Violation: Closure of agricultural roads coinciding with the start of the olive harvest season.
Location: Bidya town / Salfit Governorate.
Date of violation: 09/10/2024.
Perpetrator: Israeli occupation forces.
Affected party: More than 60 families affected.

Description:
 On Wednesday morning, October 9, 2024, the Israeli occupation forces closed agricultural roads used by farmers in the town of Bidya, west of Salfit, by placing metal gates on these roads, which farmers use to reach their lands during the current olive harvest season.

The occupation forces placed the first gate at the entrance to the "Qasr al-Jundi" road, northeast of the town. This area is known for its olive groves and is an important agricultural resource, with no less than 360 dunams planted with olive trees. Farmers rely on these lands to secure their livelihood through olive oil production.

The above image shows the metal gates with which the occupation closed the agricultural roads

In addition to the above, the settlers have also set up another iron gate in the "Abu Sharoukh" area in Khellat Hassan, north of Bidya. It is noted that the closure of these roads will prevent approximately 60 farmers from accessing their lands, which amount to 600 dunams planted with olive trees.

Farmer Youssef Abu Safiya, one of the affected farmers, told the researcher from the LRC the following:

"What is happening was expected, as the occupation, with the start of the olive harvest season, expels farmers by declaring large areas as military closed zones. Based on this, the soldiers allow the settlers to engage in acts of harassment and vandalism. It is worth mentioning that the Khellat Hassan area was an important source of olive oil production for the town, but since the establishment of a settlement outpost there four years ago, we have been suffering from major daily problems due to the closure of large areas and the settlers' control over them."

Abu Safiya added:

"The presence of these gates will have a significant negative impact, as no farmer will be able to bring any agricultural tractor into the farmland. This will disrupt the olive harvest season and increase the real suffering of the farmers there. It will cause them great losses, especially since the olive harvest season is the only time farmers are allowed to access their lands."

Bidya Town:

Bidya is located 25 km to the east of Nablus. It is bordered to the north by Deir Istiya and Kafr Thulth, to the west by Sanniriya, Masha, and Az-Zawiya, to the east by Qaryout and Sarra, and to the south by Kafr Deek.

The population of Bidya was 10,451 people as of 2017.

The total area of the town is 13,827 dunams, of which 1,367 dunams are designated for building.

The occupation has confiscated 637 dunams of its land, as detailed below:

• The "Ariel" industrial area, established in 1999, has seized 17 dunams of Bidya's land. Its total area of 1,704 dunams was confiscated from neighboring villages.
• The bypass roads numbered 505 and 5 have taken 620 dunams of land.
• The Israeli occupation plans to build the annexation and expansion wall on the town's lands. The planned wall, 4,118 meters long, will swallow about 411 dunams and isolate approximately 3,690 dunams.

Land classification according to the Oslo Agreement for the village:

• Area classified as B: 2,045 dunams.
• Area classified as C: 11,782 dunams.

[Source: GIS Unit – LRC.]

مشروع: حماية الحقوق البيئية الفلسطينية في مناطق "ج" SPERAC IV - GFFO

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