JORDAN VALLEY
The Jordan Valley lies between the borders of historic Palestine and Jordan. The region’s fertile land and large water resources hold rich economic potential. Many Palestinian villages are still located here under direct Israeli control but the numbers are declining due to difficult living conditions.
Palestinians living in this region are often forced to travel dozens of kilometers for water because Israel routinely cuts off their water supply, diverting pipelines to serve settlements instead. In addition, Palestinians’ homes, villages and farmland have been destroyed to make room for Israeli settlements.
Stray bullets from Israeli army training exercises have injured and killed Palestinians. Landmines buried throughout the Jordan Valley result in additional casualties.
Like elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, Palestinians are subjected to checkpoints and arbitrary detention. The violence, along with the travel restrictions, make life incredibly difficult for Palestinians, leaving many with no choice but to leave.
As the Israeli occupation and annexation of the Jordan Valley continue, the likelihood of an independent Palestinian state diminish; in fact there can be no functional ‘Palestine’ without the Jordan Valley.
For many Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley, staying on the land is a form of resistance.
