Action against uprooting of trees in Beit Jala, 03.03.2010

An olive tree lies on the ground after having been uprooted earlier by bulldozers brought by the Israeli army to build the route of the Wall in the West Bank city of Beit Jala, 03.03.2010. The Wall will be built just in front of the Palestinian houses. A group of around 30 Palestinians, Israelis and internationals held an action to stop the work of the bulldozers, which have started to uproot trees and level lands on 02.03.2010. As soon as the group reached the land, the Israeli soldiers violently pushed them up. The group then sat down and refused to move further, but the Israeli army used force to push them out the area. 300 dunums owned by 35 families are subject to confiscation, for the purpose of buidling the Wall. Beit Jala has already lost three quarters of its lands because of the building of the road 60 and the Gilo settlement.