On January 2, Palestinian activists
discovered the fields of Khirbet Twael where covered with different
types of explosive devices. The discovery was made as they were
implementing a land reclamation activity in the lands owned by many
families from the villages of Aqraba and Khirbet Twael. They were
planting olive trees to defend the lands from confiscation and as part
of the annual activity to mark the foundation of the Jewish National Fund promoted by the StopJNF campaign.
Last year, Khirbet Twael has been faced
eight times with incursions by Israeli military in order to carry out
demolitions. The demolitions have targeted among others the mosque, the
electricity network and water pipes. During the last week of December
2014, the Israeli military had announced the whole area of Khirbet
Twaiel an area of military training. For one week the lands of the
village had been declared a military zone. During this time the
residents of Khirbet Twael were caught in the middle of an artificial
battle field with tanks moving within their residential area, heavy
shooting at night and the use of ammunition of all sorts. Residents of
Khirbet Twael consider the fact that their fields are littered with
explosive devices and non exploded ammunition part of the aftereffects
of the week of full scale war the Israeli military had put on stage in
their village for a week.
When farmers entered their lands, they
initially discovered metal wires in the field. Following the lead of the
metal wires, they realized that each of them was connected to devices
that have since been recognizes as fuse igniters M60 or M81. These
devices were places every 300 meters along a line of three to four
kilometers, linked to each other and each connected to pipes laid out in
the fields. Upon some investigation, other residents related that they
had actually seen some of those pipes exploding. The real nature of the
explosives structure and the rational behind this is still unclear to
the residents. Some suggest the pipes where to model 'tunnels' and the
Israeli army had tested new methods against the people in Gaza on their
fields. M81 fuse igniters are produced by MAST Technology, based in
Kansas. There might be other companies producing similar devices as
well.
Activists as well discovered unexploded mortar bombs, that look like the Elbit Systems SOLTAM 81 mm mortar bombs [http://62.0.44.103/Elbitmain/files/81mm_Bombs.pdf], dispersed in the area.
Other military devices, or parts of them, that are dispersed in the fields are still completely unidentified.
Since then, parts of the above mentioned
system of interlinked explosives and pipes have been taken away, while
other parts as well as the mortar bombs and unidentified military
objects are still in the fields.
Jamal Juma', coordinator of the Stop the Wall Campaign, comments:
“The fact that the Israeli army at whim uses Palestinian fields for
their explosive and other military tests and with this de facto
transforms them into minefields is unacceptable. Whether Israel uses
proper anti-personal mines or litters fields with all sorts of
explosive, this is a tool of expulsion and ethnic cleansing against our
people and is an integral part of the system of apartheid, colonialism
and occupation. Who takes even a step outside the all encompassing
boundaries that Israel imposes on our movements, literally risks his or
her life.
“While there is an international consensus
on the ban of land mines, it is no wonder Israel is once again a rough
state refusing to sign the treaty on the ban of land mines.”
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