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Join Jordan Valley Solidarity`s project to pipe water to Palestinian communities
From Jordan Valley Solidarity
via interceptor.websitewelcome.com

Join our project to pipe water to Palestinian communities in the northern Jordan
Valley

Dear friends,

We would like to tell you about our plans to assist the community of Humsa with
a water project, and we hope that you will want to work with us to support the
project.

The small community of Humsa has been subjected to numerous demolitions,
evacuations and confiscation of water tanks and animals. It is clear that the
occupation forces aim to drive them off their land to make way for the expansion
of nearby settlements.

The community are determined to be steadfast and stay on their land, and have
nowhere else to go. To make their existence on the land more viable, and enable
them to farm the small area of land they have, care for their animals, and have
water for themselves, they have decided to work with Jordan Valley Solidarity to
run a water pipe to their community.

Watch our video interview here about water conditions in Humsa
This would be a simple idea in many parts of the world, but for Palestinian
communities in the Jordan Valley it is not simple at all. They are subject to
military law, imposed by the Israeli occupation forces, which prohibits them
from building any structures that could be seen as permanent.*

In 2009 an Amnesty International report (Troubled Waters – Palestinians denied
fair access to water) highlighted how the Israeli occupation forces were using
controlled access to water as a tool to pressurise Palestinian communities to
leave the Jordan Valley. It specifically named the communities of Humsa and Al
Hadidiya.**

This recognition of the plight of the Humsa community has not led to any action
to support them to stay on their land. In fact, the conditions for the community
have deteriorated. In January 2012 sheep pens containing 300 sheep were
demolished. In November 2012 Palestinian communities throughout the northern
Jordan Valley, including Humsa and Al Hadidiya were forced to leave their homes
to make way for joint Israeli/US military training exercises, which was carried
out on Palestinian land. Just a month later, the community were forcibly
evacuated for 3 days, by the occupation forces, so they could carry out yet more
military training in the area. Since then they’ve been subjected to demolitions
in 21st August 2013 and 1st April 2014.

The water project will pipe water from another Palestinian community several
kilometres away, to Humsa. There are currently 14 families living in Humsa ( 91
people), but the project would benefit the neighbouring communities of Samra,
Mak’hul, and Al Hadidiya, benefitting around 600 people in total.

Most of the work will be done by volunteers, but there will be costs for
materials, and some of the heavier work. Our budget for the whole project is
just 23,000 Israeli Shekels (aprox 4,750 Euros, $6,500, or £3,900).

We appeal to all our supporters to join us in this project, and would appreciate
all donations, no matter how large or small.

From your friends

Jordan Valley Solidarity

Background information

See www.jordanvalleysolidarity.org for regular accounts of the ongoing
repression of Humsa, and other Palestinian communities, plus information on the
Jordan Valley and Jordan Valley Solidarity.

*For a fuller explanation of how the occupation forces are forcibly removing
Palestinians from the Jordan Valley see
http://jordanvalleysolidarity.org/index.php/reports-videos/reports-2012/524-the-
forcible-transfer-of-the-palestinian-people-from-the-jordan-valley

**The report stated:

“Palestinians who live in Hadidiya, Humsa and other local communities must
travel several km to buy water, although there is at least one large well close
by which the Israeli army does not permit them to use, even for payment, as it
was drilled for the exclusive use of Israeli settlers in the nearby settlements
of Ro’i, Beka’ot and Hamdat. Like other Israeli settlements in the area, these
all have large irrigated farms.”

and

“In Hadidiya and Humsa, neighbouring hamlets, the Israeli army has (carrying out
home demolitions and confiscating water tanks) to press their inhabitants to
vacate the area. For three summers running, Israeli soldiers have confiscated
water tankers and restricted villagers’ access to water by restricting their
movements in the area.”
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