The Fairtrade Foundation has expressed
outrage and shock at the news that Israel has ordered nine Palestinian olive
farmers of Deir Istiya, Salfit on the West Bank to uproot 1,400 olive trees in
Wadi Qana area by 1 May 2012.
An additional 600 trees were added to this number as
a second notice was handed out. Taysir Arbasi, from Zaytoun in Palestine,
described the destruction: "the age of the trees is between 3 to 15 years,
belonging to farmers from Deir Istya. The capacity of production of these trees
is around 5,000 kg of olives". For farmers in this district olives are the
primary source of income.
There is a protest camp of approximately 70 local farmers,
international and Israeli activists at the site, as of 11 am yesterday
morning the bulldozers had not arrived. Zaytoun have been unable to reach
contacts in Deir Istya to confirm what has happened today.
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade
Foundation said: "We are dismayed and appalled at this devastating news of what
is a blatant act of aggression attacking people's livelihoods. Many of us met
Riziq Abunassar who toured the UK during Fairtrade Fortnight and we feel
strongly that we should all take action to stop the daily harassment of Riziq
and his fellow farmers and the destruction of their livelihoods and sign the
petition set up by IWPS http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-uprooting-palestinian-trees .
Olive oil production provides many Palestinian
farmers with as much as 50 per cent of their annual income. Olive production
also prevents the abandonment of the land and the spread of desertification. As
a result of the conflict in the region, Palestinian farmers continue to face
severe barriers in carrying out their normal day-to-day agricultural activities
caused mainly through restrictions on movement, exacerbating levels of
deprivation and marginalisation. Almost 75 per cent of Palestinians live below
the United Nations poverty line of US$2 a day.
This is the largest order to uproot trees that the
farmers of Wadi Qana have ever been given. Most of the trees were planted about
five years ago on privately owned Palestinian property. The orders, placed on
retaining terraces, rocks and fences in the vicinity of the trees, state that if
the farmers do not uproot their trees they will face punishment which could,
according to Deir Istiya mayor Nazmi Salman, include large fines and
imprisonment.
Fairtrade olive farmer Mahmoud Issa and PFTPC member
said "The zaytoun, the olive, means everything to us. My father and my
grandfather farmed on this land, and now my children work alongside me
harvesting. Our olive oil is of the highest quality because of the fertility of
the land and we use traditional farming methods. Fairtrade brings stability to
our farmers with the Fairtrade premium allowing for investment."