Deir Istiya, Kufr Laqif

Tuesday, 7.4.2015 

Noon shift in the villages.

Private car.

We meet at the Baladiye of Dir Istiya. We are welcomed by Amal, the Head of the village, dressed in modern clothes, her hair exposed, made up. Impressive. She talks some English.

Two women in traditional garments, A. and Z. participate in the meeting. Z. talks perfect English. Many of their families' olive trees have been uprooted at Wadi Kane.

Amal tells us about a Palestinian woman who married an inhabitant of Sandale, holder of an Israeli ID card, whose daughter doesn't receive an Israeli ID, and she cannot understand why. Davorka contacts Nadim and he promises to find out. In the end it transpires that one family member, with whom they have no contact, was once imprisoned, and this is the reason. We transfer the matter to Sylvia.

The theme of the meeting – the planning of possible cooperation, as was decided on beforehand in a recent visit to the village.

Dvorka presents the different possibilities for cooperation between the women of the village and our members; the sea days project, a joint activity between the women and the MW members, also the possibility of scholastic activity with the children, with the help of the village women. Z. and A. show much interest. They ask about the details, both of the sea days and the tuition, and suggest a possible structure.

Z. is interested in forming two groups for the improvement of the English for children – according to the different age group. She expressed interest in teaching the children music. We explained that the character of our teaching usually involves games and singing.

This month there are no exams in school and the children could begin learning, next month they will be busy with exams. This is why it seems important to her to begin as soon as possible. Z. has organizational capacities. She asks for two parallel learning groups, which would begin after 15:00, when the children will have returned from school, have eaten and rested.

As regards the women – they prefer to learn English and looked forward to the possibility of Yoga exercising if an instructor could be found. We said we would be happy to learn Arabic from them. Z. will find out what time would be suitable for the women to meet.

Summary: Next Monday another meeting will be held in which the members who are interested to teach in this village will participate. Perhaps somebody of the sea-days team will also be able to join. And then – forward!  This time too we were moved by the meeting with these active and assertive women.

12:50 Kafr Laqif

The village is very well groomed. Paved sidewalks, trees planted on the roadsides. Clean. H., the manager of the Baladiya and R., a council member, wait for us at the Baladiya, more precisely – at the Majalla.

They explain to us that Baladiya is the name of a council of a big settlement (over 5000 inhabitants) and that they are a small one. We learned something new.

H. talks excellent Hebrew and R. talks Hebrew and English. We feel mistrust in the air, the two are beautifully polite, but they are restrained and do not smile.

After a short reconnaissance conversation, we asked carefully about the possibility of cooperating with us in the programs with women and children – going to the sea, meetings with women and studies for the children. But they are not interested. R. says that it is his right to go to the sea as a free person, and so is it the right of his children. He does not want the Israeli favors. He does not explicitly say this, but it is discernible. "And we do not want to throw you into the sea"' he adds with a smile.

They also do not want to cooperate with us. It is important for them that the  Palestinians meet among themselves rather than with Israeli organisations. Now we understand what is behind their mistrust.

H. and R. are proud persons. They refuse any kind of ruler-ruled relationship. Their attitude changed when we told them that some of our members participate in the demonstration at Kadum, Dir Istiya and other places.

We tell them about our organization, explain that we oppose the occupation, that we understand their anger and that we too are angry. For the first time it seems that they become more relaxed. They let us share. They tell us about Karnei Shomron which was built on the lands of all the villages, including theirs, and that the settlers now harass them. They burned down a house at the end of the village, from which the entire family, including children, were rescued miraculously.

The army sometimes closed the entrance gate to the village, without prior notice. H. tells us that on a vacation day he promised his children he would take them on a hike, but when they arrived at the gate of the village they found that it was closed.

What shall I tell my daughter? He says. She wants her trip. And she is angry – you promised me.

R. tell us that his eldest daughter was born when he was in administrative detention, and that he saw her for the first time when she was 40 days old. He  regrets that he wasn't able to hug her, hold her.

The general security service (Shabak) arrives at night to enlist collaborators. Sometimes they take children and frighten them so that they should collaborate with the Shabak.

When we leave they too leave the building and drive away. We understand that they have waited for us, welcomed us and devoted us their free time, although they didn't want us nor the connection with us.

Now they invite us to come and visit. Just like that. And we promise to come again.

14:00 We leave on our way home. The visit at Laqif left a strong impression. All the way back we continue to talk about what was there and how we met on the same day Palestinian activists in two so different villages.

. He does not explicitly say this, but it is discernible. "And we do not want to throw you into the sea"' he adds with a smile.

They also do not want to cooperate with us. It is important for them that the  Palestinians meet among themselves rather than with Israeli organisations. Now we understand what is behind their mistrust.

H. and R. are proud persons. They refuse any kind of ruler-ruled relationship. Their attitude changed when we told them that some of our members participate in the demonstration at Kadum, Dir Istiya and other places.

We tell them about our organization, explain that we oppose the occupation, that we understand their anger and that we too are angry. For the first time it seems that they become more relaxed. They let us share. They tell us about Karnei Shomron which was built on the lands of all the villages, including theirs, and that the settlers now harass them. They burned down a house at the end of the village, from which the entire family, including children, were rescued miraculously.

The army sometimes closed the entrance gate to the village, without prior notice. H. tells us that on a vacation day he promised his children he would take them on a hike, but when they arrived at the gate of the village they found that it was closed.

What shall I tell my daughter? He says. She wants her trip. And she is angry – you promised me.

R. tell us that his eldest daughter was born when he was in administrative detention, and that he saw her for the first time when she was 40 days old. He  regrets that he wasn't able to hug her, hold her.

The general security service (Shabak) arrives at night to enlist collaborators. Sometimes they take children and frighten them so that they should collaborate with the Shabak.

When we leave they too leave the building and drive away. We understand that they have waited for us, welcomed us and devoted us their free time, although they didn't want us nor the connection with us.

Now they invite us to come and visit. Just like that. And we promise to come again.

14:00 We leave on our way home. The visit at Laqif left a strong impression. All the way back we continue to talk about what was there and how we met on the same day Palestinian activists in two so different villages.