Environmental and anti-occupation activists are campaigning against plans to establish an industrial zone near the settlement town Beitar illit, a project they say threatens traditional agriculture and a world heritage site.
The area near Wadi Fukin houses beautiful old terraces for traditional agriculture, used by generations of local Palestinian farmers. The same water sources are used to irrigate the terraces as the ones farmers used hundreds of years ago.
Battle rages over Israel's plan for industrial zone in unique West Bank landscape
Terraced agricultural fields are seen in the Palestinian farming village of Battir, south of Jerusalem, Dec. 12, 2012. Photo by REUTERS/Ammar Awad.