For the safe of colonists on roa

For the safe of colonists on roads . Israeli army cuts off olive and coniferous trees

Beit Ummer town and Al Arrub refugee camp

Hebron District

Beit Ummer town is located 12 km to the north of Hebron city. To the east of the town is the main Jerusalem - Hebron road ( Road No. 60). This road is the main artery linking between northern and southern parts of the West Bank central highlands. It is heavily used by Israeli colonists commuting between Jerusalem and mount Hebron colonies where they live.

The town of Beit Ummer has the population of 12000 inhabitants. It is mostly dependent on agriculture as main income, particularly grapes, peaches and apples.

Al Arub refugee camp is located one km to the north of Beit Ummer on the main Jerusalem- Hebron road. It was established by UNRWA after the war of 1948. About 6000 people live in the camp all of them are refugees who were dismissed out of their homes and land in the current state of Israeli. The majority of the camp's work force are employed as civil servants, mainly educators in the Palestinian Authority's run schools or in UNRWA's run schools.

Opposite the camp is located the agricultural experiment station and college affiliated to the Palestinian Ministry of Education. The main Jerusalem – Hebron road No. 60 passes between the camp and the college.

The Cutting of olive and coniferous trees along the main Jerusalem- Hebron for the purpose of safeguarding the safety of Israeli colonists traveling on this road.

In January, 2003, the Israeli army cut more than 130 pine trees and 20 apple trees under the same pretexts (see case study titled " Under security pretext: Israeli army cut pine and apple trees on the main road opposite Al- Arrub camp, January, 2003).

At the beginning of February, 2004, the Israeli military handed over two orders: one for the Beit Ummer Municipality asking them to cut 8 olive trees located on the main road at the eastern entrance to the town; the second, to Mr. Ahmad Dudeen, head of Al- Arrub Agricultural station asking him to cut 50 coniferous trees along the main road passing the college.

The army claimed that stones are thrown at Israeli cars from behind these trees. Officials in Beit Ummer municipality and Al- Arrub Agricultural station didn't respond to the order.

In an interview with LRC field worker, the mayor of Beit Ummer. Mr. Rashid Awad confirmed that the trees are located out side the wall of Beit Ummer cemetery and that the trees and the road are very well observed by Israeli soldiers manning the permanent military observation tower set up at the entrance to the town about four months ago. He went on to

say that the cutting of these trees is an introductory step towards the destruction and removal of the cemetery with the aim of expanding the road.

On his part, Mr. Dudeen, head of Al- Arrub Agricultural station stressed the fact that no stones have been thrown at Israeli cars from the target scene. Similarly, there is an Israeli military observation post from which soldiers are able to watch the road clearly. This observation post was set up opposite Al Arub camp in January last year over land confiscated from the college.

On February 24^th, 2004, the Israeli army personnel cut the above mentioned trees with electric saws and forced owners to remove all the wood.

Israeli policy, in general, aims at cutting and uprooting as much as possible of Palestinian trees and destroying large areas of cultivated Palestinian land in the vicinity of main roads traveled by Israeli colonists and army patrols. This policy is very much implemented during the current Intifada, particularly, in Gaza Strip. It is done under the pretext of security. But, the actual reason behind it is an economic one, that is, to inflict heavy losses on Palestinian farmers as part of the collective punishment being utilized against the whole Palestinian society in West bank and Gaza Strip.

Estimation of material losses

8 olive trees at the age of 50 years have been destroyed. The lost quantity is estimated at 64 JD per year (calculated on the basis of 8 tree X 2 kg X 4 JD = 64 JD).