This is the latest message I have received from a group of Christians (Christian Peacekeepers Team) who monitor Israeli actions in the West Bank. They are located in several areas, including around Hebron, where Israeli settlers, backed by the Israeli military are trying to take over the area, and drive the Palestinians out. When will it end? When will Canada do something?
SOUTH HEBRON HILLS, Occupied West Bank – The Israeli military demolished three water cisterns and two wells in the Khashem Ad Daraj - Hathaleen region on Tuesday, 14th December. The military gave no reason for the destruction of the wells and cisterns.
The demolitions follow a pattern of destruction of Palestinian property by the Israeli military in Area C, as defined by the Oslo Accords.
Rather than delivering the demolition orders to the residents of the villages in the area, the Israeli army instead left the orders under a stone two days earlier.
The demolished cisterns and wells supplied drinking water to the villagers as well as their sheep and goats. The wells were up to 300 meters deep and over 70 years old, pre-dating the 1967 occupation of the Palestinian Territories. The Israeli military claims that it does not destroy structures created before 1967.
The villages are in the southern West Bank, less than 15 km from the Dead Sea, and are approximately 10 km east of At-Tuwani and 26 km south-east of Hebron/Al-Khalil. This hilly region is arid, and receives an average yearly rainfall of between 150 – 250 mm ^^2
Shepherding of sheep & goats is the primary source of food and income for the villages in this area. The destruction of the water wells & cisterns directly impacts their livelihood.
Interesting: "The Israeli military claims that it does not destroy structures created before 1967." Implied in that is some sort of assertion that it's legitimate, or more legitimate, to destroy structures created after 1967. Palestinian land then, Palestinian land under illegal occupation now: what am I missing? (Seriously, not sarcastically: is there something that I'm not understanding here?)
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