What happens to a small village in the West Bank over the next few weeks will set a precedent about whether Israel will abide by its highest court’s ruling when it comes to dismantling settlements.
Submitted by Charlotte Silver on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 09:35
The Wadi Qana belongs to the village of Deir Istya, but the Israeli occupation controls its fate. After labeling it a “natural reserve,” the occupation authorities have ordered the destruction of nearly 2,000 of its trees.
At least 500 Palestinians face total electricity cuts after Israel issued stop-work orders on solar panel and wind turbine systems in the South Hebron Hills, while illegal settlements in the area are provided with electricity and water.
Israeli military forces have demolished 27 houses in the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank over the last two weeks, rendering more than 140 Palestinians homeless. The state of siege in the Jordan Valley has particularly impacted women.
For Abd al-Rahim Bisharat, Israel’s goal of taking full and permanent control of the Jordan Valley is clear. “Their goal is that they want us [to] get tired of our land and leave it so that they can expand the settlements.”
