Description

Sunday, April 29, a group of settlers bulldozed agricultural lands belonging to the village of Qusra, in Nablus district. In the morning hours, the settlers went to the piece of land, which is even located far from the settlements surrounding the village but had been targeted before by the settlers. Many times, the area was a location of clashes between the people from Qusra that were out there to protect their lands against the settlers’ usurpation.

Qusra is since years under heavy attack of the settlers and has paid a high price for its steadfast resistance.

The village is home to some 4400 people and covers a total area of 9878 dunum. Majdulim settlement, inhabited by 152 colonists, has been established on an area of 170.6 dunums of Palestinian lands.

The settlers from the nearby settlements have repeatedly harassed the villagers on their land and tried to take over fields of the village. Not even a year ago, on September 23 2011, Isam Kamal Abed Badran Oudah was killed while defending his land from the settlers.

Isam Kamel Abed Badran Odeh, a 34 year old father of seven, was killed by Israeli soldiers in the ongoing conflict between the Israeli settlers of Esh Kadesh outpost and the village. That day, settlers had invaded the village lands and were uprooting trees there when the people from Qusra came out to the fields to protect their land. The Israeli occupation forces protected the settlers and shot tear gas, rubber bullets and life ammunition at the people. Many were injured and Isam Oudah was shot in the neck with a life bullet.

To worsen the situation, Qusra is as well targeted with home demolitions. Only 776 dunum are built up area with no possibility of further expansion as the remaining lands are classified as area C (under complete Israeli administrative control) and Israel is not giving out any building permits. Villagers have still continued to build new houses for their children on their own lands. As a result, Israel has handed out demolition order for more than 15 structures that are now under threat.

The very fact that Israel as an occupying power decides whether Palestinians can build or not on their own lands and demolishes structures without military necessity is a clear violation of international law. It is another mechanism to force people from their lands through disallowing them the right to a home.