An Arboreal Auschwitz: 3 million trees in Palestinian Territories destroyed by Israel in 12 years. An Interview with Rami Barhoush, of the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature. Sunday, March 21, 2021.
The Interview
“We saw how the Israeli occupation forces were systematically working at destroying the livelihood of the Palestinians on their own land.” According to the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture, more than 3 million trees, mostly olive and citrus trees, were uprooted by Israeli forces between 2000 and 2012.
Rami Barhoush
Israel Uprooted and destroyed 3 million trees – olive and fruit bearing treed between the years 2000 and 2012. In twelve shot years 3 million trees bulldozed or otherwise destroyed in the West Bank, Palestine, including many in the area of Beit Ummar, the informal sister city of our small Colorado group.
Think of what it must have taken – the organization, the work force involved to destroy 3 million trees in 12 year – that is 250,000 trees a year, 685 a day. Olive trees that take three years to produce their fruit, orange trees for which the region is also know three to five years. What a cruel procedure, part of a broader plan to make life for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza unliveable, so that they will leave.
And the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature is in the process of replacing them all – and has replaced 2 million of them already.
Anyone, like myself, who went to Hebrew School in the 1950s and probably there after remembers how we children were encouraged to give a dollar to plant a tree in Israel… and I did so on a number of occasions and was, at the time proud of the fact. I don’t know how that money was used – vaguely remember some investigative article claiming that it did not go for trees.
Later when I came to understand the reality of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, like many others, I felt – and still feel – ripped off by that scam.
That said, now a person can contribute $7 to the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature that will go towards planting a tree in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, kind of balancing out the bad vibes.
To donate to this project (which I will do shortly) go to this link
View from the Left Bank: Rob Prince's Blog 
Thank you, Rob! -Jennifer O.
When I was in high school, I read Exodus. I learned how the Zionists made the desert bloom. How sad to see they lost all their talent. Seems like the only thing they are good for is murdering and destroying. It is possible the Zionists will, in the long run, end up like their destroyed forest.