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Scurrilous

(38,687 posts)
Sat May 12, 2012, 12:43 PM May 2012

West Bank village fears Israeli barrier will destroy ancient farming landscape

<snip>

"One of the last Palestinian farming villages that still uses irrigation systems from Roman times says its ancient way of life is in danger as Israel prepares to lay down its West Bank separation barrier.

With construction possibly beginning in the coming weeks, the people of Battir hope a legal battle, backed by recent U.N. recognition of the village’s agricultural practices, will help change Israel’s mind.

Battir’s 6,000 inhabitants live in limestone-faced houses built into a hillside southwest of Jerusalem. On the lands around the homes, stone retaining walls have transformed scrubby hills into orderly terraces of olive trees and vegetable gardens.

Terraces are a common Palestinian farming technique in the hilly West Bank terrain. But in Battir, they are unique for their extent — stretching uninterrupted over nearly 2,000 hectares (800 acres) — and for the centuries-old network of irrigation canals that direct springwater over the stepped hills.

This combination prompted the U.N.’s cultural agency, UNESCO, to award the village last year with a $15,000 prize for “Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/west-bank-village-fears-israeli-barrier-will-destroy-ancient-farming-landscape/2012/05/11/gIQAHf4IHU_story.html

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azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
4. apparently not some and besides what better way for Israel to get its message
Sat May 12, 2012, 03:10 PM
May 2012

Last edited Sat May 12, 2012, 06:18 PM - Edit history (1)

about 'suicide bombings' across than to build it's barrier wall across Palestinian fields 'cause it just wouldn't be as effective any other way, right?

 

shira

(30,109 posts)
5. Well, some people don't believe Israel has any security needs whatsoever....
Sat May 12, 2012, 03:31 PM
May 2012

...so anything Israel does is for evil, nefarious purposes against innocents who are not responsible for anything whatsoever.

Nice narrative.

For cults.

azurnoir

(45,850 posts)
6. well Israel can build all the walls it wants-inside the green line with allowances for Palestinian
Sat May 12, 2012, 06:17 PM
May 2012

property

seems Israel isn't attempting to annex parts of Egypt or Lebanon well at least that we know of yet with its security walls on those borders why is that?

 

holdencaufield

(2,927 posts)
7. Olive Trees ...
Sat May 12, 2012, 07:35 PM
May 2012

... and Jewish lives are morally equivalent, right?

Some people think the olive trees take precedent over Jewish lives.

Violet_Crumble

(35,954 posts)
9. Who are 'some people'? Are you talking about people who oppose the route of the wall?
Sat May 12, 2012, 08:03 PM
May 2012

If so, that's a very nasty and untrue smear that yr making in yr post...

Violet_Crumble

(35,954 posts)
8. Yeah, those regular suicide bombings need to be stopped!
Sat May 12, 2012, 07:47 PM
May 2012

And the only way to do it is to build a wall on territory that isn't part of Israel and call it *self-defence*. And if anyone dares to show any concern for the Palestinians affected by it, they can be greeted with one of those 'Some people believe <insert something totally untrue or antisemitic here> accusations. It always works a treat and is so very convincing as far as arguments go!

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