International Solidarity Movement Nonviolence. Justice. Freedom.
By the ISM Media Team
Saturday 23rd June: At about 12:30 pm three Human Rights Workers (HRWs) were patrolling through the Olive Groves when they discovered a group of soldiers bathing at Abrahams Well located next to a Palestinian home. They watched the soldiers briefly until a Palestinian woman and her young son appeared in the doorway of their home. The Palestinian woman requested that the HRWs escort them to the checkpoint on Shuhada Street. She told the HRWs that because it was Shabbat she usually would not leave her home, because she is afraid of the settlers, but on this day she had some business or an errand that she had to do.
The HRWs escorted her to the checkpoint without incident and the Palestinian woman and young boy left to continue with their business.
The HRWs then walked down Shuhada Street towards the Beit Hadassah settlement where a Palestinian woman then called from her window and invited the HRWs for a drink of water. This woman, who was about 50-60 years old, told the HRWs that that morning at 4:00am Israeli Settlers had attacked her home and tried to break in. She said that for about ten minutes they had stoned her house and then tried to break the door down but did not succeed. She told the HRWs that she was alone in the home, at this time, with only her young five-year old granddaughter. The woman then invited the HRWs to see the view of Beit Hadassah and said that often the Settlers throw rocks at her home, and her neighbours home, during the night from the roof of the settlement.
When they arrived back in the Olive groves they encountered another young woman who requested that she be escorted to the checkpoint. The HRWs complied and asked her if she had seen any Settlers in the olive groves that day, and she said yes, and that because it was Shabbat she was afraid she might be attacked. She thanked the HRWs when they reached the street, and said she could walk the remainder of the distance to the checkpoint.
