Palestinian farmer forced out to make way for Israel bulldozers

Israeli occupation forces reportedly ordered a Palestinian farmer in the Jordan Valley to evacuate his land yesterday ahead of plans to raze the land, according to official Palestinian Authority (PA)-owned Wafa news agency.

Wafa reported that Ahmad Assi Damra, from Hijlet Al-Zour, east of Jericho, was ordered to evacuate his 25 dunum (0.025 square kilometres) plot of land, which is planted with palm trees, in order to raze it.

A similar order was reportedly made to another Palestinian farmer, Suleiman Al-Zayed, who Wafa reported, has planted his four dunum (0.004 square kilometres) plot in the village of Nuweimeh, north of Jericho, with olive trees.

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“The army ordered Zayed to evacuate his land in order to level it,” Wafa said.

The majority of the Jordan Valley is under full Israeli military control, despite being within the West Bank. Meanwhile, at least 44 per cent of the total land in the Jordan Valley has been annexed by Israeli forces for military purposes and training exercises.

The Jordan Valley forms a third of the occupied West Bank and has 88 per cent of its land classified as Area C, where Israel retains near exclusive control, including over law enforcement, planning and construction.