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The
Israeli Minister of Defence, Ehud Barak, declared his intention to evict 8
Palestinian villages (10 communities inhabited by around 1500 people) located
to the south of Yatta claiming that they are vital for military trainings.
Is
the Israeli Army in need for this location or is it a card to lay control over
the whole area?
The
target location:
The
communities of (Majaz, Taban, Safay al Foqa, Safay al Tehta, Fakhit, Halawa,
Janba al Fuqa, Janba al Tehta, and Kharouba) in addition to four villages
(Tuba, Mfagara, Saroura, and Maghayer Ibead) which are still awaiting decision.
The
aforementioned communities are 56640 dunums in area and are inhabited by 2500
people.
The
area are considered fertile rangelands with over 28, 000 of cattle spreading
around.
Before
1967, the number reached up to 55,000 which shows the effect of the Israeli
colonization on the lives of people and cattle.
Despite
the increased number of inhabitants, the number of cattle was reduced due to
closure of these rangelands, demolishing wells and cisterns, blocking roads,
etc.
Most
of the targeted villages have been inhabited long before the Israeli occupation
in 1948; they are inhabited by simple villagers leading preliminary lives.
They
reside in simple mud houses surrounded by barns and leading traditional lives
while lacking the signs of modernity.
Israeli
Violations in the area:
1.
In the 1970's the Israeli occupation Army declared 30,000 dunums as closed
military zones with access limited to residents only; this meant freezing any
development or expansion.
2.
In 1997, these areas were classified 'C' according to Oslo Accords;
consequently, adding new structures, whether public or private have been
prohibited.
3.
In August, 1999, the villagers received the villagers received eviction orders
issued by the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration. they was completely
rejected by the locals.
4.
On November 16, 1999, the Israeli Occupation Army evicted 700 Palestinians in
the area before confiscating tools, tanks, barns, water pumps, irrigation
network; a coalition of 20 families filed a complaint to the Israeli Supreme
Court which ruled in their favour and allowed them to be back to their homes;
however, those who lost their homes were not allowed to rebuild them.
5.
In 2005, when diplomacy failed to evict the Palestinian families residing in
the area; the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration launched a wave of
demolishing orders for homes and cisterns.
Validity
for military training:
It
is clear that the area is not suitable for military training due to:
1.
The area holds 12 Israeli colonies, infrastructure (water, power, roads
networks) which are integrated in the area.
2.
The area holds four Palestinian villages that are farmed seasonally.
3.
The area is adjacent to Yatta town; it is only 5km away from its borders.
4.
Yatta is classified area 'A' while the surrounding residential area is
classified 'B' according to Oslo; despite being classified areas 'C', the
target area is an extension of Yatta and thus shall not be detached or
disconnected.
5.
To the east, there exist a huge area that was declared military zone since
1967; it is simple to use these lands for training if that was the real
purposes.
Israeli
Greed:
1.
The Israeli Government has tried to capture as much lands as possible to serve
the Zionist colonization project; in Yatta, the following colonies were
established:
In
addition, 8 colonial outposts were built (Ma'oun farm – Hill 83, Avigail, Kamel
– Ghir, Magan David, Ma'oun Old Farm, Ma'oun – east, Mesudat Yehuda – east,
Lucifer farm)
An
increased colonial activities have been witnessed concurrently with the
announcement:
·
On July 23m 2012, colonists of Mesudat Yehuda added five mobile homes to
increase the area of the outpost.
·
Levelling 20 dunums to the south of Susiya and laying foundation for new
colonial units.
·
Levelling lands to the south of Karmel colony.
·
Colonists of Ma'oun, eastern Yatta, completed the construction of residences to
the west of the colony. In addition, they embarked on the construction of more
colonial units.
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