Early this morning the Israeli army demolished 23 homes in Al Farisiya in the Jordan Valley making 91 more Palestinians homeless. They also destroyed the shelters for over 1000 sheep that members of this bedouin community owned, and have ‘confiscated’ the sheep and demanded payment from the farmers for their food!

 

This is not an isolated incident, but part of the brutal repression of Palestinian communities in the Jordan Valley that has escalated over the last few months. Just yesterday demolition orders were issued against farmers in Bardala village. There have been checkpoints outside Jericho, demolitions in Ras ar Ahmar, and settler violence in Al Maleh.

Fathe Kdirat of Jordan Valley Solidarity described the demolitions as an “Israeli policy of collective displacement, aimed at expanding settlement outposts in the northern Jordan Valley.”

It is clearly part of Israel’s ongoing attempts to ethnically cleanse the Jordan Valley of Palestinians to make way for the expansion of their illegal settlements.

Brighton Jordan Valley Solidarity are appealing to all internationals to take action immediately to protest against the demolitions. They have called an emergency demonstration calling for a boycott of Israel (Meet at Norfolk Square, Brighton at 4.30pm on Tuesday 20th July), and ask others to do the same.

They are also calling on Palestinian Solidarity groups around the world to hold their own actions, and for internationals in Palestine to go to Al Farisiya to support the building work and provide an international presence.

Those wanting to make a formal protest against the demolitions and repression of the Palestinian community in the Jordan Valley can write to to their Embassy or Consulate in the West Bank and ask them to take immediate action.