Far'un - olive harvest
We joined our friend Samir in Far’un to harvest his olives – he had been ill and underwent a complex cardiac bypass surgery, and only began to harvest his olives in mid-November.
Like many other farmers, Samir was issued only a single permit for himself and his son this year, and could not manage to harvest the entire crop. He was not even permitted to employ workers – the DCO becomes more rigid every year in its issued permits, and makes it impossible for farmers to complete their harvest as it had falsely promised.
We arrived, about 50 persons, and jointly harvested about 30 trees that day. The olive harvest is a great experience of working in nature, showing the farmers solidarity, and working together. Samir directed us in spite of his physical condition, passing from one tree to another, as people enjoyed working in nature’s fresh air, climbing trees and reaching every single one. The work is not hard and suits all ages, from 7- and 10-year- old children to the elderly – everyone worked within their ability.
At the end of the workday, there were still 25 trees left to harvest, and Samir’s friends who had apparently finished their own harvest promised to come and end his. May there be more Israelis joining next year’s harvest and solidarity – a real harvest celebration, as you can see in the attached photos.
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.
Mar-21-2022Anin Checkpoint: A magnificent breach in the center of the checkpoint
-