Visit to Villages: Burin Thursday 31.03.11 morning

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Observers: 
Esther K., Duran S., Aliyah S. reporting
Mar-31-2011
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Morning

8:30  We drove through Huwwara and noted a military jeep in the center. There was another jeep at the entrance to the road that leads to Yitzhar and Qedumim settlements.

Burin, a village in the vicinity of Yitzhar, was our goal for that day. In the center some young men and a taxi driver directed us to M. They all agreed that he is the one to talk to us.

Yitzhar is on the south side of the road on a high ridge; Burin is on the north side. The settlement, Bracha, is also on the north side, on a high ridge overlooking Burin. Settlers have come from both Yitzhar and Bracha and have harassed the people of Burin.   

In 2004 settlers came at night and stole 90 sheep from a pen. The police closed the file without arresting anyone or returning the sheep.

One house, which is part of Burin is on land that is on the south side of the road. They are the objects of the greatest harassment and vandalism. Settlers have tried to burn their house. Poison pellets have been scattered in the field adjacent to the house and the sheep grazing there have been poisoned. Two cars belonging to the family were burned. A mare was stolen out of a shed, but when the villagers asked the police to go and return the mare the police answered that they don't dare go into Yitzhar - it's too dangerous for them!

One night, in a "price tag" (reprisal) action, settlers, who came from many places, even from Hebron, broke windows and threw "molotov cocktails" into the homes, and burned a van. From 2000 to 2007, 33 "molotov cocktails" were thrown at the houses. The week that we visited the village was considered a quiet week; but the 2 weeks before, after the murder took place in Itamar settlement, the families didn't sleep even one night  Settlers came and threw rocks at the houses all night. Also when 2 caravans were removed from the settlement, Givat Gilad, the villagers paid the "price tag"; 30 settlers came down to the village and threw rocks at the houses. A military jeep with several soldiers was on the road the entire time the barrage of rocks was taking place. The soldiers did nothing and the jeep left after the settlers had left.

We noticed a grove of olive trees along a road. Three rows of trees had been cut down almost to the ground; most of the trees were beginning to grow new young branches again. M. explained that the army had come and cut them down with the excuse that the trees were being used for hiding those who threw stones at cars on the road.

M. says he will have more children only when he is living in the State of Palestine. We thanked him for a very informative visit.