A prelude to confiscate it…the occupation municipality hand orders of planting hundreds of Dunoms in Esawyeh with trees
Joint crews from the occupation municipality and the so-called Nature and Parks Authority hung on Monday maps and orders signed by Mayor Nir Barakat to plant trees in hundreds of agricultural Dunoms in the southern part of the village of Esawyeh to turn it into a national park. Mohammad Abu Hummos, member of follow-up committee in the village of Esawyeh, explained that the orders were hung on the lands of the village. According to the maps, the municipality plans to turn more than 200 Dunoms into a “park”. Abu Hummos pointed out that the lands fall within the settlement project known as “National Park 11092 A” in the areas of Al-Tur and Esawyeh and which was cancelled last years with a decision by the National Committee for Planning and Building after the committee conditioned to provide the needs of the residents from schools, kindergartens, houses and medical centers before starting to establish a park in the area; note that the lands at risk of being confiscated are the only lands left for the locals of the village to build and expand. According to the order hung, Abu Hummos explained that the occupation municipality and Nature and Parks Authority claim that the lands are not being utilized by their owners and accordingly will be used for the benefit of the public. Abu Hummos denied the claims of the municipality and Nature and Parks Authority and confirmed that parts of the lands have been planted with trees by their owners from dozens of years and other lands were swept by the occupation’s bulldozers which removed the trees planted and demolished establishments built in the lands. He also ensured that the occupation authorities harass the owners and prevent them from planting trees in the area. Abu Hummos also confirmed that planting trees in the area is one step before confiscating the lands in favor of the “national park”.
