Ofer - Stone Throwing, Separation Barrier
Translation: Marganit W.
Bring our boys back! Bring back our brothers, fathers, all members of the family!
In all our conversations with Palestinians in the courthouse yard, we hear about relatives detained, arrested, jailed in various holding facilities, and about kidnapping and home invasions occurring in the middle of the night. As of this writing (21.6) Ma’an News Agency has reported 370 arrests of Palestinians in the last few days.
There are few hearings in the courts and many postponements.
Hader, Ahmed and Muhammad Suleiman (2 brothers and a cousin) from the village of Bet Ghur, are in detention for rock throwing. In this hearing, they request to exchange Atty. Sufian – who has been representing them since 3.2.14 – for Atty. Akram Samara. The court approves the change and Atty. Samara immediately requests a postponement to study the case.
In the courtyard, a man approached Shosh Kahn and me and told us that he had asked one of the female soldiers why there is no shade in the court where Palestinians are waiting (a mesh cover has been installed in the section where wardens sit at the entrance to the halls). She told him, What else? Do you want us to serve you coffee as well?
We spoke to the man, who was greatly offended by the soldier’s answer. He is from the village of Katana. The settlement of Har Adar sits on some of the village land. Many Palestinians from Katana and other neighboring villages work in the settlement, and the women clean houses there. The man tells us that the fence was built on part of his land; he still has a flock of 70 goats. His sons help tend the flock when they come home from school. One son, 14 years old, was arrested when he was herding the flock near the fence. He was able to release him for a 4000 shekel bond, and the trial was supposed to take place today.
In clear Hebrew and very reasonably, the man explains: The army tells us not to get near the fence, but you brought the fence to me! You took my land and you brought the fence to me!