The occupation forces seized water tanks and agricultural tractors belonging to citizens in the Wadi al-Maleh area in Tubas Governorate, while settlers prevented landowners and farmers in the village of “al-Burj” from reaching their lands, as part of the fierce attack that has escalated since the Israeli war on Gaza.

Citizen Musa Abu Aziz told Al-Quds that the settlers from the hilltop gangs practice daily provocations against them, from persecution and detention to restricting their movement without the occupation moving a finger, stressing that the army patrols give them free rein to harass farmers and herders. He added, "During the past few days, the settlers attacked farmers in several areas, and at gunpoint, forced us to leave our lands, and threatened us with arrest and beating in the future. They prevented water tankers from moving and supplying us with water, and they impose strict control over our movements, until we began to live in a state of anxiety and fear in light of the world's silence and the absence of any deterrent to put an end to the settlers' chaos."

Farmer Fathi Sawafta said that the occupation did not only control the water sources and divert them to the settlements, but also practices methods and policies to deprive us of water, destroy agricultural crops, and provide all support to the hill gangs that are active on a large scale and with full support from the occupation forces that detain and abuse farmers. He pointed out that the village of “Al-Burj,” which is 10 kilometers away from the Tubas Governorate, suffers daily from the practices of the occupation soldiers who besiege the village in the camps of Al-Maleh, Samra, Tayasir, and the settlement of Yazra.

The residents of Al-Burj village regret their lands, which were once full of crops, vegetables, and all the necessities of life, after the occupation deprived them of water. Citizen Mahyoub Fuqaha adds, “If it weren’t for the occupation and the lack of water, our land would be prosperous and rich in agricultural production today. The village is distinguished by its fertile soil, suitable for all types of agriculture. It has been famous throughout history for growing wheat, barley, beets, chickpeas, and all legumes, as it is an area rich in water.” He continues, “Gradually, the occupation destroyed the agricultural sector after it seized the highest water sources that the area enjoyed, so agriculture declined, which the residents relied on as a second source of livelihood. The occupation was not satisfied with that, as we were tired and toiling in cultivating and caring for the land while it was destroying. It deliberately spread stray dogs and wild pigs that destroyed the lands and crops and caused them heavy losses.”

For his part, the governor of Tubas and the northern Jordan Valley, Ahmad Al-Asaad, told “Y”, that the occupation’s settlement attack is escalating continuously in all Palestinian communities in the region, and within the policy of siege and pressure, and in the face of the steadfastness and determination of the farmers, a campaign was carried out during which several areas were demolished, and water tanks were confiscated to prevent it from reaching the citizens and their livestock. He said, “The occupation is waging an open war, disregarding all international norms and laws. There are no limits to the chaos and attacks of the hill gangs that steal crops, close lands, and recently prevented farmers from reaching their lands, which caused them heavy losses. Even the agricultural tractors were seized by the occupation along with the tanks and heavy fines were imposed on their owners in exchange for returning them with a pledge not to work in the region. This is a prelude to the plan of seizure and settlement expansion to impose a fait accompli policy,” warning of the occupation’s exploitation of the situation in Gaza, the massacres of genocide, and the world’s preoccupation, to impose a policy of racial cleansing in the Jordan Valley.

At the same time, and within the occupation’s plans to seize the lands and expel their owners, it still refuses to grant building permits in the village, whose residents live in tents and burlap tarpaulins, which have not been spared demolition under the pretext of building without a permit. Faqha says, “The occupation allows the construction and expansion of settlements that surround the Bedouin communities and surround them with settlements and livestock and provide them with all means of living, while our tents are demolished without regard for the children or women who are expelled and displaced in the open.” He adds, “We are constantly subjected to nightly military inspections, dozens of soldiers storm the tents, take everyone out at night and in the bitter cold and demand that we leave this land. A while ago, the occupation bulldozers paved a road in the Burj area about a kilometer long under the pretext of military training, but the truth is that it is trying to terrorize and frighten us in order to leave, but we are steadfast and steadfast, and we will not leave its soil, which will inevitably remain Palestinian, and we will remain on this land or die in it until… "Get rid of the occupation and the settlers."