On July 17, 2002, Israeli Settler Security (militia) bulldozed a 50-meter wide by 400-meter long swath of confiscated Palestinian agricultural land surrounding the Israeli settlement of Harsina on the northeastern border of Hebron. CPTers Le Anne Clausen and Jim Satterwhite responded to a call from the Naim Jaber family, who own 11 dunams [2 ¾ acres] of the threatened land. Hundreds of grape vines and fruit trees, including a fig variety unique to the area, were completely destroyed in the process. The settler militia also demolished a house belonging to the family. The family used the house during the harvesting months. The land provided the sole source of income for three families. "If we lose our land, we will starve," said a family member when interviewed by the team.

Settlers recently opened a dirt road encircling the existing settlement fence, located only five feet from a previous paved road inside the fence. Other families in the affected area speculated that the destruction of the land was to create a ‘buffer zone’ around the settlement expansion. They anticipate several more dunams of confiscated land in the area will be demolished. Families also reported multiple incidents of harrassment from settler security forces in recent weeks, including assaulting residents as they travel to and from their homes and destroying goods they are carrying.

This destruction has dealt a severe blow to the Jaber family, who has lost significant amounts of land to previous Harsina settlement expansions. In addition, the Israeli military has blocked the road from Hebron to all Palestinian traffic, making access to the field extremely difficult for the aged brothers. The family lost last year’s entire harvest of some 3,000 grape vines due to the Israeli military closure and settler confiscation of its lands. The family also lost this year’s vegetable crop. The Jabers fear they will now lose this year’s grapes as well. "We have children, we have families," said one family member. "We have to eat. The children have to go to school."

The family also has extensive medical bills. Najaib Jaber, Naim’s brother, requires frequent hospitalization for a heart condition. Costs run from 300-2,000 shekels per month. The family has now applied for medical assistance through the United Nations Relief Works Administration (UNRWA), but this assistance will not cover the medication Najaib requires. One week ago Najaib Jaber, Naim’s brother, suffered heart trouble while working in the fields. The family faced lengthy delays in finding transportation for Najaib to Ahli Hospital in northwestern Hebron, and the Israeli military fired on the car while it was approaching the hospital during a declared curfew on the city.

The family has filed a complaint with the Palestinian Department of Agriculture.

For more information, please contact the CPT office at [972]-2-222-8485. Photos of the land destruction can be viewed at www.clubphoto.com, login ‘cpt’