Season:
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2022-2023
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Governorate:
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Jerusalem
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Locality:
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Biddu
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Address:
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Khirbit Afaneh
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Abdallah Hussain Zahran, is a 59-year-old Palestinian farmer resident of Biddu, who is an employee with a family of nine members, including two children. He owns 2 dunums (0.5 acres) of agricultural land that is only 150 meters away from the Israeli settlers ' bypass road. According to Abdallah, the olive tree is a symbol of determination and steadfastness, reflecting the Palestinian people's resilience in the face of challenging conditions like drought and harsh weather. The land is also an essential part of Palestinian culture and identity. Unfortunately, in 2012, Israeli settlers attacked his land and uprooted around 55 olive trees estimated to be around 17 years old. Despite this setback, Abdallah believes that olive trees and land are not only a source of livelihood but also symbols of resilience, identity, and hope. He vows to continue farming his land and protecting it from confiscation, in resistance to ongoing challenges and adversity. Abdallah expresses gratitude to the Olive Tree Campaign for providing 50 olive trees to protect their land and keep hope alive.
Biddu is a town located in the Jerusalem governorate, northwest of Jerusalem. Its population was 6,129 people in the 2007 census conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. The town covers an area of about 5363 dunums (1325 acres), including 2629 dunums (650 acres) of arable land and 685 dunums (170 acres) of residential land. However, the agricultural sector in Biddu faces various challenges, including restrictions on the master plan, lack of funds, limited pastures, gate closures, and farmers being denied access to their land. Additionally, the construction of the apartheid wall has had a severe impact on the town's agriculture. According to the 1995 accords, 24.8% of Biddu's land was classified as Area B, while the remaining 75.2% was classified as Area C. Israel has confiscated approximately 627 dunams (155 acres) of Biddu's land for the Israeli colony (settlement) of Har Adar (Giv'at HaRadar) and 186 dunams (46 acres) for Giv'on Ha'hadasha.
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