How US Zionist organizations in the Jordan Valley are undermining a future Palestinian state. 2
Table of Contents
Introduction 7
Facts 8
Land classification and control in the Jordan Valley 9 Land ownership in the Jordan Valley 11 The Jordan Valley and its importance to the creation of a viable Palestinian state 12 Settlements in the Jordan Valley: What are they and where are they? 15 Restrictions to Access 18 American Zionist organizations: Projects they fund and their effect on Palestine 20 Projects funded by American Zionist non-profit organizations 22 Profile: Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC) 26 Profile: American Friends of New Communities in Israel 27 Case study: Resettlement of former Gaza settlers in Maskiyot 28 Central Fund for Israel 32 The illegality of these projects and their effect on the Middle East Peace Process 32 Apartheid Policies 34 What are the effects on Palestinians? 34 Living conditions and human rights for Palestinians in the Jordan Valley 35
Conclusion 40
Appendices 41 3
don’t know how many people, including in the U.S. government, realize the extent of private American “Ifunding to settlements. . . . Every dollar that goes to settlements makes Middle East peace that much harder to reach” Ori Nir, Spokesperson for Americans for Peace Now. 4
Abbreviations
AFNCI – American Friends of New Communities in Israel
CFOIC – Christian Friends of Israeli Communities
ICCPR – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
IOF – Israeli Occupation Forces, the occupying forces which control the West Bank
JNF – Jewish National Fund
OIF – One Israel Fund
PNA – Palestinian National Authority
UNSC – United Nations Security Council
WZO – World Zionist Organization
YESHA – Hebrew acronym for Judea, Samaria [the West Bank] and Gaza - the areas occupied by Israel since 1967. The YESHA Council is a political group in Israel which supports settlements. 5
Glossary of terms
1967 – The second Arab-Israeli war that took place from June 5th to June 10th. It is also known as the six-day war. The Arabs were defeated and as a result of this war Israel began occupying the Gaza strip, the Sinai Peninsula, East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. Following the 1978 Camp David Accords, Israel handed back to Egypt the Sinai Peninsula and unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005 although it still maintains control of its borders, sea and airspace
Dunum – Measure of land – 1 dunum equals 1000m2.
The Green Line – The term used to describe the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria. The proposed Palestinian state will be made up of the territory that is currently occupied by Israel beyond the Green Line, i.e. the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
Judea and Samaria – The term used by Israel and Zionist organizations to refer to the West Bank. Judea is the area south of Jerusalem and Samaria the area to the north. The terms come from the biblical names for this area.
Nahal – A Hebrew acronym for Pioneering Fighting Youth, an IOF infantry brigade. Their duties include creating military outposts in the West Bank. Between 1967 and 1977, the Nahal brigade established 21 outposts some of which were soon turned into civilian settlements in the Jordan Valley and its western slope.
Kibbutz – An agricultural community based on socialist and Zionist principles. They played a key role in the creation of the state of Israel for ideological reasons but also economic and security reasons. They were often placed at the borders of what would become the state of Israel. In the Jordan Valley, kibbutzim have been placed there to play the same role, providing security against the threat of invading armies and an economic role in that they have extensive agricultural output. There are 2 kibbutzim in the Jordan Valley under the jurisdiction of Bik’at HaYarden Regional Council.
Moshav – A communal farm similar to a Kibbutz, however, individuals own same-sized plots of land rather than collectively owning the entire area. There are 15 moshavim in the Jordan Valley under the jurisdiction of Bik’at HaYarden Regional Council.
Settlement– A residential community built on land occupied by Israel after the 6-day war in 1967. They include houses built for Israeli Jews in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Golan heights. They are illegal under international law. 6 7
Introduction
The Jordan Valley holds economic and political house demolitions, have restricted access importance for both Israel and Palestine. and movement, limited access to healthcare It was under Jordanian control until it was and education and constraints on maintaining captured by Israel during the 1967 6-Day War viable agricultural livelihoods due to Israel’s and has been illegally occupied ever since. bureaucratic apartheid policies and military The area holds strategic importance for Israel brutality. as it is perceived to serve as a ‘buffer zone’ from neighboring ‘enemy’ Arab countries. 95% of the Jordan Valley is Area C and thus It also has economic importance due to the does not come under the governance of the number of farms located in the area and its Palestinian National Authority (PNA) but proximity to the Dead Sea which provides under Israeli civil and military control. The important tourism revenue. For Palestinians PNA is prevented from providing services to it is an essential and indivisible part of an the Palestinian population there and are in economically, socially, geographically and effect captive to both the failure of The Oslo politically viable Palestinian state. Accords and the restrictive Israeli measures and policies in the area that are encouraging Israeli settlers in the Jordan Valley, of which the inhabitants to flee the area. there are approximately 9,358 (according to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics1), live This factsheet focuses on American Zionist in violation of international law, but enjoy a organizations that support settlements in the multitude of benefits and heavily subsidized Jordan Valley. More precisely, it examines services from the Israeli government, in part how these organizations normalize and to encourage increased settlement there, legitimize illegal settlement activity through but also to develop and cultivate the area for improving living conditions for settlers and Israel. Settlers throughout the West Bank, promoting the settler and Zionist cause in the but particularly in the Jordan Valley, receive international sphere. These organizations use support from American Zionist Organizations a variety of strategies and language to convey in the form of so-called humanitarian projects a righteous and moral image of settlers and including development and security programs. settlements throughout the West Bank, These projects contribute to settlers’ but especially those in the Jordan Valley, permanency, sense of belonging in the Jordan through emphasizing their vulnerability and Valley and consolidate their ‘ownership’ of the precariousness. In supporting and funding land through international political support. infrastructure, security, agriculture and In addition, they cement Israel’s ownership welfare projects and promoting migration to of the area and block any chance of returning the Jordan Valley and through its choice of the land to the Palestinians. rhetoric, these organizations create facts on the ground and help to recreate the Jordan While Israeli settlers living in the Jordan Valley Valley as an indivisible part of Israel thus are supported by the Israeli government blocking any claims Palestine has to the area. and wealthy Zionist organizations that fund every aspect of their lives, Palestinians in the Jordan Valley live in poverty without access to running water, proper sanitation facilities, electricity shortages, in constant fear of 8
Facts
The Jordan Valley is 120km long from the Green Line in the north to the northern edge of the Dead Sea in the south and 15 kilometers wide.2 It comprises an area of about 2400 square meters or 28.5% of the West Bank.
The Palestinian population of the Jordan Valley is 58,000 approximately 2% ofthe Palestinian population in the West Bank. 70% of Jordan Valley residents live in the city of Jericho.3
Prior to the 1967 occupation the population was estimated at between 300,000 and 320,000.4
Approximately 40% of the population is made up of semi-nomadic Bedouin and herder communities who have traditionally grazed their animals across the Jordan Valley.5
There are 20 permanent Palestinian communities in the Jordan Valley, not including Bedouin communities.6
The Israeli settler population in the Jordan Valley is 9,358 who live in around 30 officially populated Israeli settlements. There are also various Nahal outposts some of which have unofficial and illegal (according to Israeli and international law) settler populations.7
Only 135km2 or 5.62% of the Jordan Valley is under Palestinian Control while the remaining 2265km2 or 94.37% of the land is controlled by Israel. 50% of the land is used for settlements and 44.37% is used for Israeli military purposes.8
27,000 dunums of land in the Jordan Valley is cultivated by Israeli settlers.9
American Zionist organizations in the Jordan Valley fund infrastructure, tourism, psycho- social projects, recreation grounds, water reservoirs and security services.
The Jordan Valley has some of the highest unemployment rates in the West Bank. The most recent statistics for the 2 main governorates comprising the Jordan Valley, Tubas and Jericho & Al Aghwar (the Jordan Valley) have unemployment rates of 17% and 10% respectively.10 In addition, in 2009, 18% of Jericho district residents and 33% of Tubas district residents were vulnerable to food insecurity, living in fear of hunger and starvation.11
The poverty rate in the Jordan Valley for Palestinians is above 60%.12
Every Jordan Valley settler family is given a free house, a US$20,000 long-term loan, 70 dunums of land, free healthcare, a 75% discount on electricity, utilities and transportation, and an unlimited water supply.13
Settlement factories and farms in the Jordan Valley also receive huge amounts of government assistance. For example factories in crisis receive aid, grants are given for industrial research and development, grants and tax benefits are given to agriculture, and aid is given for rural settlement.14 9
30% of settlers in the Jordan Valley are economically engaged in agriculture and a further 30% in related services such as packing, refrigeration, transportation and administration.15
The unemployment rate in Israeli West Bank settlements is 6.5%, which is lower than the average rate in Israel, which stands at 7.3%. The average income for West Bank settlers is also 10% higher than the average Israeli income. These rates are evidence of the benefits the government gives and the assistance they receive from Zionist organizations.16
Between January 2000 and September 2007 Israel issued 91 construction permits to Palestinians in Area C, which amounts to just 6% of all applications. During thesame period, 18,472 houses were built for settlers in the Jordan Valley. 4993 demolition orders were issued on Palestinian buildings of which 1663 demolitions were actually carried out. Along with East Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley is where most house demolitions are taking place.17
Land classification and control in the Jordan Valley
Area (total = % of total Jordan Classification Description Areas 2,400 km2) Valley Area A Palestinian Civil Jericho, Al-Uja 85 km2 3.54% and Security Control B Palestinian Ein al-Beida, 50 km2 2.08% Civil and Israeli Bardala, Fasayel, Security Control Marj Na’jeh, Zubeidat, Nassareyyeh C Settlement 36 settlements 1200 km2 50% Regional Council Control Closed zones Border line, 1065 km2 44.37% military bases, natural reserves Total area under Palestinian control 135 km2 5.62% Total area under Israeli control 2265 km2 94.37% 1010 1111
Land ownership in the Jordan Valley.
Survey land refers to land whose ownership is, according to the Israelis, disputed, for example where a Palestinian’s title to the land is in dispute. Under Israeli law, such land cannot be developed, though Israeli settler construction is permitted. Private Palestinian land in this graph constitutes land that was registered up to 1968 or cultivated land that is recognized as private land according to Ottoman law. State land constitutes that land which was either unregistered by 1968 or has been seized by Israel because it has not been cultivated for 3 consecutive years.18
Source: Peace Now, 2006 ‘Breaking the Law in the West Bank – One Violation Leads to Another: Israeli Settlement Building on Private Palestinian Property’. 12 The Jordan Valley and its importance to The Jordan Valley and its importance to thethe creation creation of a viable Palestinian of state.a viable Palestinian state. The Jordan Valley, located in the eastern access, both for its people and for trade, strip of the Jordan Valley to the west of the to Jordan, the wider Arab region and the River Jordan, at 2400 km2 comprises 28.5% rest of the world. In fact the border with of the West Bank. It is 120km in length, Jordan would provide the only foreseeable stretching from the banks of the Dead Sea entrance and exit to an independent in the south, to the Green Line border at Palestinian state. The Jordan Valley is home Bisan. to 58,000 Palestinians who are inextricably part of Palestine. Communication and The territory is important for a number of access to the area for all Palestinians is reasons: it has agricultural wealth due to essential in order to maintain a cohesive the fertile soil, a warm climate and large state. Logistically, the Jordan Valley will number of water resources all of which can be essential for absorbing and resettling contribute to large and varied harvests; is Palestinian refugees and coping with important for tourism due to its proximity natural growth of the population because to the Dead Sea as well as being the the population density is particularly low in location for many historical and cultural the Jordan Valley, due to previous forced sites; and has strategic importance being migration of much of the population in positioned on the border with Jordan. 1967 and shortly after and the inability of Palestinians to currently move there. As For Palestinians, the Jordan Valley has well as providing fertile agricultural lands, more than strategic and agricultural which will be essential to the Palestinian importance; it will play a vital part in economy, its proximity to the Dead Sea creating a viable Palestinian state. In an provides important and enormous tourist independent Palestine it will provide potential for Palestinians and foreigners.
The Jordan Valley produces high volumes of fruit and vegetables for export abroad. With an area of 33,000 dunums being farmed, agricultural production by settlements in the Jordan Valley is valued at around 500 million NIS (or US$ 135.6 million). 13 The Jordan Valley and its importance to the creation of a viable Palestinian state. The Dead Sea also provides minerals a buffer from surrounding states. Secondly, that are used in cosmetics marketed for the Jordan Valley gives large tracts of their unique properties. These minerals, fertile land and easy access to the Jordan were Palestinians allowed to sell them River, which provides irrigation for water as their own, could provide significant intensive crops. Israel’s excuses of security revenue highly beneficial to the Palestinian and economics mean that they have economy. There are many sites of historical employed kibbutzim, moshavim and other and cultural importance in Jericho and the farms to occupy large expanses of land and Jordan Valley and its proximity to the Dead provide strategic civiliana occupation that Sea makes it the second most popular have created de facto border and defense. tourist attraction after Jerusalem. This strategy was also utilized in the early 20th century where farms would be placed For Israel, the Jordan Valley has various along what would become Israel’s borders. important features that make it reluctant The farming of land is also an important to relinquish the area and return it to feature of Zionism, which has always the Palestinians. Primarily, Israel uses the emphasized a return to the land and security justification to maintain control cultivation of that land, thereby reinforcing and ownership of land. Due to its location the Jewish attachment and sense of on the border with Jordan, the area is belonging to the land. The fact that the perceived to be of vital importance to Jordan Valley has been used for extensive Israel’s security and existence as it provides and intensive cultivation means that the
a) The term civilian is used to clarify that the presence of Israeli civilians in the occupied Palestinian Territory that are illegal under international law. However settlers are not strictly civilians because they are armed by the IOF and their settlements serve a military purpose in the oPt. 1414
“During the 1999-2001 final status Israeli settlers here now have a substantive connection negotiations, initial Israeli proposals to the land (in addition to their religious claims), placed the Jordan Valley under various strengthening claims to the land and therefore making levels of Israeli control, with part of it a future disengagement even more difficult. The large annexed to Israel and other parts left scale, highly profitable agricultural infrastructure under Israeli control via long-term lease that exists in the Jordan Valley also makes Israel arrangements, with the understanding reluctant to withdraw. Currently, the Jordan Valley produces high volumes of fruit and vegetables for that such areas would eventually come export abroad. With an area of 33,000 dunums being under full Palestinian sovereignty. farmed, agricultural production by settlements in the These proposals were rejected by the Jordan Valley is valued at around 500 million NIS (or Palestinians, who view the Jordan Valley US$ 135.6 million).19 Losing this land, therefore, would as the only land reserve that could mean a sizeable dent in Israel’s economy. The Jordan be used by a future Palestinian State Valley’s strategic position and agricultural benefits to absorb large population increases make it an area that Israel has been reluctant to give expected from natural growth and up; Binyamin Netanyahu recently stated explicitly refugee absorption. Additionally, that “Israel will never cede the Jordan Valley” making Palestinians view control over their own the likelihood of it being part of a Palestinian state, borders as an important attribute of however essential it may be, even more unlikely. sovereignty.”20
«They asked me before the election if I’d honor [the Oslo accords]... I said I would, but [that] I’m going to interpret the accords in such a way that would allow me to put an end to this galloping forward to the 1967 borders. How did we do it? Nobody said what defined military zones were. Defined military zones Danger – firing area – entrance forbidden are security zones; as far as I’m concerned, the entire Jordan Valley is a defined military zone. Go argue.» Benyamin Netanyahu, 2001.21 15
Settlements in the Jordan Valley: what are they and where are they?
“It was clear that the Israeli settlements in the territories, and especially in the densely-populated areas, have far-reaching political consequences. These settlements are intended to establish new facts to affect the future political solution. It was clear that establishment of the Israeli civilian settlements is a kind of statement of policy, whose weight is not much less than the Knesset’s decision in 1967 to annex East Jerusalem: this settlement was established on land from which Israel does not intend to withdraw” Major General (res.) Shlomo Gazit, 1999.22
“Everybody has to move; run and grab as many hilltops as they can to enlarge the settlements, because everything we take now will stay ours. Everything we don’t grab will go to them.” Ariel Sharon, 1998.23
As a result of the 6-day war in June land’. This ‘state land’ was soon handed 1967, Israel came to occupy the West over for settlement use, using the excuse Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza strip, the that settlements were necessary for Golan Heights and the Sinai Peninsula. security thus legitimizing them under It continues to occupy and control all international humanitarian law. 25,c these areas, except the Sinai Peninsula, despite this being a direct violation of the All settlements built on land captured United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during the 6-Day War are illegal, but Israel resolutions, UN charter and the Geneva continues to construct new buildings Conventions.b Shortly after their capture and international Zionist organizations settlements were built throughout the continue to fund them. During the recent occupied territory as part of the ‘Alon 10-month settlement freeze, the Israeli Plan’, with the Jordan Valley being one of government declared that it would stop the first locations for Israeli settlement. settlement expansion and the creation of The Jordan Valley was chosen because it new ones. However this did not apply to was an easy place to colonize, it was not as settlement expansion for the purposes of densely populated as other areas, it lacked “natural growth” of the local population extensive Palestinian agriculture (although and settlements in East Jerusalem and small-scale agriculture did exist there) and the Jordan Valley. This policy suggests most of the land was registered as state that Israel sees the future borders of a land under the Jordanian administration.24 Palestinian state without East Jerusalem or Israel issued military expropriation orders the Jordan Valley, effectively leaving it as to take land for military use and for ‘state an island surrounded on all sides by Israel.
b) UN Charter Chapter I Article 2 paragraph 4: “All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations. In addition, Article 49 of theth 4 Geneva Conven- tion states that an occupying power cannot transfer its own civilian population into the occupying territory.
c) Military outposts are tolerated under international law.” Art 53 of the 4th Geneva Convention states that destruction of property is only permitted when absolutely necessary for military purposes. The 4th Geneva Convention takes occupation as a fact and only provides provision for the protection of persons living under occupation. 1616
1967 “The Israelis had by now annexed de facto, if not formally, large new areas of Arab land, and there were now very many more Arab refugees. It was clear that what Israel or at least many of her leaders, really wanted was permanently to colonize much of this newly annexed Arab territory, particularly the Jordan valley, Jerusalem, and other sensitive areas” George Brown, British Foreign Secretary, 1967 discussing the wording of the UNSC Resolution 242.26 2010 “Israel will never cede the Jordan Valley” Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.
Agricultural settlements, as well as of settlements, Israel has created a having economic benefits also have the continuous tract of Israeli-owned land, advantage of controlling large tracts of resulting in the further division of Palestine land. According to a B’tselem report on by, in effect, creating a barrier out of West Bank settlements, those in the settlements, cutting Palestinians off from Jordan Valley occupy 2-7 times the size of each other, dividing their land and thus actual built up areas of the settlements.27 reaffirming Israeli control. Consequently, Settlement farms occupy a continuous without Israeli withdrawal, expanded block on the east side of the Jordan Valley, Palestinian land ownership and the area’s effectively blocking Palestinians from inclusion in a future contiguous Palestinian the Jordan River and the border with state are impossible. Jordan. These farms have been built on confiscated Palestinian land and on land Jordan Valley settlements, like most from which Palestinians have been forced settlements in the West Bank and East out. With little finances or power, the Jerusalem have been built with the aim of Palestinians of the Jordan Valley have no creating permanent facts on the ground. recourse but to acquiesce to the Israeli By moving its own population onto authorities and give up their land. occupied land and creating infrastructure such as settler-only roads as well as Settlements and military outposts are extensive agriculture, Israel is cementing strategically located to serve a number its ownership of the land. Israel has of functions. They may be placed beside recreated the Jordan Valley, both physically or surrounding Palestinian villages, and in the Israeli public imagination, as preventing expansion, threatening Israeli land. It can then use these facts on the very existence of the village and the ground in future political negotiations, preventing communication and links to which means that it is unlikely to surrender nearby Palestinian villages. They may the land to Palestinians. The fact that also be located on hilltops, serving a the Jordan Valley is an area contiguous surveillance function by monitoring to Israel makes claims to land ownership Palestinian villages below. In its layout easier to manipulate.28
Electrical fences around settlement farms 17
civilian presence of Jewish communities is vital for the
security of the state… There must not be the slightest doubt regarding our intention to hold the areas of “The “ Judea and Samaria for ever… The best and most effective way to remove any shred of doubt regarding our intention to hold Judea and Samaria forever is a rapid settlement drive in these areas
Matitiyahu Drobless, 1980 Chairman of the World Zionist Organization’s settlement department from 1978 until 1992.29
Ro’i settlement Basaliya village overlooked by Hamra settlement and a military training ground.
By transferring a large number of people continue to use the excuse of security as to the Jordan Valley, Israel can maintain a reason to maintain settlements in the control of large tracts of land easily. The Jordan Valley, citing the necessity of them to state and its military apparatus, and settlers secure the entire country. themselves are perceived to be protecting Although the Jordan Valley has some the land from neighboring enemy states. important religious sites, it does not Although Israel cites security as the main compare to Jerusalem or Hebron in terms of reason for the necessity of settlement in religious importance for the Jewish people. the Jordan Valley, settlements do not in Nevertheless, settlement by the national- fact provide the country with any security. religious section of the Israeli population Due to a number of factors such as is increasing. Since 2001 national-religious resource allocation and Israel’s policies of activists have established 9 new illegal apartheid in the West Bank, settlements outposts in the Jordan Valley, including 3 have not brought peaceful control to the surrounding Jericho.31 National-religious area; on the contrary settlements actually settlers see themselves as pioneers, resettling require extensive military backup and the land of biblical Israel and fulfilling God’s protection.30 Furthermore, in 1994 Israel will. However, in reality their existence is and Jordan signed a peace treaty ending 46 propped up by the Israeli government and by years of declared state of war which itself Zionist organizations in the USA fundraising in lends more evidence that the necessity order to maintain an Israeli hold of the area of settlements for security is negligible. to ensure that it will forever remain occupied Despite this, American Zionist organizations territory. 18
«The story of settlement in the Jordan Valley is the story of pioneering, Zionism, of challenges and of exceptional people, believers who bound their lives to this magnificent enterprise with few examples like it in our history. It is an example of the power of stubbornness and persistence in facing the difficulties of climate, environment, security, of firm hold in the harsh land of the Jordan Valley until reaching results.” Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister, and current Minister of Defense, Chairman of the Labor Party.32
Settlement houses in the Jordan Valley, which are given for free to settlers
Restrictions to Access. for teachers and students, preventing access to In 2003 Israel drew up plans to build an Eastern markets to sell produce, and restricting access separation wall similar to the separation to healthcare. wall that divides the West Bank from Israel. These checkpoints and restrictions on The wall would run the entire length of the movement were first put in place during the Jordan Valley preventing access to Palestinians second Intifada with the excuse that they living in the rest of the West Bank, effectively were temporary security measures to protect annexing the area to Israel. Although the plans Israel but have now become a permanent were abandoned after extensive international fixture.35 In effect, Israel has created a virtual condemnation, this has not prevented Israel wall around the Jordan Valley in an attempt from placing other restrictions on access to to create an area without Palestinians, further the Jordan Valley. The Israeli occupation forces strengthening Israel’s own claim to the have put in place 6 checkpoints restricting territory. It has created a permanent form of access into and movement within the Jordan control in the West Bank, constraining daily Valley, separating Palestinians from their land, life and economic development and expansion their families and their jobs.33 Palestinians for Palestinians, increasing protection for who are not residents of the Jordan Valley settlers at the cost of Palestinians’ security, and according to their ID cards are not allowed facilitating the West Bank’s illegal occupation.36 to pass through the military checkpoints These restrictions on access to the Jordan in private vehicles; they may only enter on Valley as well the restrictions on land use by foot or in public transport or must obtain a Palestinians create separation and apartheid permit from the Israeli authorities. Drivers of as a fact on the ground. The result of this is Palestinian vehicles are also only permitted that, according to the NGO Peace Now, Israelis to use side roads. Palestinians who own land who come to the Jordan Valley see it as Israeli in the Jordan Valley but whose ID cards do land in that all they see are other Israelis, not show a Jordan Valley residential address, Israeli kibbutzim and moshavim, the IOF, Israeli are prevented from reaching their lands. infrastructure and roads free from Palestinian These constraints on access also have serious vehicles.37 The Jordan Valley has been created humanitarian consequence such as preventing in Israel’s collective conscious as Israel, not service providers and delivery trucks from Palestine, thus making it increasingly difficult entering villages,34 increasing commuting times to relinquish. 19
(Source: OCHA West Bank Access and Closure Map June 2010) 20
American Zionist organizations: projects they fund and their effect on Palestine.
«Israel must have secure and defensible borders to ensure its future. The Jordan Valley communities are an essential element in determining the eastern border of the state. We can maintain these communities only if the residents there are encouraged and helped.” Binyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.38
Israel’s hold on the Jordan Valley, its the occupied territory as an inseparable reluctance to give it up and the area’s part of Israel, describing it as having been perceived necessity to the survival of Israel ‘liberated’ during the 6-Day War. These has prompted a surge in financial and organizations are not only Jewish; they political support from Zionist organizations include Christian Zionist organizations such in the United States, the country from as Christian Friends of Israeli Communities where most of Israel’s international (CFOIC). political and economic support originates. The larger organizations such as the American Zionist organizations have World Zionist Organization, Hadassah existed since the birth of the Zionist and the American Israel Public Affairs political movement.d The organizations Committee (AIPAC) are mainly focused that sprang out of this movement were on development or political lobbying and founded to advocate for a permanent solidarity. Hadassah, for example, gives Jewish state and to promote Aliyah thousands of dollars to medical care and (Hebrew for ascent, or the migration research and even funds a hospital in of Jews to Israel). These organizations Jerusalem. AIPAC on the other hand is continue to support Israel through political a pro-Israel lobbying group promoting lobbying and financial support. Israel’s political interests in the United States. These organizations harness the Support for settlements in the Jordan support of the Jewish population in the Valley comes predominantly from national- United States to give donations in support religious Zionist organizations who view of the Jewish homeland and the pro-Israel policies in government policies and other d) Zionism is an ideological and political movement areas of public life. for a Jewish homeland and for the return of Jews to this homeland. 21
American Zionist organizations draw on through their control of these parts the Zionist ideas of a global Jewish identity of the West Bank. Thus American and the importance of a strong and secure organizations support settlements Jewish homeland for Jews everywhere through financial contributions in in order to gain financial support. They order to help settlers maintain the promote themselves to concerned existence and security of Israel. These citizens in North America through framing organizations conflate settlements themselves as charitable organizations with Israel and will often state that providing humanitarian support, solidarity, their donations are going to projects or development to the state of Israel. in Israel when in actual fact they are going to illegal settlements in the West In addition to using these images they use Bank. four further themes and ideas in order to gain support and funding from US citizens. 3. Settlers as pioneers - Settlers are presented as pioneers living on 1. Biblical and religious importance of the front line defending Israel and the land – Zionist organizations claim contributing to the Judaization of the that the Jewish people have the right West Bank by living in newly colonized to live in the West Bank because it places and recreating them as Jewish is part of Biblical Israel. By using the areas. Therefore they are in need of Bible to back up the claim that Jews financial support in order to achieve belong in the occupied territory, this task. Palestinians become either the foreigners who do not belong or are 4. Completing the Zionist project – rendered invisible and, by ignoring the Zionist organizations utilize the main existence of Palestinians, American principles of Zionism and attachment Zionist Organizations are implying that to the land. The land is described as the land was empty before settlers being barren and that the settlers came along. Sometimes it is explicitly are furthering the Zionist project in stated that no Palestinians have been ‘making the desert bloom’, at the same living in the area where settlements time ignoring Palestinian existence. now exist making it easier to justify their location.39 These themes manipulate and distort the reality in the Jordan Valley. They completely 2. Vulnerability of Israel - Zionist ignore how the land was seized and how organizations emphasize the Palestinians continue to be treated by vulnerability of Israel in terms of its the occupying forces. Their websites and location (surrounded by Arab states) other literature attempt to portray these and its history as a victim of terrorist organizations as humanitarian and non- attacks. They claim that the survival political but in reality these organizations and strength of settlements are are funding settlement activities considered crucial to the survival of the state illegal under Israeli law, US law and of Israel and that if settlements did international law.e not exist, Israel would become a weaker more defenseless state. This claim is justified by the proximity of settlements to Palestinian towns or to e) Some outposts in the West Bank are illegal under border areas (i.e. in the Jordan Valley); Israeli law as well as international law although the as a result their presence is perceived Israeli government does little to halt their development to protect Israel from terrorism into fully fledged settlements. 22 Yeshiva religious college in the Jordan Valley that is to be expanded.
Projects funded by American Zionist non-profit organizations: There is wide variation in the size and mandates of Zionist organizations and the projects they fund. Zionist organizations range from large organizations which promote Israel and gain support from the diaspora, to smaller and sometimes more specialist organizations and organizations which only raise money for settlements. The following is a list of American Organizations that are known to give support to Jordan Valley settlements: American Friends of New Communities in Israel Central Fund of Israel Christian Friends of Israeli Communities Jewish National Fund Jordan Valley Development Fund Hadassah – the Women’s Zionist organization of America One Israel Fund Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund, Inc. Shuva Israel World Zionist Organization
The projects funded by these organizations range from providing for needs such as medical equipment and food parcels to educational, recreational and community building projects to security and economic development in settlements. Among some of the projects are:
Agricultural/economic support: Jewish National Fund • A growing number of date palms have been planted along the Jordan Valley road in recent years as part of the Jewish National Fund’s Tirzah reservoir project, which collects 6 million cubic meters of run-off. Christian Friends of Israeli Communities • Olive grove in Maskiyot
Aliyah/promoting settlement in the Jordan Valley One Israel Fund • Encourages donations to help re-establish communities for former Gaza settlers in the West Bank. American Friends of New Communities in Israel • Project Maskiyot - relocation of former residents of Gush Katif in Gaza to Maskiyyot in the Jordan Valley. 23
• Project Bar Amana – project to encourage non Israeli citizens to purchase houses in the West Bank (not only the Jordan Valley) World Zionist Organization • Promoting building of settlements in the West Bank including in the Jordan Valley Psycho-social support for victims of terrorism/projects for at risk teens One Israel Fund • Support for Ginat Eden, a rehabilitation farm for girls thatis located in the Jor- dan Valley, close to Mevo’ot Yericho40. Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund • Various psychological counseling programs for victims of terrorism in the West School and library facilities Bank including in the Jordan Valley. in a settlement Jordan Valley Development Fund and Christian Friends of Israeli Communities • Adolescent Treatment Centre for at risk teens – money needed for psychologists. Military/security support One Israel Fund • Funding for IOF and security of settlements American Friends of New communities in Israel • The Yesha Council – emergency communications system Jordan Valley Development Fund • Emergency first aid and medical equipment to deal with situations in the Jordan Valley including potential attacks. Central Fund of Israel • Raising money for emergency defense unit including radios, pagers, binoculars and flashlights. Education Christian Friends of Israeli communities • A library for Maskiot • A library for Shadmot Mechola • Argaman recreation court • Gilgal – music program • Hemdat – project for children with special needs • Ma’ale Ephraim – after school centre • Yitav Learning Centre Water resources: Hadassah • Tirzah Reservoir Jordan Valley Jewish National Fund • Reservoirs throughout the West Bank.
Other projects: Christian Friends of Israeli Communities • Educational/tourist exhibit about the history importance of Gilit “both from a Biblical standpoint and a security one as well” • Jordan Valley Community Centre • Kindergarten playgrounds for Fazael, Hemdat, Massua, Mechora, Naama, Netev Hagedud, Roi, and Yafit. One Israel Fund also solicits unmarked funds for all Jordan Valley settlements.41 24
Map of the West Bank showing Israeli settlements which receive funding from American Zionist organizations. According to the map, in the Jordan Valley Mehola, Rotem, Maskiyot, Ma-ale Efraim, Gigal and Mitzpe Yericho all receive donations. (Source: The New York Times) 25
Reservoir in the Jordan Valley funded by Hadassah.
These projects shape the landscape and the future of the Jordan Valley. By funding infrastructure and property, these organizations are helping to create ‘facts on the ground’ which can be used in future negotiations with the PNA to cement Israel’s ownership of the land, eliminating any temporal characteristics from the Israeli occupation. Such investments from Israel and abroad makes it difficult for Palestinians to claim ownership of the land. Furthermore, these projects normalize life in settlements by providing all the services that settlers might need and more, further legitimizing Israel’s legitimate presence in the land. While such investments certainly aim to improve the lives of the settlers, they are purposefully marginalizing Palestinians and delegitimizing Palestinian presence on Palestinian land. Indeed, international support for settlements indirectly opposes international law, which calls on Israel to dismantle the illegal colonies.
In addition, they contribute to the expropriation of Palestinian natural resources; most importantly, water. The agricultural projects, reservoirs and other public works, funded and implemented by these Zionist organizations require vast amounts of water and other resources that mean that they are rerouted from Palestinians, denying them access to their right to water. These organizations are contributing to the breaches of human rights and international law committed by the Israeli government and military.
Al Awja spring dried by Israeli well 26
Profile: Christian Friends of Israeli Communities (CFOIC) http://www.cfoic.com/ Total revenue (tax period 2008) - $1,354,454 Total given from 2006 – 2008 inclusive in direct support to settlements - $2,273,486
CFOIC is a Christian Zionist organization that directly funds settlement activity in the Jordan Valley. It was founded in 1995 in the United States in response to the Oslo Accords which would eventually return all of the West Bank land to Palestinians (although the Oslo Accords only called for withdrawal from parts of the West Bank and did not address the issue of settlements). CFOIC considers the West Bank, or Judea also from house demolition by the Israeli state. They and Samaria as it is referred to, the heart of Biblical are ordinary families who want and need the same Israel belonging to Jews and crucial to the survival of things as other families, wanting the best for their Israel. It is firmly against the Oslo Accords because children and wanting to live in peace. They are also they were to take away a crucial area of land which, extremely religious people who are fulfilling God’s will according to the Bible was given to the Jews by God. to live where He gave them land. As well as this, they are depicted as pioneers returning to a ‘dangerous’ land CFOIC’s aims are to provide support to settlements and making the desert bloom. However in order to do in the West Bank by linking them with Christian this, they need support from Americans. Communities around the world. In reality this means fundraising for various ‘humanitarian’ projects. On its Like other religious Zionist organizations, CFOIC draws website, CFOIC draws heavily on the bible to justify extensively on the bible to defend the Jews ‘rightful the right of Jews to live in the West Bank and to ownership’ of the West Bank, referring to it as Biblical justify the area’s annexation to Israel. It rejects the Israel. Despite the fact that the Jordan Valley has little idea of occupation and instead uses the language religious importance for Jews, settlement of national- of liberation of the land and return of the Jews to religious settlers is increasing, while the number of their rightful place. It barely refers to Palestinians, secular settlers is stagnant or shrinking especially instead evoking passages from the bible to claim since the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.42 that Jews are the rightful owners of the land and not According to its tax return (form 990) in the tax Palestinians, whom it deems to be a foreign people. year 2008, CFOIC provided support for projects in CFOIC creates an image of vulnerability, describing 80 settlements and help for over 50,000 settlers Jewish settlements in the West Bank as defenseless throughout the West Bank.f These projects included in that Palestinian towns and villages are often emergency equipment, education, programs for new surrounding them. However it also refers to settlers immigrants, psychological services, tourism, food as brave pioneers, using the same Zionist rhetoric of parcels, programs for children and young people, the early 20th Century when the first Jewish settlers assistance for former Gaza Strip settlers as well as came to Palestine. assisting pilgrimage groups in planning their trips and itineraries to Israel. CFOIC also has a program called CFOIC invokes the language of the West Bank ‘adopt-a-settlement’ where Christian congregations as barren and empty, a land without a people can ‘adopt’ settlements in the West Bank through and so free to be settled by Jews. It states most giving monthly donations to a chosen settlement, settlements are located on barren land which has similar to sponsor-a-child programs. This ‘adoption’ been uninhabited for thousands for years. In doing reinforces this idea of settlements as financially and so, CFOIC emphasizes the settlers’ innocence and politically weak and the necessity of international depoliticizes settlements by implying that they have support. no effect on the rights and lives of Palestinians who live around them. The projects CFOIC initiates in the Jordan Valley are directed at leisure and education, such as libraries, CFOIC also uses language and imagery similar to recreation grounds and after school music group. many other humanitarian NGOs in order to gain donations from the public. It creates an impression of f) This form, as well as tax return forms for all the organizations vulnerability, that settlers are in a precarious position, mentioned in this report, can be found at the National Centre for threatened not only by potential terrorist attacks but Charitable Statistics http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/ 27
Projects in the Jordan Valley funded by CFOIC
• A library for Maskiyot CFOIC portrays settlers in the Jordan Valley as in • Olive grove in Maskiyot danger and in need of support but at the same • Recreation court in Argaman time calls them brave pioneers who are farming • Music program in Gilgal the land ‘making the desert bloom’ and fending • Project for children with special needs in off terrorist attacks. CFOIC creates a moral and Hemdat righteous justification for its existence and the • Jordan Valley teens at risk program (also necessity of donors and support for settlers. funded by Jordan Valley Development Fund) It reinforces the right of Israel to be there and • Ma’ale Ephraim after school centre recreates the Jordan Valley as a vital part of Israel • Educational/tourist exhibit about the historical that in turn makes it increasingly difficult for importance of Gilit “from a Biblical standpoint Palestinians to make claims to the area and for its and a security one“ return to Palestinian control. • Jordan Valley Community Centre • Yitav Learning Centre
Profile: American Friends of New Communities in Israel
(http://www.israelcommunities.com/) $490,873 total given 2005, 2006 and 2007 – Direct support to settlements.43 Program, according to tax return – To assist in settling new communities in Israel including absorption, social and educational needs ($113,491).44
American Friends of New Communities in Israel • Project Bar Amana – project to encourage non was founded in 1999. From its website its stated Israeli citizens to purchase houses in the West purpose is: Bank (not only the Jordan Valley). • to assist potential donors in the United States • The YESHA council – AFNCI donates money for in becoming aware of conscientiously operated an emergency communications system to be humanitarian projects and used in case of terrorist attacks in settlements. • to make IRS tax benefits available to United This project is run throughout the West Bank, States citizens who wish to donate funds to not only in the Jordan Valley. humanitarian projects in Israel. AFNCI alleviates any doubt about the legitimacy According to its tax return (form 990) its program of their work by stating that all projects funded is ‘to assist in settling New Communities in Israel must have proper documentation from the Israeli including absorption social and educational needs’. authorities confirming their legality and proper Since its foundation, over three million US dollars financial administration or testimony from social have been donated to settlements in the West services attesting to the needs of the beneficiaries. Bank, funds which are used for humanitarian, Projects are also visited by AFNCI volunteers to educational, community development or security ensure accountability and transparency. However needs. It gave $490,873 to directly support illegal its website makes no acknowledgement that 45 settlements from 2005 – 2007 inclusive. settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law and that the lives of Palestinians Projects in the Jordan Valley funded by AFNCI: in the Jordan Valley have been made insufferable • Project Maskiyot – request for donations by Israel’s colonialist and apartheid policies there to support an agricultural project so that as well as in part by AFNCI’s activities there. Maskiyot can become an economically viable community. 28
Case study :- Resettlement of former Gaza settlers in Maskiyot
“We are withdrawing from the Gaza Strip - an area in which there is no chance of establishing a Jewish majority, and which is clear to us all, will never be part of the State of Israel in any final agreement. At the same time, we are directing the majority of our efforts to the most important areas to ensure our existence – the Galilee, the Negev, Greater Jerusalem, the settlement blocs and the security zones” Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Speech at the Jewish Agency Assembly June 28 2005.46
“In political terms it [the Maskiyot plan] is also extremely significant. The future of the Jordan Valley is one of the most important territorial questions that must be addressed in order to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unilateral actions that seek to cement Israel’s hold on the area undermine the chances of achieving any peace agreement, including one in which Israel could retain some control over the area through a bilateral arrangement with the Palestinians.”47 29 Jalqamus s P Al Mughayyir t P Al Mutilla i al Aqra' P c P Bir al Basha P e G H I J GF K) L M N RERGeIOgNAinaL lCO CNTonEXteTxt UnitedB?58 5 Nations Office for the Coordination of QHumanitarianabatiya Affairs P Tannin Ad Damayra P Wadi Shobash International Border P P Bisan ¥ Al Hafira P Khirbet Marah ar Raha AWrraba EST BANK CLOSURE - TUBAS P Green Line P Telfit ¹º» L E B A N O N GG 4 P GGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGG GGG G GGGGGGGGG GG G GGGGGGGGG GGG GGG GGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGG G GGG G GG GGG GGG GGGGGGGGG July 2010 GGGGG GG G GGGGGGGGGG GGGGGG GGGGG GGGGGGGGG Khirbet Kharruba Al QafGGfGaGGfGGGGGGGGGGG GG GGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGG GGG GGGGGGG P P GGGG GGG GGGGGG GGGG GGGG GGGGGGGGG GGGG GGG G G G GG GGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGG GGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGG GG GGGGGGG GGG GG GGGGG GGG GGGGGGG GGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGG G GGGGG GG Mirka GGG GG GG GGG GGGGGG G GG G GGG GG GG G G G G GGG GGGGGGGGG GGGG G GGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG M E D I T E R R A N E A N P GGGGGGGGG GGG GGGGGG GG GGGG GGG GGGG G GGG G G G GGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGG G GGG GGG GGGGG GGG GGGG GGGG GGGGG GGG GGGGGG GG GGGGGG S E A TUBAS CLOSURES G GG GGGG G GGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG G GG GGGGG G G G G Wadi Du'oq GGGGG G GGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGG GG GG G GGGG GG GGGGGGGGGG GGGG G P Raba Bardala GG GGG GG G GGG GG GG GGGGG G G G GG GGGG G GGGG G G Akko GGGG GGGGG GGGGGGG G GGGG GGG GGGGGG GGGGGGGGGG GG GGG GGGGGGGGG P P GGG GGGG GG GGG GGGG GGGGG GG GGGG GGGG GGGGG GGG GGGGGGGGGGG G G GGGGGG GGG GGG GGG GGGG GGGG GGGGGG GGGGGG GGG GGGGGG GGGGGGG GGGGG GGGGG GG G GGGGG 'GEGGiGnGG G G GGG G GGGGGG G GGGGGGGGG GGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG Fahma P Misliya GGGG GGG GGGG G GGG GGGGG G GGG GGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG G GGG GGGG G Haifa Checkpoints 1 P GG GGGGGGG GG GGGGG GGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG G G G GGGGGGGGGGGGGG G GGGGGG Az Zababida GG GG GGGGGGG GGGGG GG GG GG G GGGGGGGGGG GGGGGG GG GGGGGGGGGGGG Tiberias al Jadida Al Mansura GG G GGG GGGG eGGl GBGeGGidGGaGGG GG GGGAGl GDG eir GGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG GG GG P Al Jarba P GGGGG G GGGG GGGGGGGGG GGG GG GGGGGGGGGGGPGG GGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG P GGGGGG GGGG G GGPGGGGGGG GG G GGGGGG GGGGGG GG GG GGG GGGGGG GGGGG GGG GG Kardala G GGGGGGGGGG GGGG GGGGGGGG G GGGGGGGG GG GG GGGG GGG G G GGGG GGGGG Nazareth Green Line Checkpoints 1 P GGGG G G GGG GG GGGG GG GGGGGGG GGGGG GG GGGGGG GGG GG GGGGGG ma GGGGGGG G G GGGGGGG G G GGG GGGG GGGGGGGGGGGG G GGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGG G GGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGG GGG G G G G G GGGGGGG GGG GGG GGGGG G GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGG GG GGGGGGG GGGG GGGGGGGG G G GG GGGG GGGGGGGG GG GGGGGG GG GGGGG GGGGGGG G GGGGGGGG GGGGGGGG GGG G GGGGG GGG GGG GGGG GGG ¥ GGGG GGG G GGGG G GGG GGG G GGGG GG GG G GGG GGGG G G G G Ibziq GGGGG GGGG GGGGGGGG GGGGGG GGGGGGG GG GGGG G GGGGGGGGGG G GG GGGGG Partial Checkpoints - P G G G GGGGGGG GGG GGGGGG G G G GGGGG GG GGG GGG G G GGG G GGGGGGG GGGGGGG GGGGG GGGG GGGGGG GGGGGG G GGG G GGGGGG GGGGG GGG GG KhirGbGeGtG TGelGl GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGG GGG G GGGGGGGG GG G GGGGGGGGGGGGG G GGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGG GG GGGG GGGGGG Az Zawiya GGGG G GGGG GGGGGG GGG G GGGGG GGGGG G G GGGGG GG GGG GGG GG G Jenin el HGGimG GmGGGaGGG GGGG GGG GGG GG G GGGGGGGG GG GG GG GGG GGGGGGGGG 2 GGGGPGGGGG GGGG GGGGG G GG GGG GGGGG GGGG GG G GG GGGG Earthmounds P Al Kufeir G G GGG GGG GGGG GGGG GGGGGGG GGGGGGG GGG GGGG GGG GGGGGGG G GG P G GG GG GG G GGGGGGGGGG GG GGGG G G GGGG GGGGG GG GGGG GGGG GG GGGGGGGGG GGGG GGGG GG GGGGGG G GG GGGGGG GGG GGG GGGGGGGGG GGGGG GGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGG GG GGGG G GGGGGGG G GGGG GG GG GGGGGG GGGGG GGGGGGGGG GGGGGG GG GGGGGGG GG G GG GGGGG GGGG GGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGG GG GGGG GGGGGGGGG GG G G G GGGGGGG GG Tulkarm Tubas Roadblocks - GGGGG GGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGG GGGG GGGGG GGG GGGG GG GGGGG GGGGGGG GGG GGGGGG GGG G GG GGGGGGMGGeGhGoGlGGaGGGGGGG GGGGG G G G GGG GGG GGG GGGGG Nablus GG GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG G GGGGGG GGGGGG GGGGGGGG GG GGG GG G G GGGGGG G G G G G G G G GGGGG GGG GGGG GG GGGGGG GGGGGGGG GGGG GGGGGG G G G G G G N GGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGGGGGGGGGG GG Qalqilyah W e s t GG GG GG G GGGG G G A Road Gates 2 Sir GGGG GGG GG GGGGGGGGGGGGGG G G P G GG GGGGG G GG D GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG G G GG B a n k G GGG G GGGGG GGG GGGGG GG G R P GGGG G GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG GG GG Tel Aviv Salfit 5 GGGGGG G GGGGGG G GGG G GG O GG G G G GG GGGGG G J G G G G Trenches 5 -5,779m Al Farisiya GGGGGGGGGGGGGG GGG GGG G G GGGG G G G R GGGG GGGGGGGGGG GGG Lod GGGG G GGGGG G E G GG GG GG G G Ramallah G GG GGGGGGGGGGG Oslo Accords Ramla V G GG G G G GGGGG I G G GGGGG GG G GG G Sanur G GGGG G R P 'Anza 2 - 1,792m Salhab GGGGGGGGGGGGGGG G GGGG 20 nautical miles Jericho Earth Walls P GGGGGG GG GGG GGGGGG GG P P GG GGGGGGGG GGGGGGG GG Bertini Commitment G GGGGG G GGGGGGG GG GG G GGGGGG GGG GGG G . 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The establishment of Maskiyot as a settlement for former Gaza settlers In 2005 Israel unilaterally pulled out of for future talks about both the status of the Gaza Strip, evacuating around 7,800 the Jordan Valley and whether Israel will settlers from 21 Israeli settlements.48 The withdraw. With a mainly secular population, disengagement from Gaza has been widely withdrawal may have been easier than with criticized as it is a way for Israel to put a national-religious population.51 more control on the West Bank as it has To encourage settlement in the Jordan little strategic or demographic interest Valley, Israel has given grants and other free in the Gaza Strip. Indeed, following the services to the new settlers. The project has evacuation, Israel took measures to resettle also gained extensive support and funding many of the settlers in Maskiyot, a Nahal from American Zionist organizations, most outpost in the north of Jordan Valley. notably CFOIC, AFNCI and One Israel Fund. Maskiyot was first established in 1982 as In addition, Maskiyot’s website requests a military outpost, but was transformed donations for many expensive leisure into a settlement for religious students projects including: in 2002. Shortly after the disengagement • Indoor children’s activity center from Gaza, 20 families were planning to • A children’s pool move to Maskiyot to live in prefabricated • Housing homes. In 2006, construction of 100 new • A community center homes was approved but then postponed • Security equipment due to international opposition. However, • A 7 acre community open space- the project has gone ahead with a tender parkland-amphitheater-trail system being issued in May 2009 for 20 permanent • A synagogue homes to replace the mobile homes that • Sports field were temporarily housing the Gaza settlers. • Physical fitness facility The long-term plan is to build these 100 • Horse farm and horseback riding homes and for 800 residents to move in. In therapy facility addition, the settlers want to graze sheep on 500-acre of land, and grow date palms, These planned projects will all take up olive trees and 3,600 argan trees.49 large areas of land in the surrounding Most of the settlers from Gaza had been areas meaning that if these projects part of the national-religious segment of receive funding (most likely from Zionist Israeli society and their resettlement in organizations) they will encroach onto the Jordan Valley has helped change the more Palestinian land, further displacing, demographic there from a mainly secular marginalizing and disenfranchising the population to a now predominantly national- indigenous population. religious one.50 This demographic change to the Jordan Valley has serious repercussions 31 The effects on nearby villages The project has had serious repercussions for prevent the free movement of residents around the Palestinians in the village of Al-Aqaba which lies to West Bank and also make getting to markets to sell the west of Maskiyot in Area C.52 Over the years, Al- produce from al-Aqaba’s land difficult.55 Aqaba’s connections to neighboring communities The institutionalized discrimination by settlers and and markets, and the rest of the Jordan Valley, have the Israeli occupation forces is darkly demonstrated been incrementally severed and the population in a case study concerning the Bedouin village of has decreased by 85%, numbering 2000 people in Al Maleh. In the summer of 2010, settlers from 1967 to 300 today.53 Human rights violations have Maskiyot arrived on the edge of the Bedouin village increased with the expansion of the settlement. As of Al Maleh supported by settler security and of December 2008, demolition orders have been military forces. The settlers began to intimidate placed on 39 structures in the village, constituting the community with guns and threats. They virtually the entire village, because Israel claims pitched a tent and played loud music well into they are in violation of the construction ban for the night. In addition to the tent, the settlers also Palestinians in Area C.54 reportedly drew a line, symbolizing a border which The Israeli occupation forces have also placed the Bedouins could not cross, effectively cutting checkpoints around the village cutting if off from them off from their land. The fake border was also the rest of the Jordan Valley. Residents can only enforced by the military and settler security. Soon cross if they have permits from the authorities. after, the area was declared a closed military zone There are further checkpoints which separate the and forced both the Bedouins and the settlers to village from Nablus and Jenin. The occupation take down their tents, implying that they had both forces also occasionally place a checkpoint at committed wrongs.56 al-Aqaba’s eastern entrance. These checkpoints 32
Central Fund for Israel The Central Fund for Israel is an umbrella charity that collects donations and distributes them to various charitable organizations in Israel and to settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. One of its main donors is Irving Moskovitz, a man who also funds numerous extremist settler organizations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. He has supported settlers in the Old City of Hebron and has purchased houses in Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem and the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. Moskovitz’s support for settlements is manifested not only in his financial backing for settlements, settler charities and his land purchases in East Jerusalem, but also in his funding for various American neoconservative policy think tanks such as the Hudson Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs and the Center for Security Policy.57 Moreover, Moskovitz has also worked for the Ariel Center for Policy Research - ‘a hard-line advocacy and research institute’58 Moskovitz, although an extremely wealthy and powerful individual who is single handedly funding a considerable amount of illegal settlement activity in the West Bank, is essentially representative of the politics and motives of those who fund settlements in the West Bank, especially in the Jordan Valley. His financial support and political strength are undoubtedly helping to prevent a future peace deal – exactly his aim. The illegality of these projects and their effect on the Middle East Peace Process Funding of American Zionist Organizations A recent study by the Macro Center for US charitable organizations Political Economics in Israel has found that the settlement project has cost the Israeli donated $33.4 million to government US$17 billion since it began.59 settlements and related This sum has bought houses, apartments, organizations in the occupied roads and other infrastructure as well as public buildings such as schools and territory from 2004-2007. synagogues. It does not include, however, among its corporate sponsors. Added the military infrastructure and personnel to this is their non-profit status in the to protect settlers and settlements, an US that gives them tax exemption. The amount that will surely run into billions of Zionist organizations supporting illegal dollars as well. settlements are therefore gaining direct support from the US government and are In addition to the US$17 billion, US thereby contravening US law (as well as charitable organizations donated $33.4 international law by funding construction million to settlements and related on illegally occupied landg) through organizations in the occupied territory the funding of illegal, and sometimes from 2004-2007.60 Many of the donations extremist, activity which could be gained from US citizens are also tax- defined as terrorism.h These donations deductable. Larger organizations also are entirely illegal as the US government have corporate donors, for example stipulates that US money cannot be spent Hadassah includes High Rise Capital on settlements in occupied territory.61 Management and Selman & Company US support for settlement organizations
g) The UN Security Council, in resolutions 446, 452, 465 and 471, has declared the establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in occupied territory illegal. h) See for example stories about Irving Moskovitz whose California bingo hall is funding extremist settler activity in Hebron. ‘Gambling with peace: how US bingo dollars are funding Israeli settlements’ Chris McGreal, The Guardian July 19 2009 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/19/us-bingo-funding-israeli-settlements., ‘Israeli peace groups target US fundraising’, Jonathon Cook, The National September 14 2009 http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090915/FOREIGN/709149884/0/OPINION and ‘Bingo! U.S. donors fund illegal Jewish settlements’ Emily Dische-Becker Menassat August 5 2009 http://www.menassat.com/?q=en/news-articles/7025-bingo-u-s-donors-fund-illegal-jewish-settlements 33
also contravenes its policy in the Israeli- support they receive from the Israeli Palestinian conflict and its role as an government (which includes free housing, honest broker of peace; the USA’s publicly grants, loans, land for agricultural use stated position is the establishment of a etc.). These organizations are simply using two-state solution based on the Green the guise of humanitarian and charitable Line. assistance to make political gains. They are against any kind of peace deal and However these organizations campaign are using the donations they receive to for the right of Jewish people to live in advance their political agenda. the occupied territory, and do not even recognize these areas as occupied but I don’t know how many as ‘liberated’. Through their donations, « and particularly by donating money people, including in the U.S. to physical developments such as government, realize the extent infrastructure, buildings and promoting increased settlement to the area, these of private American funding organizations are clearly fighting against to settlements. . . . Every any peace process that would see the area dollar that goes to settlements become an independent state. makes Middle East peace that much harder to reach The settlers who live in the Jordan Valley « are not in desperate need of humanitarian Ori Nir, Spokesperson for Americans for assistance considering the money and Peace Now.62
Total revenue and expenses of selected organizations which fund Jordan Valley settlements for the year 2008 i Total revenue Total expenses Organization (US$) (US$) American Friends of New Communities in Israel 25,250 7,690 Central Fund for Israel 13,058,831 12,766,263 Christian Friends of Israeli Communities 1,354,454 1,363,901 Hadassah - the Women’s Zionist organization of America 19,987,495 16,237,254 Jewish National Fund 50,634,205 44,000,150 Jordan Valley Development Fund 45,878 81,100 One Israel Fund 1,821,762 1,982,792 PEF Israel Endowment Funds 53,503,933 60, 386,876 Shiloh Israel children’s fund 231,906 222,175 American Friends of Mitzpe Yeriho, Inc. 507,234 526,965 World Zionist Organization 10,035,088 9,095,638 Total 151,206,036 86,283,928 Source: National Center for Charitable Statistics http://nccsdataweb.urban.org/ i) Due to the way donations are used, it is incredibly difficult to track them. Therefore, a complete list of all organizations that give to Jordan Valley settlements and the amounts they donate is impossible to obtain. 34
Apartheid policies
It is evident from Israel’s actions and the living conditions for Palestinians in the Jordan Valley that Israel practices a policy of apartheid. Israeli settlers are favored over Palestinians in every area of life. Settlers are allowed to expand and develop their communities but Palestinians are not. Settlers can move around easily but Palestinians are prevented from doing so. Settlers have the protection of the IOF and private security firms; however Palestinians are subject to systematic abuse and discriminatory Israeli measures and receive no protection from PNA security. Furthermore, while American Zionist organizations can fund any kind of permanent project, including new buildings, agricultural development and tourism projects, NGOs working in Palestinian areas cannot provide any sustainable projects to Palestinians. Recently, simple renovations of schools and houses in Palestinian area have been funded by international donors but these risk demolition by the IOF at any time because they are in Area C, thereby discouraging further investment from donors. The scope of work carried out by donors and NGOs is therefore limited to emergency relief and assistance, which risks creating dependency among beneficiaries and does little to resolve their problems.
What are the effects on Palestinians? “You don’t simply bundle people onto trucks and drive them away…I prefer to advocate a positive policy, to create, in effect, a condition that in a positive way will induce people to leave” Ariel Sharon, 24 August 1988.63
Play area for Palestinian children surrounded by a settlement. Settlements in the Jordan Valley have had a devastating effect on Palestinians living in the area. As well as their effect on serious curtailments to sustainable livelihoods in the Jordan Valley ( including using a disproportionate amount of water and appropriating Palestinian water supplies64 and the military confiscation of Palestinian land for settlement expansion, agriculture and military usage,) settlements have serious ramifications for the future establishment and viability of a Palestinian state.
The Israeli government promotes settlement in the Jordan Valley by making it a beneficial choice for those on low incomes through providing incentives such as free housing and land, huge discounts on utilities and transportation, loans, and a never ending supply of water for agriculture and personal consumption. In addition, assistance and financial support from American Zionist organizations contribute to building community projects such as recreation grounds, libraries, extra security, agricultural assistance and other ‘humanitarian’ initiatives.
As a result of these policies to promote Jewish settlements, Palestinians face land confiscation, restrictions on building, lack of electricity, unreliable access to water sources and frequent water shortages, inability to access services, markets, education and healthcare.
In Zubadat 1600 people live in 42 dunums 35
Living conditions and human rights for Palestinians in the Jordan Valley
Due to Israel’s access and movement restrictions, the location of settlements and the seizure of land and water sources, living conditions for Palestinians in the Jordan Valley have become dire.
Forced displacement When settlements expand, Palestinians are forced out of their homes and their houses demolished. Jordan Valley Palestinians are also forced out because of lack of viable and sustainable livelihoods caused by land confiscation, bans on housing construction and closures. Article 7 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal states that deportation or forcible transfer of a population is a crime against humanity.65 Article 12 of the ICCPR also states that “Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence.”66
Although the Jordan Valley has the highest birth rate in Palestine, its population has remained stagnant because so many residents are relocating or being forced to move to other parts of the West Bank.
House demolitions
House demolition in Farisiya j) Article 53 of the 4th Geneva “In June 2009, the UN recorded the highest monthly total of demolitions in Area C since it Convention states “Any destruction began to systematically track this data in 2006. 79% of Palestinians displaced during this by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging 67 period were residing in the Jordan Valley in areas declared closed military zones.” individually or collectively to 68 private persons, or to the State, or Between the years 2000 and 2007, 1,663 homes were demolished in the Jordan Valley. to other public authorities, or to Recently there has been a disheartening increase in demolitions in the Jordan Valley. In social or cooperative organizations, July 2010, the entire village of Al Farisiya was demolished in order to expand the nearby is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely settlement of Mehola. Demolitions have also taken place in Ein Al Hilwa and Jiftlik. necessary by military operations.”
th j k) Art. 46. Hague Conventions Laws House demolitions are in direct breach of art 53 of the 4 Geneva Convention and the of War: Laws and Customs of War 1907 Hague Conventions which state that private property must be respected and cannot on Land (Hague IV); July 29, 1899. be confiscated.k Family honour and rights, the lives of persons, and private property, as well as religious convictions and practice, must be respected. Private property cannot be confiscated. 36
Restrictions on movement The restriction on movement caused by Israeli only roads, IOF checkpoints and expanding settlements impacts the ability of Palestinians to access a number of rights ratifiedin international law including a number of articles from the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. These include: article 6, the right to work; article 11, the right to an adequate standard of living; article 12, the right to health; article 13, the right to education; and article 10, the right to protection of family life.69
Healthcare Palestinians in the Jordan Valley depend on the Jericho public hospital as the sole public hospital in the area. Given the movement and access restrictions within the Jordan Valley, residents face tremendous difficulty accessing health services. Only 8 percent of households in the Jordan Valley have access to health care services.70 While settlers can easily obtain medical treatment inside Israel, Palestinians must apply for permits. Preventing access to healthcare and protection of the sick and denying humanitarian assistance is a violation of the 4th Geneva Convention.
Education Access to schools is severely restricted with only 38 elementary schools for about 13,000 students. Due to prohibitions on construction, schools are not allowed to be built in Palestinian villages in Area C and commuting distances for teachers and students are also unnecessarily long due to restrictions on which roads can be used. In settlements, well-funded schools exist as do after-school clubs and provision for those with special needs, all funded by American Zionist non-profits. No such provision exists for Palestinian children.
Livelihoods Settlements, and the infrastructure that comes with them such as security and roads, prevent Palestinian forms of sustainable livelihood. Palestinians cannot export their produce and cannot reach local markets quickly enough to sell perishable goods. They are also prohibited from building packing houses in their fields. Due to the dearth in employment opportunities, Palestinians are forced to work in settlements for low wages, thereby contributing to the settler economy while undermining their own economy and industries. Due to land and water shortages, combined with restrictions on road use and the Israeli practice of confiscating farm land, viable agricultural livelihoods are made difficult.
Destroyed water pipes on Palestinian land. 37
Land Land around settlements is appropriated for security purposes and where land is not registered it is confiscated by the military. Additionally land that is not cultivated for 3 consecutive years can be confiscated even if the land has been closed by military order prohibiting access and cultivation in the first place. This land cannot be returned to Palestinians but can be given to Israeli settlements to use. This practice of confiscating Palestinian land and subsequently transferring it to settlers represents an institutionalized means of forced displacement, banned by the Fourth Geneva Convention.L In 2008, a military database of settlement activity was created. Although the database is top secret, the parts of it that were released revealed that 75 percent of settlement construction in the West Bank has been done without permits or have been built contrary to permit specifications. It also revealed that 30 percent of settlement building has been carried out on private lands belonging to Palestinian residents.71
Food Security As well as the closures and checkpoints which isolate the Jordan Valley from the rest of the West Bank, making it difficult for farmers to get their produce to markets, large areas of fertile agricultural land have been confiscated for use as settler farms meaning there is insufficient suitable land to sustain the Palestinian population with its food supply. Without an adequate supply of food grown within Palestine, people have to buy fruit and vegetables grown on settlement farms and from farms within Israel proper, thus undermining the Palestinian economy. The Palestinian produce that is available comes at grossly inflated prices due to high production costs, Israeli produce and imported goods undercut locally grown produce.
Water and sanitationm Only 37 percent of Jordan Valley residents have access to water and a mere 2 percent of residents say that sanitation services are available.72 Settlers consume 6.6 times more water per capita than Palestinian residents. Palestinians are not allowed to dig wells or build lakes or reservoirs. The appropriation of water sources and the prohibition of use of the Jordan River have made agriculture in the Jordan Valley difficult. The Israeli authorities continually cut off or threaten to cut off water supplies to villages in the Jordan Valley, forcing them to rely on water tanks and purchase water from Mekorot, the Israeli water company.
L) Article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention allows for the displacement of a civilian population only for the purposes of ensuring the safety of the population or if there is a pressing military reason requiring such an action. Furthermore, the displacement is only legal if all possible measures are taken to ensure that the displacement will well received by the indigenous population. m) For a comprehensive report on water and sanitation in the Jordan Valley see the recent MA’AN Development Center’s report ‘Draining Away: The water and sanitation crisis in the Jordan Valley’ available for download on MA’AN’s website. 38
A school for Bedouin children in the Jordan Valley. It consists of around 8 rooms made from corrugated iron and concrete which serve 70 children.
Impact on development Zionist organizations also contribute to the illegal appropriation of natural resources. As Palestinians living in Area C, which is how well as land, the projects funded by Zionist most of the Jordan Valley is categorized, organizations, by their nature, require large are forbidden from constructing any kind amounts of water, meaning that more water of building and must first gain permission has to be rerouted to settlements leaving from the Israeli authorities but this process is neighboring Palestinians with increasingly 73(n) lengthy and requests are usually rejected. less. In doing so, they are supporting further The implications of this ban are that no breaches of human rights and international irrigation or drinking water networks, water humanitarian law storage facilities or sewage networks can be built. Farmers also cannot build packing sheds The perceived security threat from the or any other permanent structure. As well as surrounding area as well as the inequitable these economic necessities, schools, medical use of resources by settlers mean that centers and homes also cannot be built. settlements are given extensive security These constraints on construction mean that protection with Israel dedicating huge the Jordan Valley is effectively in a process of numbers of soldiers and IOF personnel to the de-development. The Jordan Valley cannot Jordan Valley. American Zionist organizations maintain any sustainable agriculture let alone also fund private security firms and supply industry to improve the economy of Palestine. security equipment in order to provide This insufficient agriculture means that what they see as necessary protection to Palestine has to rely on imports from Israel settlers. Settlements are more of a burden and from produce grown on settlement farms. than an asset because they cause increased violence and settlers require disproportional Impact on human rights military presence in order to be protected. As well as having detrimental effects on This also has an effect on human rights for livelihoods, there are also serious human Palestinians. The IOF and private security firms rights and political consequences to have been known to abuse their position as supporting Jordan Valley settlements. evidenced in testimonies from ex-soldiers Forced displacement, house demolitions and speaking out about IOF abuses in the West restrictions on movement are just some of the Bank, published from the Israeli organization serious human rights violations that occur in Breaking the Silence. These abuses have also the Jordan Valley due to settlement expansion been documented by many other human and military activity. Palestinians also suffer rights organizations including Defence for regular physical and verbal abuse from settlers Children International, Al-Haq, B’tselem, and soldiers and are frequently discriminated Amnesty International, Machsom Watch, against and their rights denied. and Human Rights Watch. As well as actual physical abuses, checkpoints erode freedom of n) According to Human Rights Watch, between 2000 movement and access to land and livelihoods. and 2007 94% of all requests for building permits sub- mitted by Palestinians in the West Bank were rejected by the Israeli authorities. Water well inside Bardala village which Palestinians are prevented from using. 39
Palestinians living near settlements also projects. Developing permanent suffer violence and threats that come infrastructure, services and economic from settlers. From the beginning of the projects means a Palestinian state is second Intifada in 2000 to the end of blocked; settlers will refuse to move the 2004, settlers killed 34 Palestinians in the longer they live on the land and work the occupied territory74 and attacks continue land. today.75 Attacks are aimed not only at people but also at property. B’tselem, Support for settlements is not just an Israeli human rights organization financial; it can also be harnessed which documents settler violence against politically as well. Settlements also benefit Palestinians, says settlers have blocked from tremendous political support from roads and damaged Palestinian property their American backers. By pressuring such as crops, cars and houses. B’tselem the United State government on the argues that these attacks are intended to settlement issue, supporters of the force Palestinians to leave their land so Israeli colonial projects are shielding the settlers can take over.76 Palestinians also settlements from increased international suffer repercussion attacks when outposts pressure. Donors, as part of the hugely or settlements are demolished in the powerful and influential Jewish and Israeli West Bank, in what are known as ‘price lobby, can potentially wield a great deal tag’ attacks. Settlers are armed by the IOF of political leverage to put pressure on and the Israeli police have a policy (albeit the Israeli state as well as the American unspoken) of extreme leniency. Settlers government to promote settlement are tried as civilians under Israeli law expansion and halt any solution to the whereas Palestinians are tried in military occupation. courts.77 “ Impact on the creation of a These settlements viable Palestinian state are here to stay for a The support of Jordan Valley settlements long time. We don’t from Zionist organizations in USA has
many adverse effects on the creation of establish new villages
a future viable Palestinian state. In giving so heavily to Jordan Valley settlements only to pull them “ American Zionist organizations are cementing Israel’s illegal claim to the down later. land. Ownership and attachment to the Former Israeli President Yitzhak Rabin, land and to communities is strengthened 1976 speaking on a tour of West Bank through funding so-called humanitarian settlements.78 40
Conclusion
Israel continues to build and expand in the occupied Palestinian territory, makinga contiguous and viable Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital implausible. Through its settlements Israel intends to annex the most economically viable and strategically important Palestinian land and leave the Palestinians with small and isolated parts of the land, weakening them politically, economically and socially at the same time. This can already be seen in East Jerusalem where settlement building continues at a fast pace and in the Jordan Valley where Israelis are still being encouraged to settle and are given huge incentives to do so. Israel has absolutely no intention of giving up the entire occupied West Bank; what it intends as a Palestinian state will be continuously interrupted by Israeli settlements, roads and other infrastructure.
American Zionist organizations facilitate the blocking of a viable and contiguous Palestinian state through funding permanent infrastructure and building international support for settlements. Furthermore while the number of secular settlers is decreasing, the population of national-religious settlers is rising in the Jordan Valley, encouraged in part by these organizations that fund their new settlements. The national-religious movement’s power and influence is growing in Israel and supporters of this movement are dramatically increasing the population in the Jordan Valley through a combination of migration and high fertility (national-religious adherents have a fertility rate of over 6 while secular Israelis have a fertility rate of 2.5).79 This group is also gaining power in government positions, the army, and the civil service. These people are the ones who will refuse to leave the Jordan Valley in the event of a negotiated two-state solution.
American Zionist organizations have harmful effects on Palestinians’ rights in the Jordan Valley. In promoting and facilitating new settlement there, they are forcibly displacing Palestinians and demolishing houses and other buildings, preventing access to water, restricting movement, restricting access to services such as education and healthcare, confiscating land, and preventing sustainable livelihoods. These organizations are denying assistance to those who need it most. They are helping to prop up an illegal occupation and give support to people who already receive thousands of dollars worth of assistance from the Israeli government. These organizations are also contributing to Israel’s apartheid regime and colonialism in the occupied territory. They are providing settler-only services because Palestinians are not allowed entry into settlements.
This funding is illegal by the fact that settlements throughout the West Bank are internationally recognized as being illegal and money cannot be spent on illegal activities. The US government needs to act to investigate and prevent further funding to settlements in the West Bank and put pressure on Israel to withdraw from the area.
Palestinians will not agree to the state that Israel is planning for them, one that does not include East Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley. Unless settlements are stopped and a two- state solution agreed upon, the problem will only increase; support for settlements will increase as Israel continues to build on the land and legitimize its actions with excuses.
Israel’s increasingly restrictive policies on Palestinians in the Jordan Valley and the million dollar support for settlements from American Zionist organizations are creating the conditions for displacement, slowly emptying the area of all Palestinian life and intensifying Israeli ownership, control and facilitating its annexation. 41
Appendix 1:
Estimated Population for Tubas Governed Localities in Jordan Valley by Locality (Mid-year, selected years) Locality Population mid-year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Bardala 1577 1626 1675 1724 1773 Ein Al Beida 1081 1114 1148 1182 1215 Kardala 165 170 176 181 186 Al Fareseyya 213 220 226 233 240 Al Maleh 206 213 219 226 232 Hadidiyya 183 189 194 200 206
Estimated Population for Nablus Governed Localities in Jordan Valley by Locality (Mid-year, selected years) Locality Population mid-year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Ein Shibli 198 204 209 215 220 Beit Hassan 1192 1226 1259 1293 1326 Al Nasareyyeh 1354 1392 1430 1468 1506 Al Akrabaneyyeh 895 920 946 971 996 Froush Beit Dajan 1159 1191 1224 1256 1289
Estimated Population for Jericho and Al-Aghwar Governed Localities in the Jordan Valley by Locality
(Mid-year, selected years) Locality Population mid-year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Marj Na’jeh 767 791 814 838 861 Zbeidat 1340 1382 1423 1464 1504 Marj Ghazal 385 397 409 420 432 Jiftlik 4401 4536 4671 4805 4939 Fasayel 900 928 955 983 1010 Al Uja 4010 4133 4256 4379 4501 Nwe’meh 1165 1200 1236 1272 1307 Ein Dyouk el Fouqa 814 839 864 889 914 Ein Dyouk el Tahta 967 996 1026 1055 1085 Jericho 20,416 21,044 21,669 22,293 22,915 Aqbet Jabr Refugee Camp 6343 6538 6733 6926 7120 Ein el Sultan Refugee Camp 2036 2098 2160 2223 2285 Other localities 76 79 81 83 85 Total population in the 3 Jordan Valley 51,843 53,426 55,003 56,579 58,147 governorates
Note: The above statistics do not include the Bedouin communities.
Source: Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics 42
Appendix 2: Settlements in the Jordan Valley and their populations Settlement Population in 2008 Almog 197 Argaman 166 Beit ha’Arava 96 Beqa’ot 173 Bitronot (Nahal) - Elisha (Nahal) - En Hogla - Gilgal 140 Gittit 231 Hamra 111 Hemdat (Nahal) 163 Kalya 281 Ma’ale Efrayim 1,390 Maskiyot - Massu’a 143 Mehola 373 Mekhora 117 Menora (Kfar Haoranim) 2,172 Netiv HaGedud 108 Niran 54 No’omi 122 Peza’el 211 Ro’i 122 Rotem (Nahal) - Shadmot Mehola 538 Tomer 282 Vered Yericho 188 Yafit 127 Yitav 227 Total population 7,732 Source: Foundation for Middle East Peace) http://www.fmep.org/settlement_info/settlement-info-and- tables/stats-data/settlements-in-the-west-bank-1 Appendix 3: Outposts in the Jordan Valley Outpost Population Location Date established Mevo’ot Yericho (also known 15 families North of Jericho 2002 as Sha’arei Yericho) Mul Nevo 5 individuals East of Jericho Omer Farm 1 family North of Jericho 2005 Mitzpe Kramim Around 15 families East of Kochav Hashahar Ma’ale Shlomo Around 15 families south of Kochav Hashahar Ahavat Hayim A few dozen families west of Kochav Hashahar and students Mitzpe Jericho North East Around 29 families Located on the road Before 2001 connecting Jerusalem with the Jordan Valley Givat Sal’it 15 families Northern tip of the Jordan September 2001 Valley east of Mehola settlement Maale Efrayim Preparatory Around 30 students West of Maale Efrayim and staff (Source: Peace Now http://peacenow.org/entries/archive5214) 43
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