A tour in the Jordan Valley

Place:

A-Rashash

Jordan Valley

Tags:

Accompanying Palestinian shepherds in the Jordan Valley

Illegal settler-colonist outposts

Intentionally depriving Palestinian farmers of any water supply

Jordan Valley

Palestinian farmers

Water Problems

Observers:

Daphne Banai (reporting), Nurit Popper, Nina Sebba and her sister, translation T.H

Apr-10-2019

Morning

Ein Rashash: after a rainy winter water fills the ditches again

צינור מים גדול נמתח לעבר אחת הגבעות, משם יעברו המים אל ההתנחלויות

Palestinian Jordan Valley: a large water pipe is laid towards one of the hills, which will provide for the Jewish settler-colonies

Palestinian Jordan Valley: the renewed Gokhia Gate blocks passage between the western and eastern parts of the West Bank

Photo:

Nurit Popper

Palestinian Jordan Valley: the renewed Gokhia Gate was broken and removed by the Israeli army three weeks ago for the sake of a military maneuver

Location Description

Hamra (Beqaot)

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One of the Jordan Rift Valley checkpoints that prevent direct transit between the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, in addition to Tayasir Checkpoint. Located next to Hamra settlement, on Route 57 and the Allon Road.

Read about the peple of the Jordan Valley and the quiet transfer happening there.

Nov-4-2021

Shahar Shiloah

Ein Shibli: grazing begins close to home

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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.

Jan-1-2025

Daphne Banai

The Palestinian Hamra: A lamb in his suite at Mahmoud's

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A-Rashash

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A-Rashash was founded by the patriarch of the family, Haj Suleiman, who fled in 1948 from Tel Amal near Tivon. He leased land around the valley from one of the Palestinian residents and raised a glorious family that today consists of three family heads numbering about 100 people, with electricity from solar panels and water that they bring in trailer tanks from Ein Samia. There is no school there and the children attend an elementary school in the village of Duma, which is over the mountain at a distance of about 5 kilometers, and leave when they reach high school.

The daily life of the residents of the place consists of trying to avoid the machinations and damage of the settlers of the settlements and outposts that surround their village, and to protect the grazing lands of the sheep that remain in their possession. At the same time there is the constant threat of the orders of the civil government carried out by the army. About 3 years ago the residents decided to give up the extensive grazing areas and the access to the Ein Rashash spring and they graze around the encampment and buy feed for the sheep for a lot of money.

After the outpost hooligans managed to drive out the residents of Ras a Tin, Ein Samia and Kaboun, hence began the severe day-and-night harassment of of A Rashash. Since August 2023, the Jordan Valley activists have been holding 24/7 vigils in the pastoral communities to protect them and encourage them to stay on their land. There are refreshing responses, but not enough to provide the residents with long-term protection. You are Welcome to join.