Al-‘Auja

Al-'Auja

A large Palestinian town located on Highway 90 about 10 km north of Jericho, which also includes a small refugee camp and an UNRWA school. East of Al-'Auja are many shepherd communities (such as Maharaja and Ras al-Ain) living in shacks. They are frequently attacked by settlers from outposts in the area, including Yitav, Omer Farm and the outskirts of Jericho. The attacks include stealing flocks of sheep, evicting them from grazing areas and violence against the shepherds and the communities' homes. When the army and police are called to the scene, they do nothing, or intervene in favor of the attacking settlers. Valley activists and Checkpoint Watch companies between them have maintained a protective presence in these communities for several years. Uja is located on a large spring from which Israel pumps most of its water for the Valley settlements, and the rest of the water is led to Uja via open canals. These canals are subject to repeated blockage by settlers.