• Violation: The Israeli occupation troops seal off Azzun northern entrance.
• Location: Azzun town / East Qalqilya.
• Date: 02/04/2019.
• Perpetrator: The Israeli occupation army.
• Victims: People of Azzun.

Description:

Tuesday, morning The Israeli occupation army sealed off Azzun northern entrance via cement blocks.

The northern entrance of Azzun was closed several times via the metal gate that is already there. Imposing closure on Azzun village obstruct locals’ movement and halts their activities, in addition to damaging the commerce sector , the town has wide trading activities with Palestinians behind the green line that visit Azzun through this entrance.

The director of Israeli violations file in Azzun municipality told LRC reporter:

“Recently, there are several attempts by the occupation to destroy the economical sector in the town, one of them is stopping 150 people from working in the Israeli labor market, and prohibit opening agricultural roads, sealing off the northern entrance, frequent break ins and attacks, All of these measures aim to create a harsh reality for the town’s people that pushes them out of the town.”

Photos 1-3: The closed road

 

The Attached map

About Azzun:[1]

Located 8km to Qalqiliya city with a total area of 9,472 dunums, of which 1,054 dunums are the village’s built-up area. The occupation confiscated vast area from the village for the favor of colonization and the apartheid wall; the areas are detailed as follows:

• 276 dunums were confiscated for Maale Shamron colony that was established in 1980.
• 417 dunums were confiscated for the bypass road number 55

It should be marked that the vast majority of Azzun lands (6,927 dunums) is classified as area “C” according to Oslo accords; areas that are controlled by the Israeli occupation. The village has zero percentage of area “A” that is under the control of Palestinian Authority. As for other classifications, the village has 2,546 dunums classified as area “B”. (Geographical Information System- Land Research Center)

3 colonies are built on ‘Azzun lands and they are:

• Maale Shomron: Built in 1980, the colony has a total area of 1903 and a built-up area of 216 dunums. 549 colonists live in it (according to a 2004 census).
• Genot Shomron: Built in 1985, the colony’s built-up area is 484 dunums.
• Karni Shomron: Built in 1978, the colony’s built-up area is 1351 dunums. 6270 colonists live in it (according to a 2005 census)

 

 Legal Commentary:

The constringing policy  by the Israel occupation authorities   towards the Palestinian civilians in all West Bank’s governorate including closing roads and obstructing their movement  can only be regarded as a violation of their right in the liberty of movement pledged by all  international conventions  and agreements like:

• The  Universal Declaration of Human Rights(1948) article(13) states:
• Every person has the right of liberty of movement and to choose his place of residence inside the borders of each country.
• Each person has the right to depart  or to come back  to any country including his country.
• The Universal Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of  Racial Discrimination (1965) article 3(5)paragrah2-d
• Every person has the right of liberty of movement and to choose his place of residence inside the borders of each country.
• Each person has the right to depart  or to come back  to any country including his country.
• The Universal covenant on civil and political rights (1966) article(12-3)
• Each person legally has the liberty to move and to select his residence place.

 

[1] GIS-LRC

 

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC