Palestinians rebuild Jordan Valley village

Published yesterday (updated) 08/08/2010 20:16 TUBAS (Ma'an) --

Dozens of Palestinians as well as foreign activists on Sunday began rebuilding areas in a Jordan Valley village that were recently bulldozed by Israeli occupation forces.

Over the past 10 days, several shacks, homes and agricultural structures were torn down in the Al-Farisiya village by the administration, which has complete planning and building control over Area C.

Head of Bedouin residential areas and Al-Maleh village council A'ref Daraghmeh said the rebuilding has helped in "easing the suffering of the families who lost the bare necessities of life," and that it would strengthen Palestinian resolve.

Save the Jordan Valley campaign coordinator Fathi Ikhdeirat said they were working to "empowering the steadfastness of the Palestinians in an area that is under the most grotesque form of expulsion ... and bringing all efforts to support Palestinians in the area, particularly after this systematic attack."

The campaign is working on rebuilding what was demolished by the Civil Administration "in peaceful resistance because these areas are Palestinian regardless of Israel's divisions and categories, which limit Palestinian existence, turning it into ghettos and open prisons."

Last Thursday, the Civil Administration returned to the valley to demolish 23 structures rebuilt by residents and farmers in Al-Farisiya. The town, in the Tubas district located across the highway from the Nahal Rotem settlement, is part of the nearby Sdemot Mehola.

On 19 July, Civil Administration forces entered the area and demolished 20 animal shelters and agricultural buildings, saying they were constructed without authorization in an area designated Area C by the 1993 Oslo Agreements. Under the plan, areas outside of major cities were to have remained under Israeli civil and military control and gradually handed over to the Palestinians.

The buildings were reconstructed by the town's residents, who called the demolitions illegal.

A recent UN report said 86 structures in the Jordan Valley were demolished two weeks ago, and 17 others were demolished in other areas of the West Bank the week after.

"The spate of demolitions raises concerns over whether Israeli authorities could further escalate demolitions throughout Area C," a UN report said, noting more than 3,000 demolition orders handed down by Israeli officials to locals were still outstanding.

"Currently, it is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits to maintain, repair or construct homes, animal shelters or necessary infrastructure in Area C," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its latest report on Area C.