Is the Israeli Army in need for this location or is it a card to lay control over the whole area?

the target location:

the communities of (Majaz, Taban, Safay al Foqa, Safay al Tehta, Fakhit, Halawa, Janba al Fuqa, Janba al Tehta, and Kharouba) in addition to four villages (Tuba, Mfagara, Saroura, and Maghayer Ibead) which are still awaiting decision.

The aforementioned communities are 56640 dunums in area and are inhabited by 2500 people.

The area are considered fertile rangelands with over 28, 000 of cattle spreading around.

Before 1967, the number reached up to 55,000 which shows the effect of the Israeli colonization on the lives of people and cattle.

Despite the increased number of inhabitants, the number of cattle was reduced due to closure of these rangelands, demolishing wells and cisterns, blocking roads, etc.

Most of the targeted villages have been inhabited long before the Israeli occupation in 1948; they are inhabited by simple villagers leading preliminary lives.

They reside in simple mud houses surrounded by barns and leading traditional lives while lacking the signs of modernity.

Israeli Violations in the area:

1. In the 1970's the Israeli occupation Army declared 30,000 dunums as closed military zones with access limited to residents only; this meant freezing any development or expansion.

2. In 1997, these areas were classified 'C' according to Oslo Accords; consequently, adding new structures, whether public or private have been prohibited.

3. In August, 1999, the villagers received the villagers received eviction orders issued by the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration. they was completely rejected by the locals.

4. On November 16, 1999, the Israeli Occupation Army evicted 700 Palestinians in the area before confiscating tools, tanks, barns, water pumps, irrigation network; a coalition of 20 families filed a complaint to the Israeli Supreme Court which ruled in their favor and allowed them to be back to their homes; however, those who lost their homes were not allowed to rebuild them.

5. In 2005, when diplomacy failed to evict the Palestinian families residing in the area; the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration launched a wave of demolishing orders for homes and cisterns.

Validity for military training:

It is clear that the area is not suitable for military training due to:

1. The area holds 12 israeli colonies, infrastructure (water, power, roads networks) which are integrated in the area.

2. The area holds four Palestinian villages that are farmed seasonally.

3. The area is adjacent to Yatta town; it is only 5km away from its borders.

4. Yatta is classified area 'A' while the surrounding residential area is classified 'B' according to Oslo; despite being classified areas 'C', the target area is an extension of Yatta and thus shall not be detached or disconnected.

5. To the east, there exist a huge area that was declared military zone since 1967; it is simple to use these lands for training if that was the real purposes.

Israeli Greed:

1. The Israeli Governemnts have tried to capture as much lands as possible to serve the Zionist colonization project; in Yatta, the following colonies were established:

No.	Colony	Population	Area	established
1	Karmel	321	311	1981
2	Ma'oun	327	683	1980
3	Mesudat Yehuda – Beit Yatir	412	746	1977
4	Susiya	643	1009	1983
total		1703	2749

In addition, 8 colonial outposts were built (Ma'oun farm – Hill 83, Avigail, Kamel – Ghir, Magan David, Ma'oun Old Farm, Ma'oun – east, Mesudat Yehuda – east, Lucifer farm)

A increased colonial activities have been witnessed concurrently with the announcement:

· On July 23m 2012, colonists of Mesudat Yehuda added five mobile homes to increase the area of the outpost.

· Leveling 20 dunums to the south of Susiya and laying foundation for new colonial units.

· Leveling lands to the south of Karmel colony.

· Colonists of Ma'oun, eastern Yatta, completed the construction of residences to the west of the colony. In addition, they embarked on the construction of more colonial units.