Israeli court approves plan to confiscate more West Bank land

3 February 2007

Ali Samoudi (Jenin)

“Our land is administered by the occupation bereft of justice,” said Riyad Hamdan after the Israeli Supreme Court ratified an earlier decision to confiscate more West Bank land. Hamdan was among the Palestinians who went through the Israeli court system to have the decision overturned, however Israeli law does not run in concert with international law and the appeal was denied.

He told PNN Saturday, “We did not bet much on our success in stopping the procedure. Of course the oppressor has the impact in the court. Nevertheless, we tried to save our properties and our sources of livelihood from this injustice.”

The Israelis are citing “security concerns” for the destruction in the eastern West Bank's Jordan Valley, a claim that Hamdan says is spurious at best. He explained that a number of farmers joined to try to stop the confiscation after years of fierce harassment. Hamdan said, “The pretext is fabricated and untrue. Homes are constructed on Palestinian lands and the occupation will not grant permits to build to prevent expansion in the Jordan Valley, despite the stress we suffer as our population has grown but our building capabilities have not.”

He continued, “With the increasing number of members in our family we decided to build a new house. I went through the Civil Administration, providing all of the papers and documents. I even received the license and as soon as I was finished building Israeli forces raided the region and informed me and four other citizens that they would be demolishing our homes.”

Resident Khalid Mansour said, “With the successive raids and continued threats to our families we approached the Supreme Court through an attorney who was allowed there and filed our case with all of the necessary documents. But after several meetings the court issued this unjust response heeding the request of the Israeli security services and military orders which seek to control the areas which are our homes. The purpose is the acquisition of the remainder of our territory. Our families will again be displaced.”

Resident Naif Munir Hosni says he absolutely rejects the decision. “It is not binding as far as I am concerned as the court did not honor its responsibilities under the law and did not listen to our testimonies. The construction was done on Palestinian land that we have had scores of years. It is the land of our fathers and forefathers and it is our right to live and build here. It is not right that the settlers gain legitimacy to rape our land while we are denied residence.”

Another farmer commented, “We were born here as were generations before us. The court and the army are organs of terrorism. Not for one moment did I expect that the court would issue a just decision. We put our dreams and hopes for the future into building these homes.”