Israel Closes Agricultural Road in Palestinian Village

West Bank, MINA – Israeli forces ordered the closure of an agricultural road in Umm Safa village, which is in the northwestern part of Ramallah on West Bank.

The head of Umm Safa Village Council, Marwah Sabbah, told Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) that he received notification from the Israeli military that an agricultural road opened with support from the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture would be closed.

The road, which runs for 2.5 kilometers, is used by local farmers as access to their olive grove, which covers an area of 2,000 dunum.

Under Oslo Agreement, the Palestinian Government is granted 16 percent of the entire village which is categorized as Area B. Meanwhile, Israel controls the remaining 84 percent, which is classified as Area C.

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Sabbah, as reported by WAFA added that Israel banned any construction in Palestinian territories and land reclamation in Area C, including the repair of local cemeteries.

Israel refuses to give permission for Palestinian development in Area C, which is 60 percent of occupied West Bank and falls under Israeli military rule. Israel forced Palestinians to build without obtaining permits.

In contrast, Israel is much easier to give as 550 thousand Jewish settlers in Israel building permits and provide them with roads, electricity, water and sewage systems that remain inaccessible to many Palestinians in the region. (T/Sj/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)