The Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee Saeb Erekat said on Monday that Israel’s occupation has stolen 90 percent of the Jordan Valley, Felesteen.ps has reported.
Erekat made his comment during a press conference after a tour organized jointly by the Palestinian Ministry of Information and the PLO’s refugee department in the area.
Dr. Saeb Erekat during today’s field tour with journalists in the Jordan Valley: Without the full end of Israel's occupation than began in 1967, including of the Jordan Valley, there is no future for a political solution that should lead Palestine to freedom and independence. pic.twitter.com/F3y2u8GGqW
— Palestine PLO-NAD (@nadplo) November 4, 2019
The veteran PLO official said:
“The biggest danger regarding the Jordan Valley and Israeli settlement is Israel’s attempt to extend its sovereignty over the Valley under security pretexts that are aimed at tightening restrictions on the Palestinians”.
He pointed out that the occupation state has taken an estimated $450m worth of property stolen from local Palestinian residents.
The terrorist Israeli occupation regime cuts off vital water supply to Palestinian village in occupied Jordan valley. pic.twitter.com/joYmCEawnh
— Chris Hutchinson (@ChrisHu34451470) September 21, 2019
Erekat accused Israel of reinforcing its illegal settlements in the Jordan Valley and stealing Palestinian-owned water sources in partnership with international companies. He also called for the UN Human Rights Council to produce a database related to Israeli control of the Jordan Valley “regardless of the amount of US pressure not to do so.”
The Jordan Valley covers an area of about 1.6 million dunams (1,600 km2) and constitutes around 30 percent of the total occupied West Bank. According to a previous government report, the Valley includes about 280,000 dunams of arable land, 50,000 of which are still used by Palestinians and 27,000 by illegal Jewish settlers.
(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)
