Press release – for immediate release

October 12th, 2010

Petition to the HCJ:

Authorities preventing Palestinian villagers from accessing
their groves to harvest their olives
The residents of the village of Wadi A-Rasha in the West Bank filed 98
requests to access their olive groves which are beyond the separation
barrier – but they were all declined. A petition filed today by the village's
council head with the assistance of rights group Yesh Din asks the Israeli
High Court of Justice to intervene, "in order to protect the yearly
livelihood of the villagers"

The Village council of Wadi A-Rasha in the West Bank, with the help of human
rights group Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights, petitioned the Israeli High
Court of Justice (HCJ) today (Tuesday), requesting the court to issue an injunction
that will allow its residents to reach their olive groves and harvest their olives.

The petition was filed after all the villagers' requests to access their groves, have been
declined by the Civil Administration. The rejection of these requests is causing severe
damage to the livelihood of the residents of Wadi A-Rasha.

The village is one of five Palestinian villages near the Jewish settlement of Alphey
Menashe. After the separation barrier was erected around the settlement, the village
became an enclave. The HCJ ruled that the village should no longer be an enclave
surrounded by barriers. However, the village's agricultural fields and groves,
measuring up to 500 dunams, remained inside the fence.

Despite their promise to help the villagers and allow them to cultivate their fields,
especially during the harvest season, all 98 requests filed recently by Wadi A-Rasha
residents were declined by the Israeli Authorities. This poses a real danger to their
yearly livelihood.

The petition, filed by attorneys Michael Sfard and Avisar Lev of the Yesh Din legal
team, says that the Authorities' refusal to grant access to the villagers is pointless and
unjustified, and undermines their right to property and livelihood. The petitioners note
that by refusing to the villagers' requests, the authorities have violated their legal
commitments.

"This case shows that the authorities not only fail to protect the Palestinians from
right-wing Jewish extremists, but also prevent them from exercising their legal right
to harvest their olives", says Attorney Michael Sfard.
"The olive harvest season is underway. The court must intervene urgently, so as to
protect the livelihood of the residents of Wadi A-Rasha", adds Attorney Avisar Lev.

For further information please contact Dana Zimmerman 972-54-2457682