by Lydia
13 March 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank
On Monday, 12 March at 9pm, the soldiers were making themselves comfortable yet again in the village of Burin. Around 6 jeeps entered and 10 jeeps surrounded the village.
It seemed for a while it was just another evening of playground antics with the soldiers occupying the village and enjoying an evening of military training, as this often happens and is expected throughout the nights when the village no longer belongs to the residents but instead becomes the soldiers training field.
There is a military compound very close to Huwarra which makes Burin and surrounding villages, such as Madama and Assira al Qablia, very convenient places for the soldiers to embark on such antics.
This evening however, the tactics took a turn for the worse when the soldiers began to raid the homes of residents. It started with the homes of Ahmad Samir Najjar, 16, and Mahmoud Nasser Asasus also 16. They are both now being held in Peta Tikva interrogation center.
After the completion of the interrogation they will either be released or moved to a prison.
Later raids were made into three more homes, with all three receiving threats from the soldiers that they would be the next to be arrested.
The raids consisted of the soldiers evacuating the families outside while they searched their home thoroughly, turning cupboards, bedrooms, and living areas upside down. Leaving a family outside, with their young waiting for the soldiers to finish in order to be allowed back into their homes, leaves the next day spent on putting their homes back together.
Members of the village went to visit the families of the young men arrested to offer their support and solidarity. Despite the problems the morale is high within the families.
Lydia is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).