Agencies-Gaza post
Israel seized 25,000 dunums, destroyed 3000 dunums, +17,000 trees in 2021: LRC
The Israeli occupation forces confiscated 25,365 dunums of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank, demolished 2931 dunums of land and 17,755 trees, and destroyed 93 water wells and tanks, among others during 2021, on Monday said the Palestinian Land Research Center (LRC) in a statement.
It stated 12,911 dunums of land were confiscated by 37 military orders, 1986 dunums by colonial settlers either directly or to expand settlements and to use them for agricultural aims, and 19,166 dunums by the military planning commission to expand illegal settlements, a large part of which is located outside the settlement limitations.
Regarding the demolition of land and property, LRC stated 2021 dunums of land were swept by sewage water, 116 dunums demolished, 140 dunums torched, 83 dunums used by colonial settlers to herd their cattle, 10 dunums during military training, 18 dunums by chemicals and 543 dunums were damaged.
LRC stated the occupation forces and settlers achieved 225 acts of vandalism against trees destroying as a result of 17,755 trees, including 13,845 completely demolished and 915 olive trees stolen. The rest were partly destroyed.
The Israeli occupation forces also demolished 93 water wells and tanks that satisfied 1050 people, including 450 children and 470 women, and irrigated more than 1800 dunums of agricultural land that are currently going dry.
The Center said 86 other wells and water reservoirs are currently under threat of demolition by 80 military orders, some for destruction and others by stop-work charges, benefiting 835 people, including 384 kids and 255 women, and irrigating 1000 dunums of farmland.
LRC reported that 74 illegal Israeli colonies dump their wastewater on Palestinian agricultural land destroying 2021 dunums of land, many of which are cultivated with olive or other trees.