Israel Plans to Destroy Only Water Source of Shepherds in West Bank Village

[cali]

Israel intends to destroy a water-holding tank that serves 20 families of Palestinian shepherds and their flocks in the northern Jordan Valley.

This, despite the fact that Israel’s coordinator of government activities in the territories (to which the Civil Administration is subordinate) promised representatives of international agencies that there would be no demolitions during the month of Ramadan, except for structures built during this time, Haaretz has learned.

The simple structure collects water coming out of a natural spring. A rubber hose attached to it runs for a few dozen meters to a plastic trough. The Civil Administration claims the structure was built illegally.

The shepherds, who live in a community called Umm al-Jimal, own 700 sheep and goats, as well as 300 cows and some horses. Last year, a flood destroyed another holding tank that served the families, also blocking the spring’s exit. The families are concerned that destroying the current holding tank will once more block the spring, which is their only close water source.

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read:http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.725703

[Igel]

1. Don't know enough.

And I can't find khirbet Umm al-Gimel on a map.

There's enough to be outraged, but not enough to understand.

How long have they been there?

Are they squatting on already owned property?

Is it a restricted zone?

I assume that by destroying the pit it would block the spring. How did they find the spring in the first place? What feeds the spring?

[Israeli]

4. They are Palestinian Bedouins Igel.....

and have been in the area for generations ......if you want to know more read this :

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/10/israel-judaising-jordan-valley-hebron-hills.html

You wont find anything on the map using that spelling .....try ...Khirbet Um al-Jamal .
Spelling varies on all of these tiny places .

Its a "firing zone"....

see : http://www.btselem.org/jordan_valley/20140220_um_al_jmal

[Ford_Prefect]

2. Are these shepherds on the land legally? Were they there before the flood and for how long?

It gives the appearance of one more relentlessly cruel act of the occupying authority known for over-reach and excessive zeal. One must wonder if the same actions would apply to an equally innocuous group of Israeli shepherds in the same conditions.

Without more specifics it is hard to judge but it seems rather senseless and abusive to do it. If the shepherds were there before the flood and it was OK for them to collect water from that same spring, why would it now be not so? This has the sound of yet one more bureaucratic step in separating Palestinians from what is theirs so that Israeli Settlers can take it.

As a tax payer I'm getting tired of foreign aid going to administrations that foment such things. This has nothing to do with self-defense, or right to exist as far as I can see. We aren't talking about missiles and walls. It's being a bad neighbor in my view. So much for "a civilized culture", eh?

[6chars]

3. Amira Hass, investigative reporter

[shira]

5. Amazing how the same bigoted, discredited & unreliable sources are used over & over again here. n/t