As part of the Bil’in Conference international groups visited various Palestinian areas, including the Jordan Valley. The Jordan Valley is mainly Area C – Oslo Accords, which means total Israeli military control. (All of Palestine is under Israeli military control, but Area C more so.) It is, therefore, much easier for Israeli settlement s or military to confiscate land and control the limited water supply in this semi-desert area.
It is easy to locate the land controlled by the illegal Israeli settlements because their fields are greener with larger plants. The water for the Jordan Valley comes from the eastern aquifer. Palestinians are only allowed to dig their wells to a certain depth, while settlements continue to dig deeper and deeper which will eventually dry up the aquifer. Most Palestinians in the area have to buy water in portable tanks even though they have wells.
Some of the largest Israeli-owned fruit and vegetable plantations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel are in the Jordan Valley and owned by Carmel Agrexco. Most of these products are sent to Europe by the Carmel Agrexco, a company targeted by the boycott campaign. The confiscation of land and reduction of water for farming has forced many Palestinian farmers away from their land into jobs on settlement plantations. Working conditions on plantations are harsh. The hours are long and the pay is low.
Some Jordan Valley Palestinian villages were denied electricity and access to running water until two years ago. (Bedouin people in the area still have neither electricity nor running water.) Villagers get water irregularly, so are forced to buy water in tanks. Where homes have been demolished, villagers are building with adobe which is labor intensive, needs ample water and skilled builders.
Growing date palms can be a very profitable enterprise, but means careful planning, skill and sufficient water. MPT visited a Palestinian date palm farmer. He has been fairly successful, even though he works as a sharecropper. His home was demolished by the Israeli army at least once. His grove had sufficient water, but an expensive water pump was stolen by the Israeli army which he will have to replace.
#2 + Simply told but good photos. One would have to look at all the Jordan Valley blogs to decide which is best. There needs to be a note that in 2008 MPT stayed for over a week in Bedouin tents in the northern Jordan Valley near Tubas trying to prevent a demolition and destruction of sheep and goats. The site was bulldozed one year later in the rainy season. Tents were destroyed and 25 small animals died in the cold because they lack shelter. MPT returned twice to visit this particular family and were warmly welcomed. The father, however, pointed out that US money supported the destruction of his livelihood. This part could be added to any on the Jordan Valley.
ReplyDeleteI like this because of its focus on the water problem. I support Martha's suggestion about adding something of MPT's 2008 experience in the Jordan Valley.
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