Around a 1000 Palestinians living in Bedouin communes and residents of Al-Maleh area in the northern Plaines of the occupied West Bank started leaving their homes and tents after receiving military orders from the Israeli army informing them that the soldiers will be conducting drills using live ammunition.Aref Daraghma, head of the village council of Al-Maleh area and the Bedouin tribes, stated that around a 1000 residents started leaving their lands in order to avoid harm, and to avoid clashes with the soldiers who intend to remove them by force if they do not leave.
Daraghma added that the residents fear that the Israeli military training will cause destruction of their lands and property, and that the soldiers would even prevent them from returning to their lands and homes.
“They are in a tough situation right now”, Daraghma stated, “They had to evict their structures, their tents, and had to leave the area”.
He further stated that the grazing area, inhabited by the shepherds, includes Wadi Al-Maleh, Ein Al-Hilwa, Al-Faw Valley, Al-Meeta, Al-Borj, and other villages.
Israel performed similar military drills in the areas last summer forcing dozens of families to leave their homes seeking shelter in other areas until all drills were concluded.
Thousands of Palestinians have been displaced and repeatedly removed from the area since Israel occupied the West Bank in 1967. Israel also demolished dozens of entire villages inhabited by Bedouins and shepherds.
