2023-12-17
Violation Type: Assault by colonizers on agricultural land.
Location: Lands of Deir Sharaf village, Nablus Governorate.
Date of Violation: December 17, 2023.
Perpetrators: A group of settlers from the pastoral outpost.
Affected Party: Farmer Diyab Mustafa Faqha.
Description:
On the morning of Wednesday, December 17, 2023, the "Ras Qabus" area, located northeast of Deir Sharaf village, witnessed an assault by settlers from the pastoral colonial outpost situated on the outskirts of Deir Sharaf. The targeted piece of land spans four dunams and is owned by farmer Diyab Mustafa Faqha, who supports a family of six, including three females and one child. The settlers cut down and damaged 50 fig seedlings with sharp tools, completely destroying them. They also uprooted and damaged a 200-meter-long metal fence partially surrounding the land.
The farmer, upon visiting his land on Monday afternoon, was shocked to discover what the settlers had done. The land is located no less than 900 meters away from the random colonial outpost.
The affected farmer, Diyab Mustafa Faqha, informed a researcher from the Land Research Center, saying: "While I was on my land, I noticed a group of settlers grazing sheep near my land. Despite the tense security situation in the area, I regularly visit the land with one of my sons to check on it. However, I was surprised by the destruction, feeling that the settlers had pre-planned to attack my land, as shown by their suspicious movements. The destruction included cutting seedlings and uprooting the fence. I reported the incident to the Palestinian Civil Liaison and filed an official complaint. I am now working to replant and care for the land once again."
Deir Sharaf village has faced multiple attacks from settlers, who have targeted olive trees and repeatedly assaulted farmers by preventing them from using or cultivating their lands.
Overview of Deir Sharaf Village[1]:
Deir Sharaf village is located 7 km northwest of Ramallah and is bordered by the villages of Burqa and Ramin to the north, Beit Lid to the west, An-Naqura and Sebastia to the east, and Qusin and Kafr Qaddum to the south.
The village had a population of 2,949 as of 2017, and its total area is 7,745 dunams, including 403 dunams for village construction.
Israeli settlements have seized 265 dunams of village land, with part of it occupied by the settlement of "Shavei Shomron," established in 1977, 265 dunums of village lands were confiscated , housing 604 settlers.
Additionally, bypass roads No. 60 and No. 557 have taken over 823 more dunams.
According to the Oslo Accords, the village lands are classified into areas B and C. Area B constitutes 20% of the land, while Area C, under full Israeli control, represents 80%. Here is a breakdown by dunam:
Source: GIS Unit – Land Research Center.
مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC 11
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
