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Farmers under fire

ISM Gaza | Farming Under Fire

29 May 2009

A compilation video from real incidents when Palestinian farmers came under fire from Israeli soldiers shooting with live ammunition from jeeps and towers along the border to Gaza.

All of the incidents occurred in the south-eastern border region east of Khan Younis, within the months since the ‘cease-fire’ following Israel’s war on Gaza. All the attacks have been against unarmed Palestinian farmers, including women and children, and internationals accompanying them. The practise of firing at farmers and civilians in the area up to 1km from the border has been a consistent occurrence, with attacks increasing after Israel’s 3 weeks of massacring Gaza.

The farmers working the land are all either dependent on the food they produce or very poor labourers dependent on the meagre salary they receive.

Most have no other options for work or farming.

These attacks come hand in hand with Israel’s declaring the 300 m to the border as ‘off limits’, Israel’s policy of razing agricultural land and destroying farms, farm equipment, greenhouses, and crops, and the siege on Gaza which has crippled all sectors of life within the Strip.