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MA’AN Development Center

The Occupation of the Jordan ValleyDestroying the Two State Solution

October 2007

MA’AN Development Center Palestine

Jordan Valley Update

Overview Location and general information

Land Grab and Colonization Israeli control over JV land

Apartheid Wall and settlementsList of Israeli settlements (colonies) in JV

House demolition

Movement RestrictionsResidence restrictions

Movement and access restrictions Humanitarian access

List of checkpoints in JV

Vulnerable Economy Agriculture and markets

Agricultural barriers that Israel imposes in JV Tourism

Occupation procedures that inhibit tourism poverty and unemployment

Water resources Israeli control over water resources

Lack of access to water for Palestinians


Ramallah Head Office, Phone: (+972) 2-295 4451/ 298 6796, Fax: (+972) 2- 295 [email protected]. www.maan-ctr.org




Overview

The Jordan Valley is located in a stretch of

land located at the base of a mountain ridge that

runs adjacent to the Jordan River. JV runs

from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the Dead

Sea in the south.

The area is rich in agricultural land, warm weather and abundant water sources, offering

great economic and political prospects.

Since 1967, 5 military outposts and 36

settlements have been established in the

Jordan Valley. Approximately 6200

settlers live in the area and 58,147 Palestinians (excluding the Bedouin

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Land Grab and Colonization

Area Classification* Description Areas included Area

(total = 2,400 km²)% of total

JV area

A Palestinian Civil & Security

Control

Jericho, Al-Uja 85 km² 3.54%

B Palestinian Civil Control & Israeli Security Control

Ein al-Beida, Bardala, Fasayel, Marj Na’jeh,

Zubeidat, Nassareyyeh

50 km² 2.08%

C Settlement Regional Council

Control

36 settlements 1200 km² 50%

Closed zones Border line, military bases, natural reserves

1065 km² 44.37%

Total under Palestinian control 135 km² 5.62%

Total under Israeli control 2265 km² 94.37%

Source: Ministry of Planning & the Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign

*Classification according to 1993 Oslo Agreement

Israeli control over Jordan Valley land

Map: Negotiations Support Unit – February 2007

Total settlements in JV = 36

Total # settlers in JV = 6,200

In 2003, part of the eastern Wall was built from the Jordan River (east) to Matalla village of Jenin (west)

Wall segregated 5000 dunums of lands





No Settlement Area (dunum) Year established

Population

1 Almog ---- 1977 159

2 Argaman 833 1968 166

3 Beit Ha’arava 25 1980 83

4 Bek’out 675 1972 156

5 Gif’at Salit ---- 2002 4 families

6 Gilgal 650 1970 164

7 Gitit ---- 1973 191

8 Giv’at ‘Olim ---- 1998 0

9 Hamra ---- 1971 132

10 Hemdat ---- 1997 140

11 Hill 777 ---- 1999 12

12 Hill 836 ---- 1998 95

Source: The Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign

Settlements (colonies)





Population

13 Kalia 417 1968 271

14 Kokhaf Hashahar ---- 1977 1449

15 Ma’ale Efraym 714 1970 1423

16 Ma’ale Shlomom ---- 1999 9 families

17 Mehola 233 1968 362

18 Mekhoura ---- 1973 120

19 Meswa 817 1970 136

20 Mezpe Shalom ---- 1971 180

21 Mezray Jericho ---- 1978 1563

22 Mezray Karmim ---- 2001 1367

23 Mifot Jericho ---- 1999 20

24 Mol Nefo 66 2001 One woman








Population

25 Naomi 425 1982 130

26 Nativ Hagidud 1037 1976 127

27 Niran 225 1977 49

28 Petsa’el ---- 1975 215

29 Ro’i 264 1976 117

30 Rotem 50 2001 18

31 Verd Yeriho ---- 1980 156

32 Yavit 1066 1980 99

33 Yitav ---- 1970 156

34 Tomer 366 1978 281

35 Shedmot Mehola 609 1979 516

36 Southern Ma’ale Shlomo

---- 2003 0







Israel continues to confiscate land, demolish homes and prevent rehabilitation of existing houses and roads of the Palestinians, but

maintains plans for settlement expansion and infrastructure development for Israeli settlers in the Jordan Valley.


House Demolition




Source: Jericho District Coordination Office

January 2007, alone, sought losses of $56,800 due to house and agricultural facility demolitions


House Demolition





Movement Restrictions

Residence restrictions

Since May 2005, only Palestinians with an address on their identification card from the Jordan Valley are allowed to reside there.

Many people who have lived in the Jordan Valley for many years, but did not have that address on their ID cards were affected

Women who have married into a family from the Jordon valley for example, or others who were born in other areas of the West Bank but now live there are most affected

Residents of the Jordon Valley without the corrected address on their identification card fear traveling to other areas of the West Bank in case they are prohibited from returning to their homes.




Movement Restrictions

On 12 January 2006 Israeli leaders officially announced the isolation of the Jordan Valley from the rest of the West Bank

Restrict 200,000 land owners from accessing their agricultural land

Private Palestinian cars travelling through Hamra, Tayasir, Ma’ale Efrayim and Yitav checkpoints are subject to obtaining an Israeli permit, however, permits for private vehicles are very difficult to obtain.

Bisan checkpoint into Israel at the north of the Valley continues to be available for the export of Jordan Valley agricultural goods to Israel. However, Bisan is a back-to-back checkpoint and a permit is required for the goods. Long delays at Bisan, Hamra and Tayasir checkpoints can result in delays for farmers which, in many cases, results in the spoiling or devaluation of their produce.

A permanent checkpoint has been established on Road 1 to the Dead Sea preventing all Palestinians from traveling south to the Dead Sea even if they possess permits to enter Israel.

Movement and access restrictions




Movement and Access

Palestinian patients and medical staff suffer from the usual delays caused by checkpoints.

Deterioration in the medical condition of patients due to long waiting hours

Death and checkpoint deliveries were reported for some emergency medical conditions that could

not wait on checkpoints

Closing checkpoints on Jewish holidays and closure days threats the lives of emergency cases

Humanitarian Access

Hamra checkpoint

Electronic search room


Checkpoint in the Jordan Valley

Checkpoint Location Opening hours Type Manned by From To

Jericho southern checkpoint

Jericho southern entrance

5am 10pm Permanent Military, Police, DCO

Dyok (Na’ran) North-west of Jericho

6am 5pm Permanent Military, Police, DCO

New’me North of Jericho

Closed with cement blocks

Permanent Border guards

Taybeh (Caramelo)

North-west of Jericho

Open Permanent Military, Police

Wadil Qilt South-west of Jericho

Closed with cement blocks

Permanent Military

Hamra Nassareyya & Wadi al Bathan

5am 10pm Permanent Military, Police

Tayaseer Near Tayaseer

5am 9pm Permanent Military, Police

Ma’ale Efrayim

Near ma’ale Efrayim settlement

6am 9pm Permanent Military

Uja Mu’arajat road

Open Permanent Border guards Source: Jericho District Coordination Office


Checkpoint in the Jordan Valley

Checkpoint Location Opening hours Type Manned by From To

Jericho southern entrance

Verd Yeriho junction

Open Not permanent

Border guards,Police

Al Khan al Ahmar

Hizma junction

Open Not permanent

Police

Der Hijla Der Hijla junction

6am 9pm Not permanent

Border guards

Ma’le Adumim

Near Ma’ale Adumim settlement

6am 9:30pm Permanent Border guards, police

07 checkpoint

Entrance of Al Khan al Ahmar

6am 9:30pm Not permanent

Border guards, police

Bisan On the Green Line

Open Permanent Border guards

Bardala Bardala entrance

Open Not permanent

Border guards,Police

Dead Sea Dead Sea road

Flying checkpoint ------- Border guards



Vulnerable Economy

The Jordan Valley area totally depends on agriculture (except for Jericho) for and heavily utilizes its agricultural prospects, providing 35% of the total produce distributed to Palestinians. It produces 60% of the vegetables, 40% of citrus and 100% of bananas. This agricultural success is associated with the area’s unique locations below sea level, which is likened to a giant greenhouse where crops ripe early in the winter.

Agriculture and Markets


Vulnerable Economy

Agricultural barriers Israel imposes on Palestinians in JV

Continued confiscation of agricultural land to complete the eastern segregation zone, expand settlements and military zones

Eliminate Palestinian products that may supply the local market by dumping the Palestinian market with Israeli good produced in settlements

Demolition and destruction of infrastructure such as curettage of agricultural lands, demolition of agricultural barracks and retention of wells, stone terraces and irrigation networks

Prevention of building new wells and reconditioning of existing wells

Preventing farmers and landowner who do not have a Jordan Valley residential address in their IDs from reaching and cultivating their lands

Closure of Arab, Israeli and regional markets to Palestinian farmers

Under normal circumstances, Palestinians need 3 hours to get to the West Bank markets, with the checkpoints, they need at least six hours, making fruits and vegetables more vulnerable to damage

Destruction of livestock sector by imposing high fines on shepherds who let their sheep cross an Israeli zone from which Palestinians are forbidden



Closing grazing fields


Vulnerable Economy

Agricultural barriers Israel imposes on Palestinians in JV



Source: Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture – Jericho Department

In 20001,900 tons of Palestinian produce reached Israeli markets

In 2001Only 15 tons of Palestinian produce reached Israeli markets


Vulnerable Economy

Tourism

The economy of the Jordan Valley depends also on tourism, mainly focusing in and around Jericho, whereas the rest of the Valley depends primarily on agriculture.



Jericho’s tourism sector, central to the Jordan Valley economy, was devastated following September 2000.

Source: Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities


Vulnerable Economy

Occupation Procedures that Inhibit Tourism



Checkpoints and strict military procedures in/out of the Jordan Valley

Complete isolation of Jericho by surrounding it with checkpoints and a trench

Ongoing Israeli military training and explosions leaving some sites with serious damages such as the Greek Monastery of Hijla

Declaring some tourist attractions closed military zones such as Al Maleh where Israel destroyed the ancient hotels and hot springs present since the Ottoman era.

Prevention of Israeli drivers and tourist guides from entering Palestinian areas, leaving tourists with no choice but to avoid the area

Cancellation of visits to Jericho and its sites from Israeli and international tourist programs

Construction of the Apartheid wall which prevents geographical continuity between the three main tourist centers (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Jericho)


Vulnerable Economy

Occupation Procedures that Inhibit Tourism



An ancient hotel in Al Maleh closed by the occupation since 1967


Vulnerable Economy



Poverty and unemployment

The Israeli severe restrictions and oppressive policies on Palestinians in the Jordan Valley resulted in:

In 2006, unemployment rates reached 21% in Jericho and Tubas districts

Despite of the Valley’s agricultural advantages, approximately 53% of the its residents in Jericho and Tubas were food insecure in 2006, up by 10% from 2005


Water Resources



Israeli control over water resources

The Eastern Water Aquifer

Although the Jordan Valley is situated over the Eastern Water Basin, Palestinians in the area suffer from lack of access to water due to Israeli restrictions and copious usage

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Eastern Aquifer


Water Resources




The Eastern Water Aquifer

Although the Jordan Valley is situated over the Eastern Water Basin, Palestinians in the area suffer from lack of access to water due to Israeli restrictions and copious usage

Eastern Aquifer


Water Resources



The Jordan River

Israel forbids Palestinians from using the Jordan River, which would provide 250 million cubic liters of water per year


The Dead Sea

Israel exhausted Dead Sea Water, threatening its existence in the next 20 years.

Israel fully controls the Dead Sea and denies Palestinian rights to access its water, minerals and shores.

Israel is excessively pumping water out of the sea and reserving water coming from the western valleys of the Jordan River, which results in decreasing the amount of water drained into the Dead Sea.

As a result of lack of water drainage into the Dead Sea from the Jordan River valleys as well as Israel’s excessive pumping of the sea water, aerial photos show the Dead Sea splitting into two separate, smaller lakes

A northern part of the Dead Sea

B southern lobe partially dried out

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Water Resources



Irrigation projects

Over the last 4 decades, Israel has isolated 162 agricultural wells in the Jordan Valley (east of Road 90), prohibiting Palestinians from using them


Underground water

Controlling underground water and digging wells at critical depths while Prohibiting Palestinians from digging new of reallocating wells. Israel measures the amount of water used by Palestinians and imposes fines on those who exceed the allocated amount

Contamination of available water

The water available for Palestinians from springs and underground water is polluted by the leakage of sewage from settlements


Water Resources



Comparison

Israel has full control over Palestinian water resources and restricts Palestinian access to these resources , as a result:


Settlers

Cultivate 27,000 dunumsConsume 41mcm of water/ year

Palestinians

Cultivate 53,000 dunumsConsume 37mcm of water/ year


Water Resources




Waiting to drink water in the Palestinian village of Fassayel


The Jordan Valley and the two state Solution



UN Resolution 1397 affirms the vision of two states –Israel & Palestine living side by side within secure and recognized borders

For any state to survive it must be:

(1) Sovereign (2) Geographically contiguous(3) Economically sustainable





Sovereignty

Israel controls more than 94.37% of the Jordan Valley land

Israel has full control over water resources in the Jordan Valley

Israel has full control over the eastern borders with Jordan ( the only outlet for West Bank Palestinians to the world)





Geographical Continuity

The Jordan Valley is completely isolated from the rest of the West Bank

Access to the Jordan Valley city of Jericho is restricted; Palestinians are not allowed to exist Jericho through the Jordan Valley, they have to take a long dangerous route to the West Bank in order to do so





Economic Sustainability

Agriculture and livestock

Complete control over most of the agricultural lands

Complete control over water resources necessary for agriculture

Destroying the agricultural infrastructure by demolition of irrigation pools, irrigations networks, confiscation of land, etc.

Imposing severe restrictions on Palestinians for marketing their produce to the West Bank markets and international markets

Destruction of livestock sector due to the closure of grazing fields, high fines imposed on shepherds, etc





Economic Sustainability

Tourism

Preventing Jericho’s local and international tourist visits

Destroying some tourist ancient tourist attractions in the Jordan Valley

Preventing geographical continuity between the three main tourist centers (Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho)




Is the two state solution still possible?


Map: Negotiations Support Unit


Resources



•To Exist is to Resist: Eye on Jordan valley – MA’AN Development Center and the Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign , May 2007

• United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – Closure Update, March 2007

• United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – Humanitarian Update, October 2005

•UN Press Release (SC/7326), Security Council resolution 1397, 2002

•The Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign

• Negotiations Support Unit

•Jericho District Coordination Office (DCO)

•Palestinian Ministry of Planning

•Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture

•Palestinian ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

•Picture Credits: MA’AN and The Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign