A group of Israeli settlers today destroyed a spring by the village of Qarawat Bani Hassan in the Salfit district. The settlers poured sand and cement into the spring, guarded by five armed members of the Israeli military.
Palestinians from the village were forced to watch helplessly as events unfolded, prevented by the soldiers from moving close to the spring or from filming what was happening. International Solidarity Movement volunteers were able to secretly film for a short time before the soldiers noticed, and made both Palestinians and Internationals leave, saying that the area was now designated as a Closed Military Zone.
Last Friday, a group of Palestinians and internationals spent the day clearing the area around the spring to make it more accessible from the village. This followed previous attacks from settlers on nearby springs and farmland, during which a child suffered serious head wounds, from which he is still recovering in hospital, and an elderly man had his arm and leg broken.
Locals intend to continue their attempts to keep the spring open, and to turn the area around it into a park for the use of the village.
Under international law, the settlement next to Qarawat Bani Hassan is illegal, as are all other settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Demonstrators in An Nabi Salih were met with tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and sound bombs. The IOF also fired skunk, a putrid-smelling chemical spray. One international was hit with a metal tear gas canister in the arm. Four Palestinians were injured, including a young man Ehab Fadel Beir Ghouthi, 14, from Beit Rima, who was hit with a rubber-coated steel bullet in the head. He was taken to a hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. He is listed in critical but stable condition.
IOF Occupies Building
An expectant air hung over the village of An Nabi Salih. This feeling was heightened as IOF soldiers gathered on a hilltop near the edge of the village. Despite this sentiment, An Nabi Salih decided to celebrate International Women’s Day. The popular committee of An Nabi Salih invited the mothers, daughters and sisters of the surrounding villages to join their demonstration for unfettered access to their farmlands and spring.
The march began in its normal fashion, but today the men’s voices, which demanded justice, were punctuated by the unusual and melodic accompaniment of women. An Nabi Salih’s weekly demonstration was halted by Israeli Occupation Force’s (IOF) use of copious amounts of tear gas in the opening minutes. The demonstration was pushed in disarray shortly after it began by the violent actions of the IOF. This disarray was short-lived as the demonstrators collected themselves.
Ehab
The demonstrators quickly reconvened. Many women took the lead in defending the village from the IOF through non-violent tactics of organized community resistance. These efforts were successful for over an hour until IOF soldiers drove a large vehicle, which blasted skunk, through the demonstration. While shooting skunk, the IOF threw sound bombs and shot tear gas. The demonstrators were made to reassemble after this. In the interim, IOF soldiers took control of a building under construction and used its roof as a vantage point to take better aim the Palestinians who traipsed through their fields.
The IOF shot at the youth of the village from this building for nearly 40 min. Their targets were only 50 meters away from the soldier’s position. Yet, they still used rubber-coated steel bullets. The decision to use these weapons led to the critical injury of Ehab Fadel Beir Ghouthi of Beit Rima, a village close to An Nabi Salih.
He was shot just above his left eye. He maintained consciousness for only a few minutes. He was driven to Salfit Hospital and then transferred to Ramallah Main Hospital. Ehab underwent emergency surgery to remove either bone fragments from his brain or the rubber-coated steel bullet from his skull. It was unclear which, but the surgery was successful. Ehab was moved to an Intensive Care Unit and is listed in critical but stable condition.
The hilltop village of An Nabi Salih has a population of approximately 500 residents and is located 30 kilometers northeast of Ramallah along highway 465. The demonstration protested the illegal seizure of valuable agricultural land and the January 9th 2010 uprooting of hundreds of the village resident’s olive trees by the Hallamish (Neve Zuf) settlement located on highway 465, opposite An Nabi Salih. Conflict between the settlement and villagers reawakened in the past month due to the settler’s attempt to re-annex An Nabi Salih land despite the December 2009 Israeli court case that ruled the property rights of the land to the An Nabi Salih residents. The confiscated land of An Nabi Salih is located on the Hallamish side of highway 465 and is just unfortunately one of many expansions of the settlement since it’s establishment in 1977.
Last week, two small, rural outposts were awaiting two payloads from a 4×4 that was snaking its way along the winding, West Bank roads of the South Hebron hills. The first was the material to construct some alternative energy sources for these small communities, the second was an international presence that would aid them in the fight for their legitimacy. Distant Clouds
In the hills around Susya, sheep- and goat-herders live in small, tented communities in the wadis of Israeli-controlled “Area C” in the West Bank. These communities are fighting for their existence against the Israeli policy of ethnic cleansing in the region, where strict controls limit the quality of life that is possible for these people.
Our first stop was to deliver the parts to construct both solar and wind-powered electricity sources to an isolated site where two families live in tents. The access to their dwelling was a painstakingly slow, bumpy drive up a rock-strewn dirt-track which lay off the side of a minor country road. In order to dissuade Palestinians to live in these areas, which are under the threat of increasing Israeli Settlement expansion, these families are limited in what they can construct and are not connected to the electricity grid nor a main water supply. Even the installation of these clean, alternative energy sources falls foul of the law, risking Israeli demolition orders. But a small group of activists on both sides of the Green Line are committed to providing a decent standard of living to these people.
Our next stop was to deliver ourselves to the small community of Khirbet Bir al ‘Idd, just north of the small village of Jinba, itself lying just several kilometres north of the proposed route for the West Bank Apartheid Barrier. Four months ago, on November 8th 2009, two families moved back to these hills to prevent the Israeli settlements from extending into their wadi. We were to spend the next few days living with Abu Tarek who lives here with his wife and youngest daughter, raising sheep.Sparse Grazing
Abu Tarek gave up his life in the nearby city of Yatta in order to protect the Palestinian land here, and in doing so, has drastically changed his lifestyle. The family is forbidden from erecting any permanent structures by the Israeli authorities, they have no mains electricity nor running water.
The land upon which he lives includes several caves, two of which are used to provide shelter for his flock of over sixty sheep. The walls within which the family live are built of local rocks, and stand less than five feet high; their roof is tarpaulin. Yet within these rustic limitations, the family has created a homely sanctity from the harsh meteorological and political conditions outside.
The reason for our presence was to both encourage the family in their activity, and support them when facing the constant struggle with the Israeli settlers and army. The day before our arrival, Abu Tarek had been threatened by an Israeli soldier, and a local settler tries to destroy the community’s livelihood by grazing his own flock on their agricultural land, thus destroying their crop.
Life here begins with the sun, rising to milk the sheep before breakfasting on the delicious bread, freshly baked in a taboon by Abu Tarek’s wife, served with the products of their farming here: warm milk and lebeneh. The lack of electricity means no refrigeration, and so transformation of the milk to a longer-lasting substance is a must.
Whilst out grazing the sheep, Abu Tarek’s concern of the situation here is clear. To avoid problems with the Israeli authorities, he must be careful to not let his sheep drift to the other side of the dirt-track that leads to an Israeli Settler’s farm. Rocks thrown here are to direct and contain the sheep, rather than a resistance of the IDF by the local Shebab.
This dirt-track segregates the hill-top that lies between the land that the Palestinians are authorised to use for grazing, and the land that they can use for cultivation. When pointing-out which parts of the valley he can “safely” use to graze, he neglects the greener, more fertile verdure, which he says have been taken by the Settlers. The Palestinians rarely get the rich-pickings of their own land.
Whilst Abu Tarek is watching over his flock on the rocky hills below the track, I hike further up this hill to ensure that the community’s wheat is not being destroyed by the Settler’s own flock. The panorama from the top of this hill provides a vivid portrayal of the encroachment of the surrounding Israeli settlements, a stark contrast to the restricted development that is afforded to the Palestinians.
The intimidation by the Israelis is ever-present. In one day, less than an hour apart, we were harassed first by an Israeli official, responsible for the management of this land, and then by Israeli soldiers. The official tried to claim that he had seen the Palestinians take their flock onto land that was reserved to the settlers, defining the track as the dividing line. (We had been present all morning and the flock had not crossed the track.)Soldiers Harass
Later, an army jeep approaches from the Settler’s farm and three young soldiers exit, rifles slung across their chests to confront Abu Tarek & Abu Nassir, the other patriarch of the community. They speak patronisingly to these two dignified men, telling them that they were but “children” here in this land, that this is Jewish land, and that they shouldn’t be grazing their sheep here at all. Their protests seem to fall on deaf ears, despite the earlier altercation with the land-management official. When I ask them to show me a map of the area, defining the division and allocation of the land, they claim not to have one, and promptly leave.
This racial division is also evident when the Palestinians try to address complaints to the police about Settler intrusions or attacks. As this is “Area C”, the police are Israeli. Abu Tarek tells us that when he has telephoned the police, upon hearing his Arabic accent when speaking Hebrew, the operator simply hung-up.
Despite the daily hardships that this family faces, life within their modest home is jovial, soulful and rich, and their welcome is incredibly warm and heart-felt. Whilst I would recommend any international to visit them and help defend their cause, I hope that they will soon no-longer need to welcome us as fighters against the Occupation, and simply as friends.
Approximately 50 Palestinians and 20 Israelis and Internationals gathered in the West Bank village of An Nabi Salih to protest the further appropriation of their land and natural spring by the illegal Israeli settlement of Hallamish. The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) used tear gas, sound bombs, and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse the protesters. There was no obvious justification for aggression from the Israelis. The Children of An Nabi Salih
Hallamish, illegal under international law like all Israeli settlements, has expanded toward and is increasingly taking control of Palestinian lands. A small group of Palestinians gathered after Friday prayer to make a symbolic march toward these lands. Men, women and children marched away from An Nabi Salih and descended into a valley towards their fields. IOF soldiers began firing tear gas from the road below. The protesters spread out across the side of the mountain and the soldiers advanced, firing tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Several Palestinians and one International suffered injuries from the rubber bullets.
Soldiers surrounded a house on the edge of the village which contained women and children. After firing several tear gas canisters and a sound bomb in the doorway of the home, the soldiers proceeded to enter the village. Over thirty tear gas canisters were launched simultaneously from the top of a specialized IOF vehicle into the yards of villagers, as Palestinian youth resisted the invasion with stones.Tear Gas Tempest
After Palestinians had returned to their homes, the army re-entered the village to fire a final round of tear gas on the peaceful town.
The rubber-coated steel bullet injuries included head wounds on a young protester, and several dozen suffered tear gas inhalation.
The hilltop village of An Nabi Salih has a population of approximately 500 residents and is located 30 kilometers northeast of Ramallah along highway 465. The demonstration protested the illegal seizure of valuable agricultural land and the January 9th 2010 uprooting of hundreds of the village resident’s olive trees by the Hallamish (Neve Zuf) settlement located on highway 465, opposite An Nabi Salih. Conflict between the settlement and villagers reawakened in the past month due to the settler’s attempt to re-annex An Nabi Salih land despite the December 2009 Israeli court case that ruled the property rights of the land to the An Nabi Salih residents. The confiscated land of An Nabi Salih is located on the Hallamish side of highway 465 and is just unfortunately one of many expansions of the settlement since it’s establishment in 1977.
Demonstrators distributed wanted signs to members of the Israeli Occupation Forces in Bil'in
Palestinian, Israeli, and International activists demonstrated against the apartheid wall and settlements in Bil’in village west of Ramallah. Despite rain and harsh winds demonstrators marched to the wall and were immediately met with tear gas from the Israeli military as they are each week Friday. Soldiers fired heavy aluminum tear gas canisters into the crowd, and veteran activists commented on the extra strength of the gas today. People attempted to distribute “wanted signs” with the face of the local army commander to the soldiers positioned on the other side of the fence. Signs read:
WANTED: ISRAELI ARMY COMMANDER OF BIL’IN AREA, PALESTINE
Suspected of Committing Crimes Against Humanity
-sections 23(g), 25,42,46,50, and 52 of the Hague Regulations 1907
-Articles 31, 33, and 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention
IF IDENTIFIED, DO NOT TRY TO APPREHEND THE SUSPECT, CONSIDER HIM ARMED AND DANGEROUS. NOTIFY THE AUTHORITIES IMMEDIATELY!
Soldiers warned demonstrators not to come close to the gate that leads to the apartheid fence, and continued shooting gas into the crowd. They later entered the village and continued firing tear gas from a distance as people retreated back towards the village.
One the 11th of this month, residents of Bil’in received news that the path of the wall was finally being moved; giving almost half of the land slated for settlement development back the village. Residents have been crossing the fence to access their land for this years planting season. Farmers and their families are often harassed as they pass through the gate to the other side of the fence. Last week, two men were detained and held for two hours as they returned to the village from the other side of the wall.
