Yasuf

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Observers: 
Alia S., Vivy K., (reporting) , with Nadi
Aug-16-2015
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Morning

Yissqaqa, Yassif, Marda

 

 

The daily routine in the three villages resembles that in other villages  in the seamline zone: traffic restrictions, water shortage, plotting by settlers. The army destroys every improvement in the infrastructure: Lately a road which lead from Ya'assuf to the agricultural plots was destroyed. The bus stations are shaded but forbidden for use by the Palestinians.

Yissqaqa has a Majalis (council) of its own, with a volunteer Head of Council, who is new in his post. The daily routine during the Ramadan month was negatively affected by the daily checkpoints between them and Salfit. Salfit is the important town from which the two villages get their services. The Head of the Council tells about settlers from Rehalim who put up (at night) forbidden infrastructure works, and do not demolish works which were set up by them.

 

The water supply is shared by Yissqaqa and Yassuf. Every two hours the faucet is shut for one village and opened for the other. Yassuf too has a Majalis of its own. The Head of Council who received us in his bureau said it was important to stress the water problem:  growth of the Palestinian population is not taken into account when the water is allotted.

The sewerage is in cesspits. It is impossible to plan a sewerage system because to plan and build a wastewater treatment facility cannot be done under the Israeli rule. At present there are no attacks by the settlers. These occur during agricultural work and especially olive picking. During the olive picking period the villagers  get help from human rights associations.

 

Recently  they  repaired a road that lead from the village to a hill opposite. This road had been built initially by the Turks. The repairs were made in order to facilitate the approach to agricultural areas. Immediately at the end of the repair works the road was destroyed by the army.

The Majalis building of Marda is a communal one, similar to other villages, with a medical clinic and a family health center, which were very active. The Head of Council wasn't there and we were received politely and a bit hesitatingly by the busy secretary. In the scorching hear, the village was desolated.

The approach to the shaded bus stations is forbidden for Palestinians. They stand at a considerable distance in the sun…