Adalah Continues to Seek Criminal Investigation into ILA Following Further Spraying of Toxic Chemicals on Naqab Crops
Yesterday, 2 April 2003, Adalah sent a second letter to the Attorney General requesting a criminal investigation into the southern branch of the Israel Lands Administration (ILA). Yesterday morning, the ILA once again sprayed toxic chemicals on crops belonging to unrecognized Palestinian Bedouin villages in the Naqab (Negev).
The crops sprayed yesterday belong to the villages of Umm Batin, east of Omer; Al-Mekiman, south of Lagiyya; A'ojan, west of Lagiyya; A'araqeeb, south of Rahat; and Sa'wa and Umm Heran, both east of Hura.
In the letter, Adalah Staff Attorney Marwan Dalal argued that the ILA has no legal authority to spray these crops, and that the spraying constitutes a violation of the Penal Code (1977), including Articles 336 (Use of a dangerous toxin) and 452 (Malicious damage).
Adalah previously sent a letter to the Attorney General on 4 March 2003 regarding the spraying of crops belonging to the unrecognized villages in the Naqab, after the ILA's so-called "Green Patrol" sprayed toxic chemicals on more than 1500 dunams (375 acres) of crops belonging to residents of Abda village. In addition to destroying the crops, the spraying injured Palestinian Bedouin citizens of Israel.
The ILA responded to this letter on 11 March 2003, acknowledging responsibility for spraying Abda's crops. In its letter, the ILA claimed that their actions were legal, but they did not provide any specific references to support this claim. Further, the ILA denied that the spraying caused any harm to residents of the unrecognized villages. This claim was contradicted in a letter sent to Adalah on 16 March 2003 by a health clinic in Mitzpeh Ramon, which reported treating at least 17 individuals following their exposure to the toxic chemicals sprayed by the Green Patrol. In addition, the clinic stated that it contacted the ILA to obtain information about the chemicals used in the spraying.
Adalah argued in the letter sent yesterday that the ILA's illegal actions caused a clear and obvious harm to the health and property of the residents of the unrecognized villages. Adalah asked that the Attorney General order the police to immediately open an investigation against the ILA, and to file indictments against the individuals responsible.
