On the morning of Tuesday 27th of June, Israeli bulldozers guarded with armed personnel started cutting and uprooting olive trees in the Cremisan area of Beit Jala in preparation for the continuation of the construction of the Annexation Wall.
Constructing the Annexation Wall in this area will separate the city and its citizens from its northern part, will severely affect all citizens them directly or indirectly, and will make impossible any future expansion. It will result in the destruction of private and public property, swallow up all open spaces and strangle built-up areas of the city.
The Cremisan area has the only remaining forest in the city, the most fertile agricultural land, and is the main source of income for many farmers in the city. It is also one of the very few recreational sites in the city where many citizens go during weekends or holidays. In addition, the area hosts the only winery in Palestine, two monasteries and a kindergarten.
Beit Jala is one of the Palestinian cities most damaged by Israeli firepower since the current intifada began in September 2000. Whereas originally it consisted of 14,500 dunums, now Beit Jala has been left with only 4,500 dunums due to land confiscations.
