Violation: Ravaging lands and uprooting trees in Battir town.

Location: Al-Khammar area – Battir town / Bethlehem governorate.

Date: 19/06/2019.

Perpetrator: The Israeli occupation bulldozers.

Victims: Khalil Abu Na’ema , Omar Al-Qaissi, Jawwad Al-Qaissi.

Description:

Wednesday, June 19/ 2019, the Israeli occupation bulldozers raided Al-Khammar area in Battir town , and ravaged agricultural land , demolished retaining walls under claims that these lands belong to the Israeli state.

Lara Ghattoush from Battir municipality told LRC the following:

“The Israeli occupation forces barbarically ravaged the land , despite the fact that the owners have ownership deeds prove they own the land.”

Noteworthy Al-Khammar has a significant location up the mountain overlooking Al-Makhrour , Al-Walaja and Battir , which explains the occupation’s greed to take over it, settlers are already trying to put caravans on the plot , while the Israeli occupation forces are prohibiting real owners of the land from using or cultivating their properties claiming that the area is in the Israeli state custody.

Ghattoush asserted:

 “Owners of the plot, prepared their papers to defend their property on the Israeli court, they are now forced to stand before the Israeli “Judiciary” system as the last hope to save their plot.”

Agriculture is a keystone in the Palestinian economy, but it is also heavily targeted by the Israeli arbitrary measures, such as prohibiting opening agricultural roads, or rehabilitating agricultural lands, in addition to settler’s attacks on trees such as torching and uprooting them.

In the 28^th session of Human rights Council , states called “ upon Israel to cease all settlement activities without preconditions; to immediately initiate a process of withdrawal of all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory; and to ensure adequate, effective and prompt remedy for all Palestinian victims for the harm suffered as a consequence of human rights violations that were a result of the settlements, in accordance with its international obligation to provide effective remedy. The mission noted that, where necessary, steps should be taken to provide such remedy in concurrence with the representatives of the Palestinian people and the assistance of the international community”.

The Israeli occupation arbitrary policies are a violation of the basic rights of Palestinians that are guaranteed by international conventions and agreements.

 land ravaging in Battir

About Battir :[1]

The village is located 7km to the western side of Bethlehem. It is edged by the occupied lands of 1948 from the north and west, al-Walaja village from the northeast, and Husan village from the south.

Battir has a total population of 5117 people until 2014 and has a total land area of 6681 dunum, 832 of which are built-up area.

Oslo Accords divided the lands of Battir as follows:

1467 dunums are classified as area B

5214 dunums are classified as area C

The contents of this document is the sole responsibility of LRC and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union

[1] GIS-LRC