Preface:

With the beginning of every olive picking season, Israeli colonists residing in the West Bank escalates their aggressions against the Palestinians and their farms. Even the “blessed” olive tree has not been spared of the colonists brutality.

The olive trees have been targeted by torching, uprooting, cutting, or spraying it with toxic materials that cause its inevitable death. The current olive picking season has been full of different attacks against the Palestinian fields, especially those located nearby the Israeli colonies.

Alon Moreh colonists were more innovative than their peers, launching a totally different attack against the trees. They pumped huge amounts of sewage waters, the product of the colony houses and factories, towards the Palestinian fields in Al Jaghob area in Deir al Hatab. Al Jaghoub is one of the forbidden areas that are unreachable for the Palestinians.

Deir al Hatab residents have been suffering from the colony sewage since its establishment. The sewage is pumped into two different, but parallel, paths that cover a distance of 1 km before joining; the sewage flow isolates 50 dunums of the Palestinian farms.

Details:

On January 08, 2018, a group of Allon Moreh colonists - whose colony is established on confiscated lands from Deir Al-Hatab village- cut down and uprooted some 140 fruitful olive trees, belonging to farmer Mohammad Nayef Omran (68).

The affected farmer told Land Research Center the following:

" I own a 26 dunums of olive trees. I planted 400 olive seedlings in  this land with my father 50 years ago"

Olive cultivation was our source of income until the occupation came in 1978 and expelled us from the land and took over it. Our seized lands were later named Allon Moreh. In the year 2000, the occupation banned us from accessing our lands and taking care of it but in 2002, we were allowed to pick our olives after obtaining a special permits of entry to the area for two days only".

The farmer reported that some ten colonists set up a tent on his land on December 31, 2017. After the Palestinian District of Coordination Office dealt with the problem and the tent was removed on January 06, 2018, colonists were irritated of the decision and carried out the recent attack.

Deir al Hatab – an Overview:

Deir al Hatab is located 5.5 km to the east of Nablus city; it is total area is 10875 dunums including 318 dunums of built-up area.

The village's population has reached 2213 people (according to PBS statistics of 2007).

The village has lost 389 dunums of its total area to Israeli colonial activities.

It is surrounded by a number of historical sites and ruins.

Alon Moreh Colony:

Since its establishment on the hills surrounding Salim, Deir al Hatab, and ‘Azmout back in 1979, the colony is considered a constant source of anxiety for the Palestinian villagers. Since its establishment, the Palestinian farmers and herders are facing frequent aggressions against their farms, their herds, and most importantly themselves.

In addition, the colonists recurrently sabotaged the electricity network providing the Palestinians in the region with necessary electrical supply. Alon Moreh’s built-up area has reached 1214 dunums inhabited by around 1097 colonists.

This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union.

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.