4 females and a child.

Farmer ‘Azmi Samhan told LRC:

“I own about 11 dunums northeast Ras Karkar village , 5 years ago Illegal colonists built Nirya outpost on 300 m of my land , and 10 years ago, I had planted the land with olive trees, which I took care of very well despite all the challenges , and the frequent assaults on the trees and my family whenever we visit the land.”

During the past years, LRC documentd a number of assaults against trees and Palestinian properties, and despite all the complaints filed to the Israeli Police nothing was done to stop the assaults.

Samhan asserted:

 “The Trees provide a source of income for the family yearly , and despite what happened I will continue to take care of the land”.  

Ras Karkar[1]:

15 kilometers north west of Ramallah, Ras Karkar is about 500 m above sea level, and has a total area of 5,050 dunums, of which 330 dunums are a built-up area.

Ras Karkar is surrounded by Deir ‘Ammar (north), Kafr Ni’ma and Deir Ibziq (south), Al Jania (east), Bani Harth (west).

Ras Karkar has a population of 1956 people according to statistics conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 2017.

The Israeli occupation devoured more than 32 dunums of the lands of the village for Talmon C colony which was built in 1989. Moreover, bypass number ‘463 took over 295 dunums of the village lands.

According to Oslo Accords, 19% of Ras Karkar is under Area B (PA has full civil and security control) while most of the village lands (81%) is under Area C (Israel maintains full security and administrative control). Here is the area in dunums:

• Area B (940) dunums
• Area C (4110) dunums

[1] LRC – GIS.