Jenin / Ali Smoudi – Returning from the agricultural lands that are now blocked by the Wall, 200 Palestinians found themselves trapped yesterday. Israeli forces had closed the gate in the Wall that cuts in two the lands of western Jenin’s Anin Village.

Head of the Village Council, Rabah Yassin said on Saturday, “Over 200 farmers, including women, children, and the elderly were shocked after finishing their work.

He continued, "Their agricultural lands which are now located behind the Wall. Returning to the gate they found that the Israeli soldiers who guard it had closed it and left. No prior notice had been given.”

To pass this portion of the Wall built on the lands of Anin Village, residents who own land now “on the other side” must obtain permission from the occupying Israeli administration. Soldiers at the gate never leave, “with or without the presence or entry of the citizens to their lands,” says Yassin. Dozens of calls were made yesterday evening to release the 200 trapped Palestinians, but it was hours before the soldiers returned.

After talking to both the Palestinian and Israeli civil administrations Yassin is convinced that the closure was deliberate in order to make the lives of farmers that much more difficult. “The occupied soldiers purposefully prevented people from returning home in order to ensure that they will not longer try to return to their lands. However, these lands are the only source of livelihood for the families and they are now permanently subject to detention and humiliating inspections.”

Farmers throughout the West Bank are suffering a similar fate due to the Wall and settlements with many unable to reach their lands. Those who can make it struggle with walking lengthy distances and assaults by both soldiers and settlers. Due to the threat by settlers, some farmers only went to their lands during the period of olive harvest in which the Israeli army provided protection. One southern Nablus resident commented, "Why have all this land if you can only go there once year?" Many fear that as the situation worsens more land owners will be driven out.