Visit to Deir Al Ghusun and Far’un

Place:

Deir al-Ghusun CP (623)

Far'un CP

Tags:

Palestinian farmers

Tours in villages in the West Bank

Observers:

Yehudit K., Shoshi A. (report an photos);Translator: Tal h.

Oct-17-2019

Morning

Concrete slabs block checkpoint 623

Photo:

Shoshi Anbar

Cars parked near the blocked checkpoint

Checkpoint 609 Before opening

A sign with no information in checkpoint 609

Olive Press

Olive Press 4

Photo:

Shoshi Anbar

Location Description

Deir al-Ghusun CP (623)

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Deir al-Ghusun CP (623) and 'Atil (609)

Here these ‘gates info-icon ’ agricultural checkpoints - are open all year round, 3 times a day, so the village farmers cross them to reach their 2,200 dunams that were separated by the Separation Fence and left in the seam-zone. the Fence itself grabbed 300 more dunams of their land. Depending on opening times, the area’s farmers use these checkpoints alternately. The Israeli army has threatened with the closure info-icon of these checkpoints as collective punishment if any breaks of the fence or climbing over it were detected. The main complaints of the Palestinians here are about not being issued sufficient permits for farmworkers in spite of the large farmlands behind the fence. We have documented several cases of miserable conduct: a fire broke out in one of the storage areas, but firefighters were not allowed to reach it in time. another example: During olive harvest for a few days it is open for all day, but at the same time, they placed concrete blocks against vehicles, prevent basic agricultural work.

Mar-22-2022

Ruti Tuval

The locked gate at the Anin checkpoint

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Far'un CP

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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 info-icon 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 info-icon 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-22-2022

Ruti Tuval

The locked gate at the Anin checkpoint

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