WEST BANK: Israeli army uproots Palestinian fruit trees, initially saying the action aims to make way for its controversial separation barrier

Israeli forces uprooted fruit trees on Palestinian villagers land in the Artas village near Bethlehem in the West Bank on Saturday (May 19). Initially the Israeli army stated that the action was being taken to make way for its controversial separation barrier. But the Palestinian farmers whose trees were uprooted and who were also losing most of their land to an Israeli confiscation order, said the move was intended to make way for the laying of sewage pipe to the nearby Israeli settlement of Efrat. The Israeli army subsequently refused to comment when asked if this was true. Palestinian, Israeli and foreign peace activists protested the uprooting. "By God this is wrong. What kind of a situation is this? They want us to sell our land to the Jews and sell our homes to the Jews and sell ourselves to Jews so they consider us good, my God. By God this is not just. They're piling up the trees over there so they can lay down sewage pipes for the settlers," said Muhammad, a tearful villager. The Israeli army later refused to make comment on this claim. Thirty Israeli, Palestinian and foreign protesters arrived at the site of the uprooting when they received news that land was being confiscated for such action. Some of the 30 protesters were arrested and put into military vehicles by Israeli forces. The Israeli army said these arrests were made on the grounds of protesters infiltrating a declared military zone. Around 80 per cent of the agricultural land of Artas will be confiscated by Israel with the construction of the barrier. Villagers of Artas depend on agriculture and its related sub sectors for their living, so the confiscation of so much of their land will have a significantly negative impact on their lives. Israel has said the barrier, a mix of electronic fences and walls that encroach on West Bank territory, is meant to keep suicide bombers out of its cities. But Palestinians call the barrier -- whose course encompasses Israeli settlements in the West Bank -- a disguised move to annex or fragment territory Palestinians seek for a viable state. The World Court declared the 600-km (370-mile) barrier, more than half of which is completed, illegal two years ago but Israel has ignored the non-binding ruling. Artas village had been a frequent flashpoint for clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians as well as left-wing activists, for the last two weeks.

ITN Source | May 22, 2007

Tags:. .construction. .thirty. .aims. .separation. .zone