Israeli violations in the time of Corona:  Closure of a main road via earth mounds in Khirbet Al-Faresiya

March 23, 2020

• Violation: closure of a main road under security claims.
• Location: Khirbet Al-Faresiya- the northern Jordan valley.
•  Date: march 23rd 2020.

Perpetrators: the Israeli occupation forces. Victims: people of the area especially farmers. Description: In light of the current situation in the area during the spread of a pandemic that threatens humankind existence worldwide, the Israeli occupation are imposing more restrictions on Palestinians in the Jordan valley. In the afternoon of Monday, march 23rd , the Israeli occupation bulldozers sealed off a main road via earth mounds in Khirbet Al-Farisiya- Wad Al-Malih area. Mahyoub Daraghmeh, Al-Malih village council head told LRC:

 “The targeted road serves a Bedouin family ; Nemer Abu Alya’s family that is composed of 9 family members. The road links the area of Nemer’s agriculture and residential tents to the bypass “Alon”, the road also leads to 18 dunum of agricultural lands.

Photo 1: the sealed off road

Daraghmeh asserted that these are illogical racist measurements , that only aim to hinder the lives of Bedouin communities in the area, who constantly move searching for postures and water. In the same context, a group of illegal settlers attacked a Palestine farmer and beated him with sticks, the injured farmer was taken to The Turkish hospital in Tubas.

Photos 2: settlers while they raid Palestinians’ lands in the Jordan Valley

The responsible on the colonization file in the Jordan Valley Mutaz Bsharat said :”in the time of Corona, Israeli human rights abuses increase, to add more psychological pressure on the people and hinder the delivery of any humanitarian aid.” For many years the Israeli Occupation have been poisoning lives of farmers and Bedouins in the Jordan valley, through imposing control over natural resources and adding more restrictions on their movement, they also turned vast areas of postures and agricultural lands into military bases and military training areas, all this aim to force Bedouin of the area to leave the Jordan Valley.

International conventions and agreements related to freedom of movement: Article 3 of the Universal Declaration provides that “everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.”

Article 5: No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. article 9 that “no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile”

Article 13: Right to freedom of movement Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each State. Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.