The Civil Administration last week attempted to uproot trees, including fruit trees, planted over four years ago, by residents of the Jewish town of Nokdim. The Civil Administration sought to uproot the trees after local Arabs claimed ownership of the land. Those trees belong to the State, located near homes in Nokdim where the town’s residents have cared for the trees continuously.
The Civil Administration sent Nokdim residents a note last Tuesday that they would be arriving the next day to uproot the trees. The decision was made by the Civil Administration itself, following an appeal by a leftist organization which was later supported by residents of nearby Bedouin towns. That appeal claimed that the land in question belonged to these local Bedouin, but did not provide any proof. Of course, the proof if it did exist, would most likely be a land grant from Jordan, an illegal occupier of the land from 1948 – 1967. The fact that the Courts and the Civil Administration are giving credence to these grants is absurd, and worse.
Nokdim residents responded with an appeal against the Civil Administration’s decision. Despite the appeal that expected a temporary order preventing the uprooting would be issued within less than an hour, the Civil Administration official in charge of the operation insisted on uprooting the trees quickly, before the temporary order could be issued.
MK Uzi Dayan was among many who spoke to the Civil Administration chief and the forces then left Nokdim to wait until the Supreme Court had issued its ruling. Later in the day, the Supreme Court rejected the residents’ appeal outright due to a technicality and other issues.
The Supreme Court’s decision does not show any strength in protecting land that legally belongs to Israel. It disturbingly and continuously baffles the mind to see Israeli official appease Bedouins and PA Arabs. Decisions such as this only serve to weaken Israel’s legal right to its own sovereign land.