Was UAE behind Israeli choice to permit Palestinian farmers entry to Jordan Valley?

Dec 31, 2020

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — On Dec. 28, for the primary time in 46 years, Israel opened the safety gate separating al-Qa’oun valley within the northern Jordan Valley from the Palestinian village of Bardala, permitting Palestinian farmers to domesticate their land there in implementation of an Israeli judicial choice.

The final time the residents of the village of Bardala entered their land within the Jordan Valley was in 1974. They have been subsequently prevented from getting into the realm following a choice of the Israeli military, which thought of it a “closed navy zone.”

The land was granted to settlers to domesticate and profit from.

Nevertheless, an settlement was just lately concluded between the Palestinian and Israeli sides to open and rehabilitate a highway between the village of Bardala and al-Qa’oun valley and grant entry to Palestinian farmers.

Tawfiq Jabareen, a lawyer who represented the Colonization and Wall Resistance Fee and the native councils at Israeli courts within the case of the al-Qa’oun valley lands, instructed Al-Monitor, “The Palestinians submitted a case to the Israeli judiciary to regain entry to the land of the valley in 2015. In September 2017, we managed to have the Israeli Supreme Court docket situation a ruling requiring the eviction of settlers and the return of land to its Palestinian house owners.”

The judicial ruling, nonetheless, was not applied, he added.

“Political and diplomatic stress exerted by the Palestinian Authority on Israel has pressured the latter to lastly implement the ruling,” he mentioned.

Some 1,380 dunums in ​​al-Qa’oun valley owned by roughly 300 Palestinian households have been restored.

About 65,000 Palestinians dwell in 34 localities within the Jordan Valley, whereas 13,000 settlers dwell in 38 settlements within the space.

Bassam Sawafta, a farmer who was driving his tractor into al-Qa’oun valley to do some plowing, instructed Al-Monitor, “My father dreamed of reclaiming his land right here, however he died years in the past earlier than his dream got here true. In the present day I’m fulfilling his dream of cultivating this land.”

He mentioned Israel allowed the entry of 20 farmers to domesticate their land from 10 a.m. till 3 p.m..

Sawafta mentioned Palestinians want an Israeli allow each time they want to go to their land, as it’s situated in an Israeli navy zone.

Moataz Bisharat, the Palestinian official answerable for the Jordan Valley’s Israeli settlements file on the PA, instructed Al-Monitor, “The PA is to implement a set of initiatives geared toward supporting farmers within the space.”

He added, “The restoration of the valley offers a blow to the settlers who’ve been for years stealing the land’s sources. This very act additionally reveals the sluggishness of Israeli judicial establishments in terms of implementing settlement choices on the expense of Palestinians.”

Bisharat mentioned the PA intends to resort to the Israeli courts to demand compensation for the al-Qa’oun valley landowners who have been disadvantaged of the usage of their property for years.

Though Palestinian officers have indicated that the restoration of land to its Palestinian house owners within the valley was the results of diplomatic stress on the PA’s half, a distinguished chief within the Democratic Reformist Present instructed Al-Monitor on situation of anonymity, “Returning this valley to its Palestinian house owners got here following Emirati-Israeli understandings.” The present is headed by Mohammed Dahlan, who was expelled from Fatah and who is predicated within the United Arab Emirates. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly introduced this 12 months his intention to completely annex the Jordan Valley to Israel.

On Aug. 13, the UAE introduced a normalization take care of Israel after the latter agreed to droop its plans to annex massive elements of the West Financial institution and the Jordan Valley.

The normalization deal raised the ire of the PA, which withdrew its ambassador to the UAE on the identical day. Nevertheless, on Nov. 17, the PA announced the restoration of safety coordination with Israel and returned its ambassador to the UAE.

The Democratic Reformist Present chief added, “The UAE coverage relating to the Palestinian-Israeli battle has led to the cessation of one of the harmful Israeli initiatives towards the Palestinians, particularly the annexation of the Jordan Valley, amongst different massive areas of the West Financial institution, to Israeli sovereignty to think about them as a part of its future borders.” He mentioned UAE-Israeli understandings would result in the return of extra Jordan Valley land to the Palestinians quickly.

Ahmed Rafiq Awad, a media and political science professor at Al-Quds College, instructed Al-Monitor that Israel allowed Palestinian farmers to enter their lands in al-Qa’oun valley so as to advance normalization offers with different Arab nations.

He added, “The al-Qa’oun valley has been confiscated since 1974, and its return to the Palestinians following the announcement of the UAE-Israeli normalization deal in change for suspending Israel’s annexation plan conveys an Israeli message to the Palestinians and Arabs whereby normalization will probably be within the curiosity of the Palestinians.”

He indicated that different Israeli choices geared toward facilitating the lives of Palestinians or restoring a part of their stolen rights within the West Financial institution would calm the Palestinian public and official anger towards the UAE and different nations which have concluded or will conclude future normalization agreements with Israel.

Awad mentioned Netanyahu would quite conclude extra normalization and peace agreements with Arab nations than annex the Jordan Valley and elements of the West Financial institution.

“Netanyahu believes that any future peace take care of the Palestinians will probably be cheaper for the Israelis in mild of peace agreements concluded with influential Arab nations within the area,” Awad mentioned.