Saturday, September 15th, Hebron
Issa’s house is well known for being the first property in Tel Rumeida to be repossessed by its Palestinian owners. First the Israeli Army using it as a look out post, and then the extreme religious Jewish settlers vandalised it, destroying what the soldiers left behind. For two months a Palestinian flag has flown from the upper floor of the property situated high on a hill and flanked by an Israeli military post and illegal settlers.
This defiant gesture of resistance has irritated settlers and the army alike so that a 24 hour watch is needed to protect the house. Jewish settlers who were observing their Shabbat today managed to climb the outside of the house and remove the Palestinian flag. Within minutes the Palestinian neighbours gathered to be sure nothing worse happened. By the evening two Palestinian flags were flying from the upper floor.
The house is being renovated after extensive damage caused by illegal squatting by settlers. It is hoped that the property will be a centre for training the Palestinian young people in the ways of non violent resistance as well as a home for Issa.