Land Research Center

• Violation: Paving a new settlement road.
• Location: Khirbet  Um al Jmal in the northern Jordan Valley.
• Date of violation: 14/02/2025.
• Aggressor party: A group of settlers.
• Impacted party: Farmers of Wadi Al-Maleh.

Description: 

The settlers began in the early morning hours of Friday (14/2/2025) to pave a settlement road connecting the settlement outpost established in the Ein al Hilwa - Um al Jmal area with the connecting settlement road in the area, which serves a group of settlements established there, primarily the "Maskiyyot" and "Rotem - Nahal Rotem" settlements.

 It is noted that the road being implemented is approximately 900 meters long and four meters wide, directly reaching the settlement outpost that was established in November 2024, threatening to control the largest possible area of agricultural and grazing lands. 

Later, towards the end of November 2024, the field research team at the Land Research Center documented settlers placing three mobile housing units on endowment lands belonging to the Patriarchate in the Ein al Hilwa - Um al Jmal area. This occurred after the settlers forcibly displaced the Palestinian community of Ein al Hilwa - Um al Jmal from their homes, pushing them towards the nearby village of Bardala. This move was a prelude to the establishment of the new colonial outpost in Ein al Hilwa - Um al Jmal, which initially began with the placement of several caravans. Today, the development continues with the construction of a colonial road, aiming to legalize the outpost as a full-fledged settlement rather than just an outpost, as has been the case with similar colonial expansions under Israeli occupation policies. 

Mr. Mahdi Daraghmeh, head of the Al-Maleh community, stated to the LRC researcher:

"What is happening is a continuation of the displacement of Palestinian citizens and the consolidation of the newly established colonial outpost. The road constructed by the settlers passes near the Ein al Hilwa - Um al Jmal spring, which means that the settlers will have full control over the spring. It is not unlikely that after completing this road, the settlers will seek to expand the outpost further and even fully legalize it, turning it into a new settlement in the heart of the northern Jordan Valley."

It is worth noting that the settlers' actions followed the displacement of the residents of the Ein al Hilwa - Um al Jmal community, the majority of whom belong to the Arab al Ka'abneh . The field researcher documented large-scale displacement operations in 2024, noting that the community had been demolished multiple times in the years 2012, 2014, and 2015.

The image above shows Um al-Jamal before its displacement

Looking at the history of the Um al-Jamal area, it is evident that the region holds significant historical importance dating back many years. The historical landmarks that adorn the area, along with its natural spring, clearly highlight its importance. Until not long ago, it was a vital destination for farmers and livestock herders. However, under the ongoing colonial expansion, settlers have seized the site and expelled the Palestinian residents. Today, the settlers are accelerating the daily process of Judaization in the area.

Land Confiscation Violates International Laws

What Israel is doing in the occupied Palestinian territories constitutes a violation of the rights of the Palestinian people and their land, as well as a breach of international laws and norms. Below are key provisions from international laws and treaties that prohibit Israeli settlement in Palestinian territories and protect civil and public property in occupied lands, along with relevant United Nations resolutions.

Lahai Convention / 1907

• Article 46: The occupying state is prohibited from confiscating private property.
• Article 55: The occupying state acts as an administrator of the land in the occupied territory and must treat the property of the occupied country as private property.

Fourth Geneva Convention / 1949

• Article 49: The occupying power is not allowed to transfer its own citizens into the territories it occupies or take any measures that would alter the demographic composition of those territories.
• Article 53: The occupying forces are prohibited from destroying personal or collective property, whether belonging to individuals, the state, or any authority in the occupied country.
• Article 147: The destruction and seizure of property on a large scale, when not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly, is considered a grave breach.
• مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC IV   - FCDO

  Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of Land Research Center and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the project donor; the Norwegian Refugee Council.

  إخلاء المسؤولية: الآراء ووجهات النظر الواردة في هذا التقرير هي آراء ووجهات نظر مركز أبحاث الأراضي ولا تعكس بالضرورة وجهات نظر أو مواقف الجهة المانحة للمشروع؛ المجلس النرويجي. للاجئين