APN | Idna– Hebron

19 February 2023

In 2004, spanning a distance of 9 kilometers, the Apartheid Wall was constructed to establish the western borders of the town of Idna in the Hebron Governorate. This structure replaced the Green Line (the 1949 Armistice Line), which had previously isolated the village from the abandoned village of Dawayma as a result of the Nakba.

The occupation intentionally decided against constructing the wall along the Green Line, opting instead to replace its straight path with a winding trail comprised of reinforced cement. In doing so, they appropriated 800 dunums of the town's lands, while also isolating 3,200 dunums behind it. Within this context of Zionist appropriation, around 2,500 fruit trees were not spared; they were uprooted under the presumption that this act equated to uprooting Palestinians.

Idha's cultivated lands constitute 58% of its area, with arable lands concentrated to the west alongside the Apartheid Wall. "Anyone who wants a homeland must care for it," was the heartfelt appeal of a farmer whose land was threatened with confiscation. In response, APN planted 4,677 olive trees as part of its third Million Tree Campaign. Situated only 10 meters from the Apartheid Wall, these trees serve as the foundation that roots the people of Idna to their land. They create a protective wall of olive trees, positioned in direct opposition to the concrete barrier.

This is not the first time that APN has directed its efforts to strengthen the resilience of Idna's residents. In previous years, APN planted 6,350 fruit trees in the town. This was made possible only through support from all across the Arab region.