Palestinians Replant what Israel Uprooted in West Bank
Palestinians united to replant hundreds of trees in northern West Bank valley right after an Israeli operation had uprooted them
Today, Thursday 28 January, Palestinians united to replant hundreds of trees in northern West Bank valley right after an Israeli operation had uprooted them claiming that they were near a military zone.
Palestinian activists and employees of the Ministry of Agriculture gathered with pickaxes and seedlings of trees in Khibreit Einoun, a vally in Tubas governorate to replant what Israelis had uprooted during an operation according to a journalist’s release to AFP.
On his part, the head of the Ministry of Agriculture, Jaafar Salahat, in the Tubas region said that they have planted around 500 trees and the operation is still ongoing in the upcoming days according to Palestinian agency Wafa.
According to Moataz Bisharat, Palestinian anti-Israeli anti-colonization activist, the Israeli army destroyed around 10 thousand trees claiming that the area is a closed military zone.
On their part, the Office for the Coordination of the Activities of the Israeli Government in the Palestinian Territories (Cogat) explained that the operation concerns the evacuation of a shooting zone containing “illegal agriculture” activities.
Cogat further added that “this operation was carried out in accordance with the procedures of the regional authorities, according to the law applicable in Judea and Samaria”
The region of Tubas witnesses regular clashes where Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers or Israeli Army take part in. The clashes sometimes result in the demolishing of homes claimed illegal.
On his part, Palestinian activist Khairi Hanoun explained that “We have come here to send a message to the occupier who is trying to uproot us from this land,” He further added that “these trees are our roots, our history, our heritage, our identity”.