Hossam Qabha a Palestinian resident of Barta’a village did not find a justification for the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) to demolish his chicken coop except as part of IOF attempts to destroy the village’s economy which witnessed a boom in recent years.
With a heart that bears much suffering Qabha stood on the ruins of his chicken coop while holding a demolition order for his other business allocated for livestock in ten days.
According to Qabha demolishing buildings and businesses in Barta’a falls under the pretext of constructing in area (C) where Israel has full control despite the availability of proofs of ownership.
What happened with Qabha is a part of a larger scope of suffering for the people of Barta’a where the IOF bans horizontal expansions of buildings. This problem is shared by all border towns in area (C) which constitutes two-thirds of the West Bank.
Meanwhile Barta’a represents a hotbed for constant clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces due to continuous Israeli raids.
Main commercial center
Barta’a succeeded to end the Israeli isolation brought by the apartheid wall in 2003 by creating a commercial center which is considered the biggest in the area that connected them with 1948 Palestinians the Arab Palestinian citizens of Israel. This in a very short period turned to be a significant economic spot.
One of Barta’a traders told the PIC reporter that “Israeli occupation authorities are not a big fan of transforming our village into a powerful commercial spot”.
“The majority of demolitions target the commercial and industrial sectors and this is not a coincidence. Many businesses were demolished including stone coal poultry and livestock in addition to a number of commercial shops” he added.
“Barta’a expanded significantly in terms of population and buildings and many merchants in the region opened shops in Barta’a which was not welcomed by the IOF” he continued.
Constant demolitions
Tawfiq Qabha member of the village council stated that the Palestinians in Barta’a experience a great deal of suffering regarding the Israeli procedures when going through Barta’a military gate the only gate that connects the town with the rest of the West Bank.
“Recently the demolition of buildings in Barta’a increased which negatively affected the commercial and industrial sectors” he added.
Barta’a experienced geographic and demographic changes since 1948 when it was split into two halves like many other towns.
In 2003 however it was isolated by the Israeli apartheid wall which led to radical demographic and geographic changes because it was isolated from its natural surroundings in Jenin. Nonetheless its population and industrial buildings were doubled because of growing commercial dealings with 1948 Palestinians.
