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Palestinian Sumūd (Steadfastness) Meets UPA’s “Here to Stay”
UPA’s interventions in the agricultural sector in the Hebron valley are a cornerstone of our commitment to stay the course, and help our people do the same. 60% of the land in this part of the West Bank, also known as “Area C,” is administered by Israel, and Palestinians there must live beside approximately 400,000 Israeli settlers, many of them heavily armed. Access to water is rare and securing it daunting in Area C due to its proximity to settlements.
Not only are farmers prohibited from digging wells, but pipelines that are installed are frequently destroyed by settlers using bulldozers. Nighttime attacks, livestock theft, and destruction of water tanks are all part of
Tareq’s caption: Tareq picks grape leaves off the vines on his land in Al Khader
the daily life of these farmers. Resistance requires self- sufficiency, and self-sufficiency requires concentrated and ongoing support. UPA provides that. Our initiatives support the collection and storage of rainwater, provide technical training on maintenance of cisterns, and revitalize fallow grape farms. Tareq, Hind, and Salem are three participants in UPA’s agricultural initiatives.
Tareq, a lifelong resident of Al Khader, never imagined UPA’s agricultural project would completely transform his life. His land, once yielding little, now produces three times what it did before. “The T-shaped metal poles doubled my yield and made farming easier,” Tareq says, adding that once his financial stability soared, he could rely entirely on farming and no longer needed to seek work inside Israel.
The project’s impact goes beyond harvests. Tareq also developed new skills and found community. “All we knew was what was passed to us from our ancestors—but now...farming has evolved.” Tareq and other participants share the knowledge they acquired from the training with other farmers, creating a supportive network. “If someone’s crops have a disease, we guide them on what to do,” Tareq says.
“We are sitting in paradise, thank God,” he says, with pride, looking over his land.
Please scan the QR code to watch a brief video about our work in the West Bank.
14 ANNUAL REPORT 2023