South Hebron Hills, Tue 26.2.13, Morning

Muhammed and Dana told me that there had been nothing untoward on their journey down. We did not go into Hebron itself but went to the two villages of UM Faqqra and Tuwanni. At Um Faqqra we delivered clothing and bedding which we had collected. The children came home early and said that they had had only two lessons that day and that there would be no school for the next two days because the teachers have not been paid.

At Tawanni we visited with an Italian lady who has been there for only a short time. They live in the average sort of home there……though higher up in the village we did see the most amazing new pink villa…..  I guess it shows my own personal racism. Had I heard that 9 Palestinians were living in this two roomed house…the second room where I guess they sleep was completely empy…..I would have taken it for granted but hearing that the 9 volunteers all lived there together I was quite taken aback.  She told us that they are part of Operation Dove and have been in various other countries including Italy itself. When I said that I was rather surprised that she felt that Italy was a country which needed peace activists she told us that there is an area called Val di Susa where there are illegal workers who need help and that in Greece there is an area where there are fascists who attacked the immigrant workers.

The other volunteers were out with the shepherds for the day. She says that the Palestinians  have now developed a system. When a shepherd is attacked in a valley by settlers the following day all the shepherd and also villagers congregate in the same area and send the settlers a message. I hope that I got this right because it seems to me to be the sort of situation which would bring the settlers down in their masses and the police and soldiers. So maybe someone else should check this out again.

I also wanted to show Dana the lady who has her shop in a cave but unfortunately there was no one at home.