Palestinian farmer forced to pay $13,500 to release 19 cows seized by Israel

Israeli occupation authorities yesterday imposed a fine against a Palestinian farmer as a condition for the release of his 19 detained cows.

Human rights activist Arif Daraghmeh reported that Qadri Daraghmeh was required to pay a fine of 49,000 shekels ($13,500) to secure the release of his 19 cows, which had been seized by occupation forces last week while grazing in the occupied Jordan Valley.

According to Wafa news agency, the confiscation occurred following the instigation of Israeli settlers, resulting in Israeli forces seizing the herd in the pastoral regions of the Jordan Valley.

Settlers, protected by the Israeli occupation security forces, often prevent Palestinian farmers’ livestock from grazing in the open pastures in the northern Jordan Valley. This is a very fertile strip of land running along the occupied West Bank of the River Jordan. It is home to about 65,000 Palestinians and makes up approximately 30 per cent of the total area of the occupied West Bank.

Data from the Israeli Peace Now human rights movement indicates that there are about 694,000 settlers, 145 settlements and 140 settlement outposts which are unlicensed by the Israeli government in the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem. All settlements and settlers are illegal under international law.

READ: Israel is exploiting the war in Gaza to deny Palestinians access to their West Bank land