Palestinian Jordan Valley: Now Israeli soldiers too uproot olive trees
“Do not uproot the planted tree…” (words of a Zionist song that became popular at the time of the ‘disengagement’ from Gaza Strip and the dismantling of Israeli settler-colonies there)
The soldiers who performed this horrendous deed in Bardala, six days after Israeli Independence Day celebrations, very likely wiped a hidden tear of inner joy as they celebrated. This did not keep them from uprooting 320 young olive trees (3-7 years old) on April 24, 2018, and then return and cut down another 100. The life work of Hasin S. from Bardala was destroyed for sheer cruelty’s sake. Not by crazy settler-colonists – rather by dozens of “our very best”, Israeli soldiers – none of whom rose to protest this heinous crime.
Hundreds of young trees were piled on the arid ground. Many of the roots remained in the soil but will never grow again because the vandals sprayed the stumps and the roots with poison that will keep from sprouting new life. As if this was not enough, they also cut irrigation pipes – every meter and a half, an thorough incision…
The owner of the olive grove claims there had been no edict to cut them. The soldiers simply came and destroyed the toil of years. When he asked, why?? Their commander replied: “We don’t mind your growing anything you like, but not olives!!”
Mahyoub – we had promised to come visiting. Charming Mahyoub and his wife threw me a thrilling “back to life” party (after my prolonged absence for health reasons), and we raised Coke drinks “to life!” The shy daughters clung to their mother and for the first time I really felt healthy.
Riad Salamin – last night he called me at half past midnight. I saw this only in the morning and then we decided, in spite of the late hour, to go and see what had happened. The gate leading to the water pumps is open and whoever crosses it passes by the garbage dump of Roi settler-colony. The settler-colonists’ fields are bright green, attesting to the generous irrigation they enjoy. Riad receives us and leads us to his guests’ tent, where his parents are seated with two of his young children. He tells us that yesterday, in the late afternoon, dozens of army jeeps arrived and soldiers parked next to the water pumps. At 10:30 p.m. they began practicing armed clashes while shooting and driving very fast right next to the tent opening. “Of all places in the world, they found no other site to practice but next to my children?” The kids woke up in fright and clung to their parents. Riad called the Civil Administration to complain, but his plea was disregarded. The shooting and rampages lasted almost until the morning. His children go to school at En Al Shibli, about 30 kilometers from there, and he drives them every day. The shortcut to Atuf, 5 kilometers from his home, is blocked by the Gokhia “gate” and the children cannot use it. Riad has 5 children, one seriously disabled and another suffering from Down’s Syndrome. They should be visited from time to time.
At Hamra Checkpoint there were no soldiers on our way there (12:30) nor on our way back (18:30). They must have found shelter from the heavy heatwave inside the pillbox watchtower.
We also visited Mahdi ‘s father, who found 6 live mortar shells this morning near the encampment of Al Farisiya.
Location Description
Bardala
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A relatively large township in Area B in the northern part of the Valley, home to about 300 families of farmers and other families. The villages of Bardala and Kardala, located nearby, sit on a very large reservoir of groundwater. In 1968, an "agreement" was signed between the occupier (represented by the Mekorot water company) and three villages (including Ein al-Bida), stipulating that in exchange for their agreement to stop pumping water their wells, Mekorot would establish its own pumping stations on their land and allocate them a "generous" quota of waterinfo-iconfor at the cost of pumping only (a few cents per cubic meter). Over the years, Mekorot violated the agreement, decreased the quotas drastically (from 240 cubic meters per hour to 100 and sometimes 40 cubic meters), and quadrupled the price. The residents refused to pay, and the PA paid for them. In late 2024, the army began paving a new road around Karbala and Bardala. According to the plan, the road will surround and Karbala from the south and Bardala from north and west, and finally turn east to Highway 90. The road will completely surround Bardala on all sides, cutting off the village from all its lands and imprisoning the village within its boundaries. The residents will no longer be able to come and work their lands freely. Our friends were unable to see the roadworks because the army had set up a checkpoint on the road to the new route.
Jun-21-2025The boys go down to the shepherd's S. living area (Photo Eran Maoz)
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Jordan Valley
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Jordan Valley The Jordan Valley is the eastern strip of the West Bank. Its area consists of almost a third of the West Bank area. About 10,000 settlers live there, about 65,000 Palestinian residents in the villages and towns. In addition, about 15,000 are scattered in small shepherd communities. These communities are living in severe distress because of two types of harassment: the military declaring some of their living areas, as fire zones, evicting them for long hours from their residence to the scorching heat of the summer and the bitter cold of the winter. The other type is abuse by rioters who cling to the grazing areas of the shepherd communities, and the declared fire areas (without being deported). The many groundwaters in the Jordan Valley belong to Mekorot and are not available to Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley. The Palestinians bring water to their needs in high-cost followers.Jun-21-2025The boys go down to the shepherd's S. living area (Photo Eran Maoz)
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