Construction of Separation Wall is under way

Israeli bulldozers continue to devastate agricultural land in the villages of Bardallah and Ein Al Baida/ Tubas district

March - 2004

Location and population

The village of Bardallah and Ein Al Baida are located in the north eastern corner of the West Bank in Jordan valley. They are affiliated to the district of Tubas. The population of these two villages in addition to the neighboring villages of Kardallah, Al Hima, Ad Deir, As Sakut, Qa’on, Jabaris, Al Maleh and Al Buqei’eh are 6000 inhabitants.

Type of violation

The Israeli army continued to devastate the Agricultural land north of the villages of Bardalla and Ein Al Baida for the purpose of constructing the Separation Wall. The people of the two villages estimated the number of dunums to be separated and isolated by the Wall at 1500. Earlier, the Israeli army authorities handed over Palestinian owners confiscation orders of about 424 dunums of land ( see case study titled " The Effects of Israeli Closure and Barbaric Actions on the Farmers of the Villages of Bardalah, Kardalah and Ein Al Biedah - Tubas District, Dec. 2003)

On February 7^th, 2004, the Israeli army began actual work on this part of the Wall which will be at the length of 20 km.

Problems faced by local inhabitants

Since the occupation of 1967, Israeli authorities have done whatever possible to isolate the Jordan valley area from the rest of the West Bank. Amongst the measures taken has been the prevention of Palestinians from constructing homes, the intensification of Israeli colonies and military camps, the announcement of vast areas as closed military zones and the direct confiscation of Palestinian land. The main reason behind these Israeli policies is to deprive Palestinians of the West Bank from their main resource of food basket centered in this fertile agricultural area.

During the past four years, further steps were applied by the Israeli authorities, including the complete closure of the area through the erection of checkpoints and road blocks and the digging of trenches around these communities. In turn, the people of this area have been suffering from total isolation and the deterioration of their living conditions in terms of access to education and health services as well as a total collapse of their economic and agricultural capabilities.