'Azzun 'Atma, Tue 13.4.10, Afternoon

Seam line, lands and gates, 13.4.10

We went to see the lands of Azawwiya village, whose owners we questioned and documented on our first visit to the village. 

We drove to the southern Azzun Atma checkpoint, turned right toward the stoneworks and the Radad’s family home.  From its room you can look out at the checkpoint and the village across the way, at Sha’arei Tiqva, Elkana, and Mit’ar Azawiyya  in the distance. 

We were met by Muhammad Kadis, 69 years old, who cultivates his land by himself, a 6 km. walk from the village, near Azzun, and Isma’il Radad, who owns a bakery in Azawwiya.  A large area of olive groves, most of them neglected because their owners are forbidden to reach them.  They don’t have permits. 

The outpost of Elkana overlooks us from the east.  Isma’il shows us the flow of sewage descending from what used to be Elkana’s sewage treatment plant which is no longer operating.  A brown strip of dead vegetation borders the channel in which the sewage flows freely down the hills and through the lands of Muhammad and Isma’il, who say they’ve lost dozens of olive-bearing trees as a result.  Most of the lands in the area belong to Azawwiya, whose pastoral landscape conceals pain and feelings of helplessness. 

Dror Etkes, from Yesh Din, is dealing with the issue of sewage in the West Bank and the Seam Line. 

We heard the complaints of the owner of the house on whose roof we stood, on daily harassment, their daughter delayed on her way to school, prevented from getting food and household goods for reasons of security or commerce.    

We continued to Sha’arei Tiqva to see Isma’il Hamuda Shakar’s land; he’s the brother of the head of Azawwiya.  Most of them are inside Sha’arei Tiqva’s fence; the approach road to the settlement runs through them.  A playground and sport field will be erected on  a portion of them, for the benefit of the settlers.  The only member of that family who received a transit permit to work his land is the head of the village, who naturally has no time to do so. 

We continued to Elkana, to the sewage plant.  Two trucks parked there were pumping out the cesspit; their drivers told us that it will be a long time until the plant will be working again because the cesspit has to be repaired.  As we stood there, sewage flowed freely, not through a pipe or in a conduit, percolating down the hill toward Muhammad’s groves. 

Tomorrow we plan to visit the village of Masha, to question people and document the situation.