WATCH: Dozens of Palestinian-owned trees uprooted to build wall

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://972mag.com/watch-dozens-of-palestinian-owned-trees-uprooted-to-build-separation-wall/110821/

“The role of the wall here is very simple: to cut off Beit Jala from Wadi Ahmad, an agricultural area of 3,500,000 square meters with thousands of olive trees,” Mazen Qumsiyeh , a veteran Palestinian activist, told +972. “Building this part will complete the ghettoization of Bethlehem. The route has nothing to do with security — the entire goal is to annex the valley.”

As we speak, Caterpillar bulldozers climb to the top of a nearby mountain, toward Route 60, and return with olive trees that were uprooted from the route of the planned wall. The company contracted to build the wall moves the trees, and re-plants them on land that will remain on the “Palestinian” side of the wall. “They don’t care to destroy a few dozen trees,” says Qumsiyeh , “They are going to be receiving thousands of olive trees on the land they are taking over.”

“This is not merely cosmetic work,” he continues. “They want to show that the army doesn’t uproot olive trees, but rather move them somewhere else. But the way they are doing it, there is no chance these trees survive. You must remove the tree carefully with the roots in tact — not in such a brutal way.”

Over the last few days, Palestinian Christians from the nearby Beit Jala Church have made their way to the area in order to pray next to the work site. On Wednesday, Border Policemen violently arrested three of the worshippers. Local activists have promised that they will continue to pray at the site as long as the work continues.

[global1]

1. Mr. Netanyahu - Tear Down That Wall .... nt

[6chars]

3. another view

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_suicide_attacks#2000s

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. Any excuse for land theft and apartheid...

[6chars]

7. did you read the link?

[grossproffit]

5. +1

[geek tragedy]

6. If the Israelis cared about security as much as land theft, they'd stop

expanding settlements outside the main blocs.

Some gullible people will accept anything the Israelis do, and excuse apartheid in the process.

[Little Tich]

8. That seems like the old question about the chicken or the egg...

I don't understand why you think stealing land from innocent people is a justified response to suicide attacks. I also don't understand why suicide attacks on innocent people would be a justified response to land theft.

[6chars]

9. I can answer that!

At least the first one. Building a wall that (as has been shown) prevents terrorist attacks IS a justified response to terrorist attacks, but preventing terrorist attacks is not a rationale for taking possession of land.

I can't give you an answer about why suicide attacks are justified - maybe someone else will rise to the occasion.

[Little Tich]

10. From what I understand, the route of that particular wall you're referring to,

was already planned before the Intifada and the suicide bombings. The fact that it stopped suicide attacks in Israel was a fortunate side effect in addition to apartheid. If the wall had been built somewhere along the border instead, it would have been just as effective, but it wouldn't have served the original purpose of apartheid.

If Israel wants build a wall around Betlehem, they can do it on their side of the 1967 border, not the Palestinian side. To build the wall in the wrong place where it's not needed makes the argument that it prevents suicide bombers invalid.

[Ken Burch]

11. They could at least have built it strictly along the Green Line.

There was no justification for incurring into Palestinian territory(none of which Israel needs for security purposes)or for depriving Palestinian landowners of their property without compensation and apology. The suicide bombings weren't the fault of the people who owned the land the wall was built on.

[geek tragedy]

13. So why doesn't Israel withdraw its troops to its own

side of that wall?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

14. Land theft doesn't work so well as a defense here

so excuse #17 will be along shortly.

[King_David]

12. Yep