The left-wing groups Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and HaMoked expressed anger Tuesday as the Supreme Court rejected one of their lawsuits, and accused the court of “stealing Palestinian land.” The lawsuit in question called on the court to overrule the IDF and state that Palestinian Authority Arabs do not need permits to farm land west of the Judea and Samaria separation barrier.
In some regions, PA farmers living close to the barrier were left with land on both sides of the fence, and are now required to get a permit to cross the barrier in order to work their land. ACRI and HaMoked claimed that the practice is discriminatory, as Israeli citizens are not required to have a permit to be in the same area.
The IDF has required permits for security reasons. From the farmland in question, PA Arabs would have free access to all of Israel – a situation that, in the past, allowed for the suicide bombings that the Judea and Samaria barrier was built to prevent.
In some regions, PA farmers living close to the barrier were left with land on both sides of the fence, and are now required to get a permit to cross the barrier in order to work their land. ACRI and HaMoked claimed that the practice is discriminatory, as Israeli citizens are not required to have a permit to be in the same area.
The IDF has required permits for security reasons. From the farmland in question, PA Arabs would have free access to all of Israel – a situation that, in the past, allowed for the suicide bombings that the Judea and Samaria barrier was built to prevent.