Newsletter July to December 2018

APN Plants 5500 Trees in Northwest of Jerusalem

More support has been extended throughout 2018 by APN to Palestinian villages and farmers under Israeli occupation. Lands in eleven villages northwest of the city of Jerusalem have been planted with 5,500 olive trees’ saplings. The planting work is intended to support farming on a 644 dunum area owned by 175 farmers with 1,292 household members.

Urgent International Appeal to End Starvation in Yemen

Joined by the French Hikmat Organization, APN has launched an international appeal for an end to the military operations in Yemen and safe delivery of humanitarian aid to its embattled population.

Honouring Dead Sea Martyrs with Tree Planting

Ten days after the Dead Sea disaster on October 25th, the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN) planted two hundred and ten trees in the Jordan Valley, ten for the spirit of each martyr. It was a message to spread life and hope versus death and despair.

Construction of 3 Water Wells in Jerusalem

APN and Al-Nahda Rural Society worked to construct 3 water collection wells in Beit Sureek, Burka and Beit Iksa in Jerusalem.

The Green Caravan Plants 450 Fruit Trees In Ibser Abu Ali and Dhleil

APN volunteers, with support from Tamam Company planted 450 fruit trees in the villages of Dhleil and Ibser Abu Ali.

Razan Zuayter, Co-Chair of the People’s Coalition for Food Sovereignty

APN Co-Founder Razan Zuayter was elected as co-chair of the International People’s Coalition for Food Sovereignty (PCFS).The alliance groups various organizations and grass-roots movements that are concerned with food sovereignty in the world. Representatives of peasant organizations, fishermen, food producers and supporting NGOs have participated in the electoral process.

APN Plants 2500 Trees in Al-Judeirah

Twenty-nine Palestinian farmers were to benefit after APN and Al-Nahda cooperated in planting 2,500 trees’ saplings of olives, almonds and grapes in in Al-Judeirah village.The farmers’ lands lie close to the Separation Wall built by Israel.

Demand for Action to Address the Famine in Yemen

APN General Manager Mariam al Jaajaa attended the Committee on Food Security (CFS) Advisory Group on November 23rd, 2018 on behalf of the Civil Society Mechanism (CSM). She urged the CFS to respond to the world's worst food crisis in Yemen. The CFS Chair Mario Arvilo agreed to prepare an urgent statement to raise awareness on the crisis and push for an end to the human suffering in the country.

APN and the Housing Bank Plant 500 Trees in the Jordan Valley

The land of a family of four children supported by a widowed mother in Mallaha in the central Jordan valley was planted with 500 fruit tree saplings.The cultivation of the land was carried out on December 15th, 2018 by APN and the Ahliya Agricultural Cooperative Society supported by the Housing Bank.

APN to the Committee on World Food Security in Rome: Palestinian Activists must be Protected

Heather al-Aydi represented APN in a side event on "Defending Human Rights Defenders" during the 45th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) held on 11-19 October, 2018 in Rome. In her speech, al- Aydi highlighted Israel’s brutal punishment of Palestinian activists by incarceration without trial, in addition to the detention of hundreds of children every year.

Raising Alarm about Tree Cuttings

APN, keen to protect environment in the country, has raised alarm about the cutting down of old trees in the boundaries of Jordan University in Amman.

Planting in Beit Safafa, Encircled by Four Israeli Settlements

In Beit Safafa, four kilometers southwest of the old city and working with Al-Nahda Rural Society, around 1000 olive and fruit trees saplings have been planted by APN volunteers in 32 dunums of lands owned by 58 families. The Palestinian village is surrounded by four Israeli settlements.

APN Joins a Strategic Alliance to End Hunger in the Arab Region

APN Co-Founder and Chair of the Arab Network for Food Sovereignty (ANFS) Razan Zuayter was invited to the first meeting of the Committee of Ending Hunger in the Arab Region at the Arab League in Cairo on September 19, 20, 2018.

Bringing life to Al-Sawaherah and Beit Hanina

APN volunteers planted 600 fruit trees in Al-Sawaherah and Beit Hanina,two neighborhoods in Jerusalem.

Celebrating Teacher’s Day by Planting 200 Citrus Trees

APN volunteers have worked to plant 200 citrus trees’ saplings in the Central Jordan Valley area. More than 45 male and female teachers took part in the planting event on October 5th, 2018 in cooperation with Queen Rania Award for Excellence in Education.

Constructing a Water Well for Two Neighboring Schools in Jenin

A water collection well was constructed by APN and Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC) to serve the needs of two schools in the West Bank town of Jenin. The activity was part of the Green Hands project and aimed to provide water supplies to more than 400 students.

APN Joins Key Local, Regional and International Meetings

APN participated in a number of meetings including: the CSM Coordination Committee meeting in Rome; the Jordanian Social and Economic Council consultations; the Green Growth Plan and the National Strategy for Land Governance workshops; the UNEP Consultative Meeting for West Asia; the IUCN National Committee meeting; the Arab Commission for the Reconstruction of Gaza and a workshop on the Legitimacy of GMO Imports.

Planting 2000 Trees in Jaba’ for 38 Families

Northwest of Jerusalem and in the village of Jaba’, 86 dunums of land owned by 38 families were cultivated with 2000 saplings of olives, grape and almond trees by APN.

A year after APN’s initiative, Bayouda is a Step Closer towards Food Sufficiency

Another major tree planting effort bore fruit in the village of Bayoudah, in Al-Salt, Balqa’ governorate, where 6,200 fruit trees saplings were planted, ten for each household.

The Arab Sustainable Development Week

During activities of the Arab Sustainable Development Week on Nov.19-22 2018, APN Co-Founder Razan Zuayter has called for the need to pay attention to the root causes of conflicts that prevent the sustainable realization of peace.

APN Palms in Bore Fruit and Income in Bardala

In the Palestinian village of Bardala, palm trees planted by APN and the Agricultural Relief Committees (PARC), eight years ago, finally bore fruit to assist farmers in generating income.

Partnership for Development Effectiveness in The Hague

The fourteenth meeting of the Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE) coordination committee has been held in The Hague, Holland on 26-27 November, 2018 . Ms. Razan Zuayter, co-chair of the Working Group on Conflicts and Vulnerability attended the meeting representing the farmers sector.

Litani River Project Challenges

APN Co-Founder Hassan Jaajaa, participated in the Litani Project Challenges and Opportunities conference in Beirut on Nov.27-28, 2018.

A Workshop on Farming as Resistance

A group of youth has taken part in a summer camp organized by BDS- Jordan and Ya’arub Society in Amman during which they listened to a lecture by volunteer Mo’ath Qatanani on APN’s activities, mainly supporting ‘farming as resistance’ in Palestine.

APN Supports Farmer Abu Falah and His Family

Fruit trees’ saplings have also been planted in the land of farmer Abu Falah who supports a family of eight in Dhirar ben Al-Azwar village in the central Jordan valley.

APN on Roya TV

APN Project Manager Mohammad Qteishat was hosted on Roya TV station to speak about the planting activity marking Teacher’s day in cooperation with Queen Rania Award for Excellence in Education.