The General Authority for Palestinian Civil Affairs announced, on Sunday 2nd January 2022, that the owners of lands on the Qa’un Plain in the northern Jordan Valley would be able to enter their lands on Monday 3rd January to cultivate it, for the first time since 1967.

Khirbet Qa’un is two kilometers away from the village of Bardala right next to the green line. In Khirbet Qa’un there was a natural water spring which enabled the inhabitants to live by cultivating the land and raising livestock such as sheep and cows. The village lands covered a area of aproximately 4000 dunums. It was completely displaced and demolished after the occupation of the West Bank by Israel in 1967. Occupation forces displaced all residents to different areas in the West Bank after the 1967 war.

The return to the land has been achieved by activists from the Jordan Valley working with the Resistance Foundation, Stop the Wall, lawyers, landowners and other institutions. Together we raised a legal case in the Israeli court against the settlers who exploited the land after it was confiscated and deprived the landowners of their land. This is just one of the victories that have been achieved by all parties collaborating together in legal and popular work.

In its announcement, the authority added that 13 agricultural tractors would enter on Monday 3rd January, so that farmers could start cultivating their land, in coordination between the General Authority for Civil Affairs, Bardala Village Council, and the Agricultural and Governorate Committee. She explained that an agreement had been reached with the Israeli authorities to open and rehabilitate a road between the village of Bardala and Sahl Al-Qaaon for use by farmers, and it will be implemented soon. Note that this restored land covers an area of ​​1,200 acres owned by the people of the city of Tubas.

We also aspire, in the future, to work on removing the wall that denies Palestinians entry to their lands, as today entry is only permitted through coordination and permits. These are only for two days a week and are not granted to all farmers. From here we will continue to follow up the legal work with all the specialists to help farmers regain all their rights in Khirbet Qa’oun.