Warnings of the emptying of the Jordan Valley: Palestinian presence declines to 1,500 due to occupation attacks

Mutaz Bisharat, head of the settlement and Jordan Valley file in Tubas Governorate, confirmed that the Palestinian presence in the northern Jordan Valley areas faces an unprecedented existential threat. Bisharat explained that the region has witnessed a sharp decline in population numbers for years, as a result of the combined attacks by settlers and the strict military measures imposed by the Israeli occupation army.

The Palestinian official pointed out that the change in demographic reality has become tangible and clear, as the number of residents in those communities has dramatically decreased. He indicated that the area, which was teeming with thousands of Palestinians who depended on agriculture and livestock farming, has now become almost devoid of its original inhabitants.

According to the figures provided by Bisharat, more than 6,000 Palestinian citizens lived in the northern Jordan Valley areas in previous periods. However, these numbers have shrunk due to forced displacement policies, reaching today only about 1,500 citizens, which reflects the extent of the pressures exerted on the ground.

The decline was not limited to the number of individuals, but also extended to the population centers themselves, as Bisharat revealed the disappearance of dozens of villages and encampments. After the region included about 28 Palestinian population centers, only eight centers remain today, struggling to survive.

Bisharat attributed this deterioration to the daily attacks carried out by settlers, whose number is estimated at about 750,000 settlers throughout the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem. These systematic attacks aim to terrorize citizens and force them to leave their lands and livelihoods to facilitate control over them.

He explained that the methods of restriction are not limited to direct physical violence, but also include depriving Palestinians of access to vital water sources. Occupation forces also prevent farmers from entering their lands, which prevents the continuation of their agricultural activity, which represents their only lifeline.

Local sources reported that these harsh conditions forced entire families to leave their historical homes and seek safer havens. This forced displacement has led to the disintegration of the social and economic fabric of those communities that have endured for decades in the face of occupation.

The past two years have witnessed a dangerous escalation in displacement operations, especially in the Al-Maleh areas and Bedouin encampments, which were considered major centers for livestock farming. Bisharat stated that most of these communities have been almost completely evacuated, with only two families remaining in some of them, facing extremist settlers.

The official warned of the catastrophic economic repercussions of this evacuation, considering the Jordan Valley to be the most important food basket for the West Bank. The departure of residents means the cessation of vegetable, fruit, and strategic crop production, which would severely damage the local Palestinian economy and increase dependence on the occupation.

Bisharat also warned of the danger of engineering projects implemented by the occupation army in the region, such as the construction of walls, earth mounds, and road closures. He considered that these measures aim to isolate Palestinians in narrow enclaves and prevent them from geographical communication with their natural surroundings in Tubas Governorate.

Bisharat revealed Israeli plans to isolate vast areas of agricultural land, which may reach more than 190,000 dunams in Tubas Governorate alone. This isolation, if completed, will lead to the loss of thousands of dunams of the most fertile agricultural lands and natural pastures for Palestinians.

The official described what is happening in the Jordan Valley as a slow ethnic cleansing process aimed at resolving the conflict over land in favor of the settlement project. He stressed that the continued international silence on these practices encourages the occupation to proceed with emptying the region of its original inhabitants.

In light of these facts, the remaining residents find themselves in a daily confrontation with the unknown, as some families are forced to repeatedly displace within a few months. These families live in a state of permanent instability due to continuous threats of demolishing tents and confiscating property and livestock.

Bisharat concluded his statements by warning that the Palestinian presence in the Jordan Valley is on its last breath if urgent action is not taken to support the steadfastness of the residents. He stressed that protecting the Jordan Valley is protecting the future of the Palestinian state, given its sensitive geographical, economic, and political position.

More than 6,000 Palestinian citizens used to live in the Jordan Valley areas, but today only about 1,500 citizens remain due to continuous pressures.