THE

JORDAN POLICY OF PALESTINIAN DISPOSESSION IN THE JORDAN VALLEY VALLEY & NORTH DEAD SEA AREA The Jordan Valley (and North Dead Sea) constitutes Israel pushes Palestinians out of the Valley or to about 30% of the West Bank on its eastern side, restricted areas within it. covering 400,000 acres. Remote and largely hidden from public view, Only 3% of the Palestinian inhabitants of the West the Jordan Valley is home to some of the most Bank reside in the region, primarily. disadvantaged communities in the West Bank. More than one-third of Palestinian structures Despite ongoing displacement and settlement efforts, demolished by Israel in 2016 were in the Valley. about 90% of the Jordan Valley’s inhabitants are As part of the Israeli policy to take over all of area C, Palestinian.

Methods of Dispossession:

• Strict limitations on Palestinian presence • Minimal water granted for Palestinian use • Declarations on state lands, closed firing zones and nature reserves • Establishment of settlements encompassing most land in the Jordan valley • Widespread discrimination in natural resource allocation, especially water Jordan Valley Coalition: Taayush, Machsom Watch, Watch, Machsom Taayush, Coalition: Jordan Valley and others All That Left Now, Peace Peace, for Combatants • Repeated demolition of houses and agricultural structures • Confiscation of tents and agricultural tools

• Military exercises in areas of Palestinian residence, JERUSALEM and evacuation of communities • Harassment and prevention of access to agricultural and grazing lands by settlers and their private security forces

The Jordan Valley is the largest land reserve in the West Bank. Any future political agreement depends on the Dead Sea development of a Palestinian state. Only a total shift regarding Palestinians’ ability to live, build and work on the Jordan Valley land will make this Palestinian Villages development possible. and Communities JORDAN THE VALLEY already built-up ofitis of theland,butmost are allowedtobuildononly6% 90% ofthearea’s population, Palestinians, whocomprise construction for94% isrestricted Palestinian As aresult: reserves 27% designatedfor nature state landsthanpriorto 1967 54% isstateland,4timesmore zone” most ofitis“firing zone, 56% isclosedmilitary C 87% definedasArea third oftheWest Bank The JordanValley spansalmosta Jordan Valley Land ofthe 30% danger ofexpulsion a firingzone, andinpermanent in About 3,500 ofthemreside Jordan Valley C liveinArea Palestinian ofthe residents ofthe Less thanaquarter communities in smallherdingandBedouin 15,000 (according to estimations) camps 41,000 in28villagesandrefugee 24,000 inJericho 80,000 Palestinians & Community Residents of West Bank Consumption (inliters): Per Capita DailyAllocationand buying water from tankers dedicated to are their expenditures connected to thewater grid;½of Most Palestinian not shepherdsare 20 61 100 161 487 727 Palestinians intheWest Bank of total consumption bymillionsof Jordan Valley, equalto about30% annually for 10,000settlersinthe 45 millioncubicmetersallocated consumers inIsraeli municipalities. West than Bank,and2.5timesmore than Palestinian ofthe residents water18 timesmore onaverage Settlers intheJordanValley receive Water by thesetters rise inviolence againstPalestinians Jordan Valley whichbroughtabouta establishedinthenorthern were At newoutposts theendof2016two 7 outposts 30 Settlements 10,000 Settlers & Settlements Settlers Consumption ofPalestinians off-water grid JordanValleynorth Consumption ofPalestinians incentral- Recommendation oftheWHO Jericho area Consumption ofPalestinians inthe Allocation to settlersintheJordanValley Dead SeaAllocation to settlersinNorth area AND NORTH DEAD SEA AREA AND NORTH SEA DEAD OCCUPATION INTHEJORDAN VALLEY DATA OF ONTHE INTENSITY Number ofdemolitionsbyyear: damage to water infrastructure demolitions, mostlyfrom impactedby 6,850 were 3,270 peoplelosttheirhomes 2,077 demolished structures Jordan Valley: in theWest inthe Bankwere demolishedbyIsraelstructures About 40%ofPalestinian 2009–2016: Between & Evacuation Demolition 157 2009 236 2010 256 2011 177 2012 390 2013 240 2014 227 2015 394 2016

Sources: OCHA, Btselem, Peace Now, Kerem Navot