Israel Occupation Forces destroy fence and uproot trees in natural reserve East Jerusalem
- Violation: destroying fence and uprooting trees
- Location: Al-Muntar Bedouin community
- Date: January 10, 2017
- Perpetrators: Israel Civil Administration
- Victims: residents of the community
Details:
A force from Israel Civil Administration accompanied by three military dozers raided on January 10, 2017 the natural reserve of Al-Muntar that is 9km away from Al-Sawahreh Al-Sharqiya village and demolished 300 meters of fence that surrounds the 300 dunum area. Also , the force uprooted 4500 pastoral seedlings planted in the reserve.
It should be noted that the whole fence (3000 meters) was served a demolition order. After submitting legal files to Israeli courts by affected owners and citizens of the area, the demolition of the whole fence was halted. September 27, 2017 was assigned as the hearing session to consider the legal status of the notified area.
It should be also noted that the reserve is being implemented by Land Research Center and OXFAM with funds from Belgium Cooperation within the project entitled "" Integrated Protection in Area C: Enhancing the Resilience of Communities to Violations of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law".
Noteworthy, the project designated the reserve as a pastoral area for a period of three years. Many comprehensive activities were implemented to best benefit natural resources and to support fauna in the area. A fence of 3500 meters was set up in the area to protect around 4500 seedling planted in there.
Most importantly, the attorney hired by Land Research Center and AL–Sawahreh Al-Sharqiya village council managed to force the occupation forces to withdraw from the area after making a phone call proving that the attacked lands have Palestinian ownership documents.
It is reported that the reserve was served an eviction order on December 29, 2016. The project work team (Land Research Center and AL–Sawahreh Al-Sharqiya village council) sought an attorney from NRC to object to the order. A legal file with all needed documents was prepared at time and submitted to the lawyer.
Al-Muntar Bedouin community:
It is one of the Bedouin communities located in East Jerusalem; it has a total built-up area of 36 dunums. The community is inhabited by 68 families (470 members) who hail from the Bir Al-Saba' area, from which they were displaced in 1948. Residents of the area belong to four main clans namely (Hadhaleen, Hamadi, Krushan and Sawahrah). Metal slaps and barracks are the common material of the people's residences. Residents of the community depend on livestock and poultry husbandry; they have 200 agricultural dunums where they plant wheat and barley.
Borders of the community:
Al-Muntar is edged by Arab Al-Jahaleen community from the east, Al-Sawahrah Al-Sharqiya village from the southwest and Abu Nuwwar community from the north. Noteworthy, the community lacks basic needs and services such like roads networks, transportation, electricity and access to health and education.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
