Urif: Hundreds of Olive Trees burned

(The burning of the olive trees took place near the Yitzar settlement)

MPTers visited the Palestinian village of Urif to gather information on a huge fire which burned hundreds, perhaps as many as 500, olive trees, almond trees, grape vines and fig trees to the west and north of the village on June 2^nd. The fire, set by settlers from Yitzar, an illegal Israeli settlement, began about 11:00 a.m. It was first noticed by the stone quarry workers in the quarry below the olive groves, but not in direct sight of all of the grove.

When the villagers heard the fire announced through the village mosque loudspeaker, all came to fight the fires. The local Palestinian Civil Defense fire truck came with men to fight the fire, but the distance of the fire from the road, the delay in spotting the fire and the size of the area set afire resulted in a large area being burned. To the untrained eye of the MPTers, it seemed like fuel such as gasoline may have been spread over parts of the area, since on one hillside only parts of the hill were burned.

When the villagers heard the fire announced through the village mosque loudspeaker, all came to fight the fires. The local Palestinian Civil Defense fire truck came with men to fight the fire, but the distance of the fire from the road, the delay in spotting the fire and the size of the area set afire resulted in a large area being burned. To the untrained eye of the MPTers, it seemed like fuel such as gasoline may have been spread over parts of the area, since on one hillside only parts of the hill were burned.

Badly

burned

trees

will not

produce.

(MPTer near burned grass area. Lost grazing land.)

The Israeli Occupation Forces were called by the village authorities and came, but did nothing. This is due to the fact that civil offences should be investigated by the Israeli police since the Israeli army does not have jurisdiction over these matters. In other incidents with settlers, the army comes and watches only or detains or arrests villagers who may or may not react to the settlers.

MPT was told by one Village Council member that other types of incidents also happen frequently. About six months ago the bulldozers and other equipment at the nearby stone quarry were burned by Yitzhar settlers.

One year ago the village school was also attacked by Israeli settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar, injuring 23 persons . MPT interviewed the Village Council President in the spring of 2009 shortly after the school incident in which live bullets were used by settlers. (See: http://mptinpalestine.blogspot.com/2009/05/urif-live-ammunition.html

The village authorities called the media when the recent fire occurred in the olive grove, but the response was minimal . Perhaps this was because of attention on the Freedom Flotilla or because there would be no action when they came. Several other villages in the area have had incidents with settlers which will eventually be recorded by various national and international organizations.

The member of the village council expressed that there was little the village could do because the Israeli military does little, the media is not always responsive, and villagers are punished severely if they retaliate. A village nearby responds with regular nonviolent demonstrations; Urif does not have demonstrations.