UAWC follows up the confiscation order of 4000 dunums in Bethlehem
Ramallah- The legal Unit of the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) follows up the Israeli confiscation order of 4000 dunums from the land of Soreef, Jab’aa, Wadi Fokeen, and Housan in the Governorate of Bethlahem.
UAWC’s team met with the municipalities, village councils and farmers of the areas that are threatened with confiscation to legally follow up the case through providing legal counseling in addition to 12,000$ to land survey the targeted land.
The director of UAWC’s Grassroots, Policies & Advocacy Department Samah Darwish explained that the team has provided legal workshops for the farmers in the targeted villages, in addition to the financial support within “Defending Our Rights” project funded by the Norwegian People’s Fund. Darwish also stressed that UAWC’s team is following up the case in partnership with governmental bodies.
The Mayor of Soreef Mohammad Ghnemat emphasized that the order deprives farmers of basic agricultural areas that include thousands of olive trees and grazing areas, in addition it deprives the villagers from urban expansion. It is important to note that agriculture is the main source of income for 80% of the people of Soreef noting that the order will confiscate 2500 dunums from Soreef’s land not including 14 thousand dunums inside the Green Line and 4000 dunums within the wall area.
Ghnemat stressed on UAWC’s role in following the confiscation order through legal awareness workshops, land surveying financial coverage and legal presentation of the farmers in the courts.