Israel evacuates 30 families to conduct military exercises in the Jordan Valley

The Israeli army has evacuated 30 families from their homes in the Jordan Valley this morning to conduct military exercises.

The Bedouin community leader Aref Daraghmeh told the Resala news agency that: “Israeli army forces notified 30 families living in the areas of Azra, Deir Abzik, Al-Bourj and Oyoun Al-Mayteh in the Jordan Valley two days ago that they have to evacuate their homes on Wednesday morning to allow the army to conduct military exercises which would last from 7am to 4pm.”

Daraghmeh said the Israeli army arrived early in the morning and forcibly evacuated the families from their homes to an area more than four kilometres away and began their exercises.

The Israeli army forces Palestinian residents to leave their homes in the northern Jordan Valley from time to time to conduct military exercises. Since the beginning of the year 400 families were forced to evacuate their homes at least six times.

The families fear for their properties and the army remnants that endanger their lives and that of their livestock. In 2014, 13 civilians were reported to have been injured while two residents were killed during the last four years as a result of the army’s waste.