RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Settlers burn land adjacent to outpost
Date: 06/11/2011
By Esther Mae Hinshaw
10 May 2011
On 8 June 2011 fire burned 20 to 30 dunums (4 dunums equal about 1 acre) of Palestinian land owned by five different families. The land was part of a plot of 50 dunums planted with different kinds of fruit trees and garden plants. One of the property owners reported to CPTers Paulette Schroeder, Jessie Smith, Laurens van Esch, and Esther Mae Hinshaw that the fire was set by settlers who live in an outpost adjacent to the burned trees and field. When the CPTers arrived on the scene, an Israeli fire truck was spraying water on the surrounding land. The property owner reported that a Palestinian fire truck had put out the fire. One of the owners who has a shop near the CPT apartment had alerted the CPTers.
The Israeli military seized the 50 dunum plot on 26 October 1971. On 5 May 2011 the Israeli soldiers gave the owners a document telling them that the seizure notice had been cancelled and the land was now theirs. The military also told the Palestinians that the property owners would now have to be responsible for defending the land against the settlers. The owners are afraid of what will happen now. The Palestinians fear that having their property returned to them will give the settlers a “green light” to take more actions like the burning of the land. They also fear that the settlers will try to connect the outpost to the Kiryat Arba settlement.
For photos see: