JERICHO, Wednesday, May 8, 2024 (WAFA) – The Israeli occupation forces today tore down four Palestinian dwellings in al-Jiftlik village, north of the city of Jericho, according to a local source.
Ahmad Ghanem, Head of al-Jiftlik Village Council, said that the occupation forces escorted a bulldozer into the village, where the heavy machinery demolished dwellings belonging to the Bani Odeh, Jahalin and al-Ka‘abneh families.
Qadri Bani Odeh said that the occupation forces demolished his 140-square-meter tin-roofed shed purportedly for being without a license, rendering his 11-member family homeless.
Horizontally located 33 kilometres to the north of Jericho, al-Jiftlik has a population of some 3,500, who predominantly depend on agriculture and livestock for their main source of livelihood. The village occupies a total area of 185,032 dunums.
Under the Oslo Accords, an agreement made 25 years ago that was supposed to last just five years towards a self-governing country alongside Israel, Israel maintains full control over the village, classified as Area C, and has allowed the villagers to build within a small pocket of 972 dunams, which accounts for 0.5 percent of the total village area.
Israel has severely restricted Palestinian access to water in the area, particularly the 23 underground wells used for agriculture. Local water springs are susceptible to dryness and depletion as a result of Israel’s control over water.
The Israeli water company of Mekorot has depleted the wells and has been granted monopoly on the excavation, restoration, distribution and selling of water. In contrast, Palestinians have been forbidden from constructing new wells and restoring existing ones.
Israel has seized at least some 6,750 dunams belonging to the village for the construction of seven nearby colonial settlements, 4,550 dunums for the construction of a military base, in addition to more land for opening settler-only by-pass Roads No. 90, 50, 505 and 508, and constructing colonial outposts, pushing the villagers into a crowded enclave, a ghetto, surrounded by walls, settlements and military installations.
K.F.
