Israel under the security pretext has so far occupied 90 percent of Jordan Valley stealing $450 worth Palestinian property said the Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee said yesterday.
Secretary-General Saeb Erekat revealed during a press conference after a tour organised jointly by the Palestinian Ministry of Information and the PLO’s refugee department in the area, MEM reports.
“The biggest danger regarding the Jordan Valley and Israeli settlement is Israel’s attempt to extend its sovereignty over the Valley under security pretexts that are aimed at tightening restrictions on the Palestinians,” said Mr Erekat.
He accused the Israel forces of reinforcing its illegal settlements in the Jordan Valley and forcefully occupying Palestinian-owned water sources in partnership with international companies.
Mr Erekat called for the UN Human Rights Council to make a report of Israeli control of the Jordan Valley “regardless of the amount of US pressure not to do so.”
A previous government report stated the Valley includes about 280,000 dunams of arable land, 50,000 of which are still used by Palestinians and 27,000 by illegal Jewish settlers.