Jordan Valley: Struggling for Existance in the Midst of Occupation

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

The Jordan Valley is located in a stretch of land adjacent to the Jordan river up to the base of a mountain ridge on the eastern side of the West Bank. It runs from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the Dead Sea in the south.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

The area has rich agricultural land, warm weather, and plentiful water sources—all of which make it an important economic area and the scene of much political debate.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Israel has been slowly confiscating land from the Jordan valley since the Nakba in 1948. From this moment on, the Israeli occupation has been trying to take the area because of its political, economic, developmental, and border importance.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Colonization of the Jordan Valley has dramatically increased after the Second Intifada in 2000. While the Palestinians were distracted with political issues of their own, Israel focused on destroying more and more of the Jordan Valley’s infrastructure.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

In addition to that, Israel increased restrictions on movement—further isolating Palestinians in the area. This was all part of the Israeli development plan to colonize and divide the Jordan Valley.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

As usual, Israel’s justification for colonizing the Jordan Valley is “security purposes.” Israel has made a policy of eliminating the Palestinian presence in the Jordan Valley and separating it from the West Bank in an effort to gain complete control of the area.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

This plan includes checkpoints, closures, roadblocks, house demolitions, and land confiscations for settlements and military bases.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Since 1967, Palestinians in the Jordan Valley have not been allowed to build new buildings or expand existing buildings. Israel has demolished many houses—and the rate of house demolitions increased dramatically in 2005.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Israel has “generously” allowed the Palestinians to cultivate any land that is left over when the Israeli confiscations and colonization process is over. However, Palestinians will not be allowed to reclaim any agricultural land, open new roads, or extend irrigation networks.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Jordan Valley Palestinians have also been subjected to Israeli policies such as expulsion and killing. After 1967, hundreds of Palestinians were killed, dozens of Palestinian communities were leveled, and residents were forced to immigrate to Jordan.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Before 1967 there were 320,000 Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley—now there are only 52,000 left. Most of the population lives in Jericho and its surrounding villages and Bedouin communities.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov

Israel continues to confiscate land, demolish homes, and prevent rehabilitation of existing houses and roads of the Palestinians, while continuing with their plans for settlement expansion and infrastructure development for Israeli settlers in the Jordan Valley.

Photo: Lazar Simeonov