Israeli Violations in the Time of Corona: Agricultural and Residential notices served in Aj-Jiftlik village / Jericho governorate

March 24, 2020

• Violation: notices target agricultural and residential facilities.
• Location: Aj-Jiftlik village / Jericho governorate.
• Date: March 24^th 2020.
• Victims: Citizen Khaleel Al-Ghawanmeh.
• Perpetrator : Protection of  properties department – The civil administration.

Description:

The Israeli Occupation continue their attacks against people of Aj-Jiftlik north Ramallah , through imposing restrictions that limit economical and physical growth , and turns the village into a remote area that lacks growing viability under a natural population increase.

The Inspection officer protection of antiquities dapartment raided in Tuesday , March 24^th 2020 Khallet Al-Fouleh area south Aj-Jiftlik , and gave farmer Khallel Al-Ghawanma (53) a notice to evict an agricultural facility , and an old building nearby, that the farmer and his family live in, on the pretext of using a site of antiquities.

According to the notice numbered (00406) , the occupation gave only a limited period of time for the owners to evict their properties, or they Occupation forces will force them to leave , and make the owner pay all the costs they incurred for this purpose.

The Military Order No. 00406

Reportedly, the targeted facilities are:

• A barracks for cattle breeding built of steel and plastic sheets with a total area of 90 m², used for breeding 75 heads of cattle.
• An old building built of stones with a total area of 140 m ², with a life expectancy of 70 years , used as a residence for the owner and his 9 family members , of which 4 are children, and also used as a store for feeds.

Affected citizen told LRC the following:

“I live in Khallet Al-Fouleh area south Aj-Jiftlik since more than 40 years , and I depend mainly on agriculture and cattle breeding as a main income source , 4 years ago I repaired a house that used to belong to my parents , to live in it with my family, and i set up a barracks for cattle breeding . only a while had passed before the occupation’s protection of antiquities officer gave me a notice , under claims of using an antiquities site, despite the fact that we have ownership deeds that prove we own the house.”

Aj-Jiftlik village is one of the most prominent Palestinian communities in the Jordan Valley area , which is constantly targeted by the occupation’s racist colonial institutions such as the building and organization and the protection of antiquities department , the village witnesses 45 demolition operations that targeted residential and agricultural facilities during the last five years.

About al- Jiftlik:[1]

It is located 35km to the northern part of Jericho city and is edged by the village of Beit Dajan from the northwest and Massua colony from the west. The village has a population of 3100 people until 2017 and has a total land area of 185031 dunums of which 1110 dunums are built-up area. Noteworthy, the occupation expropriated around 12040 dunums from the village as follows:

• 3207 dunums were confiscated for the favor of establishing colonies in the nearby.
• 3328 dunums were confiscated for the bypass roads no. (90, 505, and 508).
• 5505 dunums were confiscated for the favor of military camps

[1] GIS-LRC