Far’un
Seam zone, Far’un, Miskha
When we meet with representatives of Far’un and Miskha with whom we’ve made appointments, they keep raising the same problems: obtaining permits for the appropriate gates, arson and theft in the groves, restrictions on transporting seedlings to renew cultivated lands and difficulties in irrigating them. Gates not located appropriately to access lands, errors in the days and hours the gates are open, a steep decline in the number of crossing permits and corruption and their purchase and sale.
The letter accompanying this report contains exact details of the requests and the complaints by the farmers, and it’s directed to the Ephraim DCL officers who handle these matters.
This report discusses the other matters unconnected to the permits.
09:00 Far’un
Five days ago soldiers entered the village and injured two women who were then hospitalized. Two weeks ago permits stopped being granted and the familiar request was renewed to show a magnetic card. The Palestinian Authority refused to accept this regulation, which is apparently why no permits were issued. At the beginning of the month 24 requests were submitted; the replies trickle in.
Two days ago a demonstration was held against the fence in the area where buildings had been demolished in Far’un. They tried to plant trees there, a fight erupted and plastic bullets were fired.
About seven months ago a citrus grove was set on fire by a soldier’s cigarette, according to the Palestinians. The trees died.
Far’un residents claim that 2014 was the worst year for permits as far as corruption and commerce in them is concerned. They say Gate 746 nearby is only seasonal and doesn’t open for other necessary agricultural activities. Gate 708 opens only three days a week but residents of Far’un represent only 10 percent of those who cross there.
12:00 Miskha
They complain that Gate 1534, Miskha North, which is seasonal, is open only ten days during the season. The DCL says not enough people used it.
The farmers ask that the gate be open during the entire year for spraying, plowing and harvesting almonds.
Far'un CP
See all reports for this place-
Far'un CP
A checkpoint near the Palestinian town Far'un, which is located near the Green Line, about 4 kilometers south of Tulkarm . About 5,000 residents (2018) 2,000 people moved abroad and their homes were left empty.
When the separation barrier was built in the early 2000's, about 4,000 dunams owned by the village were separated from the local farmers. In 2009, following a petition by the residents, the Israeli High Court ordered a change in the route of the fence. In May 2011 work began, and in 2013 it was completed. Following the movement of the fence, 1,400 dunams are located within the village area and for the 2,600 dunams remained in the Seam Zone behind the Separation barrier. The can arrive to these only through Far'un agricultural checkpoint 708.
MachsomWatch have been in touch with the village farmer since the early 2000s - visiting and documenting the checkpoint and the township . Over the years, the opening frequency of the checkpoint has changed from time to time: sometimes 3 times a week, sometimes twice a week, and sometimes it closed completely for a certain period without explanation. In addition - the checkpoint is opened usually only twice a day and this makes it difficult to cultivate, because the farmers are not able to stay in the fields all day. Throughout the years there were many delays in opening times the checkpoint and the farmers sometimes have to wait hours until they can go to work their plots.
The most difficult problem is the limited number of permits approved by the Civil Administration for the transition to tillage. Many landowners have problems with lands that are not registered in their name but in the name of a deceased father. Registering is very expensive if the father had several sons and daughters to whom the land belonged after his death. They have no money to transfer their father's land in their name. Before the walls, block settings and gates that do not open, they divided the plot they inherited and had no problems processing. Today everything is complicated. Plots that have not been cultivated for several years may become state lands and pass to the settlers, residents of the seam area.
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