APN | Qaryut - Nablus

23 March 2023

As Fikreyeh peers through her kitchen window in the village of Qaryut, located to the south of Nablus, she witnesses the encroachment of the occupation. The village is surrounded on all fronts by three settlements and numerous settlement outposts, devouring a significant 65% of its land area.

Commencing in 1978, the occupation initiated a process of encroachment upon Qaryut, beginning with the establishment of the Shilo settlement, followed by Eli and Shvut Rachel. Subsequently, settlers persisted in creating new focal points, ultimately transforming them into settlement outposts on the village's designated Area C lands. These actions brought about considerable difficulties for the village, involving daily attacks on both its people and trees, all aimed at displacing the village's inhabitants.

Fikreyeh, president of the Qaryut Women's Association, explains that the difficult circumstances and the shrinking land areas of the village have made the orchards adjacent to the houses extremely valuable. Those fortunate enough to own additional land in the village need to protect it. Therefore, they issued an appeal to APN for assistance in planting trees.

Driven by the determination to safeguard every inch threatened with confiscation, APN joined forces to support the female farmers of the Qaryut Women's Association who are working to support their families. The planting of 1,000 fruit-bearing trees with serve as a pathway toward self-sufficiency and additional income for the village’s families.