Israeli Settlements in the Jordan Valley
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Ü Bisan UV90 Givat Sa'alit UV60 Mechola The Occupied Shadmot Mehola Jordan Valley Rotem Tayasir (Northern Area) Occupied Palestine (West Bank) Maskiot Hemdat Ro'i Beka'ot UV57 UV90 Hamra Overview Hamra Jordan Valley Area 1948 Armatice Line Palestinian Communities UV57 Main & Bypass road Argaman Regional road Mechora Jk Crossing Points Israeli Settlements Built up area (Closed by Israel in 2000) Permeter Cultivated land UV60 Municipal boundries UV57 Massu'a Israeli Administrative Restrictions Damiya Gittit Interim Agreement Areas Area A Ma'ale Efrayim Jordan Area B Area C Closed Military Areas Ma'ale Efraim UV60 Yafit Israeli Physical Access Restrictions Ç !¬ Green Line checkpoint Ç !¬ Checkpoint Petza'el !Ǭ Partial Checkpoint ") Roadblock # Earthmound GÌ Road gate - closed GÌ Road gate - open Tomer DD DD DD DD DD DD Road barrier DDDDDDDDDD Earthwall Trench Gilgal Israeli Segregation Barrier Netiv Hagedud Constructed Under Construction Projected Niran Kochav Hashachar Ahavat Hayim Mitzpe Keramim Ma'ale Shlomo Yitav Rimmonim Jenin Yitav ( Al Auja) Tubas Omer Farm Tulkarm Nablus Mevo'ot Jericho Na'ama Tel Aviv-Yaffo Salfit Allenby / King Hussein Ramallah UV60 Jericho Jericho East Jerusalem Jericho Bethlehem Hebron UV90 Vered Yericho Givat Barkay Beit Holga - Mul Nevo Mitzpe Yericho Beit Ha`arava Kilometers 0 1 2 4 6 8 1 Dead Sea Ü UV90 Allenby / King Hussein Jericho UV90 The Occupied Jordan Valley Vered Yericho Givat Barkay Beit Holga - Mul Nevo (Southern Area) Occupied Palestine Mitzpe Yericho (West Bank) UV90 Beit Ha`arava Dead Sea Almog Qalia Overview 1948 Armatice Line Palestinian Communities Main & Bypass road Regional road Jk Crossing Points Israeli Settlements Ovanat Built up area (Closed by Israel in 2000) Permeter Cultivated land Municipal boundries Israeli Administrative Restrictions UV90 Interim Agreement Areas Area A Jordan Area B Area C Closed Military Areas Israeli Physical Access Restrictions Ç !¬ Green Line checkpoint Ç !¬ Checkpoint !Ǭ Partial Checkpoint ") Roadblock # Earthmound GÌ Road gate - closed GÌ Road gate - open DD DD DD DD DD DD Road barrier DDDDDDDDDD Earthwall Trench Dead sea Mitzpe Shalem Israeli Segregation Barrier Constructed Under Construction Projected Jenin Tubas Tulkarm Nablus Tel Aviv-Yaffo Salfit Ramallah Jericho East Jerusalem Bethlehem Hebron Kilometers 0 0.5 1 2 3 4 INTRODUCTION Israeli settlements have remained, in practical and desperate as the region’s 58,000 Palestinian resi- symbolic terms, a defining feature of the Israeli oc- dents are forced to live on approximately 5% of cupation of the West Bank since their establishment the land, while 11,679 settlers have direct access in late 1967 and early 1968. Today, the widening to 50% of the land and have indirect access to an- scope of the settlement enterprise embodies the other 39%. Currently, there are 31 settlements and reality of Israeli expansionism and disregard for 7 outposts in the Jordan Valley, which benefit from Palestinian sovereignty. Though discussed in nego- Israel’s monopolization of resources in the area. tiations between Israel and the Palestinian National All of the settlements in the Jordan Valley engage Authority as mere dots on a map, the settlements in agriculture or have land set aside for the future are a stark reminder of the gross discrimination and development of agriculture. The geographical loca- humiliation Palestinians must face on a daily basis. tion of settlements in the Jordan Valley has been determined by the important potential agricultural Although there has never been an official gov- growth in the region. In addition, these agricultur- ernmental plan or policy encompassing all of the al settlements were established and maintained as settlements, this does not in any way abrogate or export-oriented settlements. The produce grown is exonerate the Israeli government’s absolute re- not meant to compete with Israeli farmers inside sponsibility for the settlement enterprise. Official Israel proper but is meant to utilize the compara- and unofficial documents published by organiza- tive advantage of the Jordan Valley for the benefit tions such as B’tselem or by Israeli researchers of settlers. As such, over 95% of agricultural goods such as Shir Hever have clearly proven each Israeli grown in agricultural settlements in the Jordan Val- administration’s tacit approval of settlement ley are sold to the European Union and to a lesser expansion. The issue of settlements has grown extent, to the United States. so prominent within political conversations sur- rounding the larger Israeli-Palestinian conflict, that The settlements in the Jordan Valley are unique openly discussing the removal of settlements—a in certain aspects. First, they are agriculturally- move called for under international law—has based and in most cases employ a plurality or even become a form of political suicide for Israeli politi- a majority of the settlers. However, most of the cians. Yet, the fact still remains that maintaining settlers in the West Bank are commuters and very settlements and settlers’ luxurious lifestyles comes few actually work in their own settlement. Sec- at the cost of the most basic human rights of ond, the settlements in the Jordan Valley have the Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories highest per capita water usage of any of the Israeli (oPt). settlements in the oPt. Third, these settlements, geographically speaking, are the furthest away Currently, there are over 550,000 (approximately from the Green Line. Fourth, the number of set- 352,000 in the West Bank and 198,000 in East tlers per settlement is the lowest in the oPt. Fifth, Jerusalem) Jewish Israelis living in approximately the majority of these settlements were established 137 recognized settlements with another 5,000 as Nahal military camps (described below) built living in Israeli settlements that are not officially by the Labor party, and are still politically associ- recognized. The totality of these settlements are in ated with the Labor party. Sixth, the Jordan Valley direct control of over 42% of the land in the West settlements have the highest per capita land Bank and East Jerusalem. Much of this land is access and usage rate of settlements. Seventh, located in the fertile Jordan Valley. This means that these settlements rely heavily on Palestinian labor over 2.6 million Palestinians are required to live for agriculture, in addition to construction in and on 58% of West Bank land in isolated and discon- around the settlement. Lastly, although they are nected villages and cities. dependent on subsidies for their existence, the In the Jordan Valley, this situation is increasingly settlements actually produce economic output, 3 specifically agricultural produce and agriculture- Amana – Organization that took over formalized related products. settlement activities after the integration of Gush Emunim into the Begin government. The settlements designated as part of the Jordan Valley fall under the jurisdiction of three regional Beitar youth movement – Right wing youth move- councils and two local councils. The regional coun- ment associated originally with the Herut political cils are Jordan Valley, Megilot, and Mateh Bin- party run by Menachem Begin and later by Likud. yamin, and the local councils are Ma’ale Ephraim Gush Emunim – Meaning “Bloc of the Faithful,” and Ma’ale Adumim. These regional councils are this was a religious Zionist organization intent on the acting governmental body for Israeli settlers. establishing settlements in the West Bank, espe- They are in charge of the distribution of incen- cially in places they felt held significance to the tives, benefits, and services for those living in Jewish faith. Construction of most of their settle- the Jordan Valley. They work closely with settlers ments began after 1977 with the electoral victory to maximize the amount of resources and land of Menachem Begin, who sympathized with the used by settlers, to the detriment of Palestinians organization. in the Jordan Valley in particular and in the oPt Kibbutzim – Collective settlements where the as a whole. The regional councils also serve as a wealth of the community is distributed equally lobbying body with influence in the Israeli Knesset among all of its members. to push forward initiatives that benefit settlers. In a number of cases, specific settlements or out- Moshavim – Settlements where certain agreed- posts have been built with the active support and upon features are communal whereas others, funding from the various councils, thus confirming such as farms, are privately owned with any profit their complicity in violating international law. going to the owner of the farm. This factsheet documents the 31 settlements and Nahal – A division of the Israeli military typically 7 outposts in the Jordan Valley. For each settle- originating from Labor party strongholds such as ment, there is a brief history as to how and why Kibbutzim and Moshavim. This division is respon- the settlement was established in the location it is sible for the creation of an overwhelming majority in. Second, bullet point information is provided re- of the settlements in the Jordan Valley and was garding demographics, land access, and economics also in charge of ultimately civilianizing them. of the settlement. Third, a number of photos are Outpost – An Israeli settlement that has not been provided for each settlement in order to help the officially authorized by the State of Israel although reader grasp the enormity of the investment put they receive most, if not all, services from the into these settlements. A number of sources were state, including construction. used to compile information for this factsheet, in- Petza’el (Fasayil) Valley – Term used by the State cluding primary research conducted by MA’AN. We of Israel to refer to the land north of al-Auja but must especially thank B’tselem and Peace Now for south of Jiftlik. supplying certain vital information used in these profiles, including all numbers regarding water and United Kibbutz Movement – Main organization in build up area dunums respectively.