Hothouses CP (609), Olive CP (623), 'Atil

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Observers: 
Dalia Kleiman, Tzipi Ayanot (photographed) Dvorka Oreg (reporting) with Nadim
Jan-11-2016
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Morning

Agricultural Gate 623. About 170 people and nearly 30 vehicles, carts and tractors are waiting. The queue advances slowly. Only one military policeman checks the papers, and there are two soldiers on guard.

 

The Palestinians pass by fives. They complain about the slow tempo of the checking, and some tell us that there are people who arrive at the gate at 4.00 a.m. (here too!) and wait for hours in order to pass first.

 

The soldiers did not deny that they do not enable the Palestinians to pass at the CP with sums of money which do not seem (to them) to be necessary for agricultural work.

 

The farmers from the village of 'Atil get permits to pass by gate 609. From there they can reach their plots only by an illegal passage through Israeli territory, at the village of Yama which is located at the regional council 'Zemer". (The council comprises 4 villages of Palestinians, who are Israeli citizens, amongst which is Yama). If the Israeli police catches them there, it confiscates the tractor of whoever was caught and/or revokes his permit to pass at gate 609.

Thus about 150 farmers are forced to make their way to work on their plots.

 

At the village of of 'Atil – being guests for a moment, it seems to us that the village is an example for the fact that, when there are no harassments and terrorizations by the settlers, and when the economic situation isn't dictated by the limitations of the occupation, and there is also some 'independent' capital which is used for the welfare of the inhabitants – one can discern this not only by the external well cared for look of the place, but also by the general atmosphere there. The people we met spoke a lot, smiled and jested, with us too.

 

5.30 We leave Tel Aviv.

 

6.00 At Tira we meet Nadim and drive on road 57.

 

6.30 At the entrance to Anabta there is a checkpoint in the driving direction to Nablus. 3 soldiers check every car and a queue begins to accumulate.

 

6.55 Agricultural Gate 609. During our stay there about 20 Palestinians were checked and passed quickly. The workers report that although the gate was meant to be opened at 6.00, it was opened at 6.30 only. Thus from time to time the soldiers are late in arriving. When we asked one of the soldiers told us that on that morning they received reported about some event in the area and they went to check, and this is why they were late.

A bit before 7.00 all the workers had passed.

 

7.15 Agricultural Gate 623. There are about 170 people here and approx. 30 vehicles, carts and tractors.

The queue advances slowly. Only one military policeman checks the papers and there are two soldiers guarding in the area of the gate. The Palestinians pass in groups of five. They complain about the slow tempo of the checking, and some tell us that there are workers who arrive at the gate at 4.00 a.m. (here too!) and wait for hours in order to be among the first to pass.

The workers' queue stops every time one of the vehicles passes by the gate.

We talked freely with the workers about what is going on, but when we asked one of them to talk to the camerainfo-icon – he refused. He said that if the soldiers would see him being interviewed, they are liable not to let him pass.

 

In a conversation with the soldiers:

The soldiers were polite towards us and ready to talk, on the situation at the CP too. One of them talked about the background for all that is happening.  He said, amongst other things: "I've finished high school only a year ago, I still do not understand what is happening here". The job is difficult and he is waiting to be transferred to serve on a tank in about six months. He said that he doesn't tell his mother where he serves, not to cause her worries.

 

He agreed with us that there was a problem in that the people are cut off from their land, but added that the present situation wasn't simple, and his mother too wants him to return to her safely…

 

He repeatedly mentioned that many of the people passing at the CP  do not, in the end, work at their plots, but continue to Israel. After they have passed by the gate, he doesn't seem them anymore. Two soldiers did not deny that they do not enable the Palestinians to pass by the CP carrying amounts of money which do not seem (to them) to be necessary for agricultural work.

Here a polite argument arose between them and the Palestinians, and in the end one of the Palestinians explained to us that the soldiers are not to blame for the assignments imposed on them…

 

8.40 'Atil

We arrived at a new modern building which serves for "customer service".  We were told that in the near future the offices of the council, which are still located at the nearby baladiya building, will be transferred to this building too. We were invited there.

 

Opposite the entrance, in the display window, hands a poster on which is depicted a Palestinian woman who hugs a tree all of whose branches have been cut off. In the background are soldiers. The writing under the picture says: "if the olive trees knew who planted them…" (the photo of the picture is added further down).

 

One of the assistants ushered us into the head of the village's room. The council members greeted us and offered us coffee and tea and rich condiments which were baked especially for us. N., the Head of the Village arrived and the conversation was held in Arabic, with Nadim translating.

 

About the accessibility to the lands –

At Atil there is a small gate in the fence intended for the use of the army only. The inhabitants have lands beyond the fence (contrary to what was told to us at Dir El-R'uson). The procedure according to which the farmers can reach their lands is absolutely weird:

 

They receive a permit to pass by gate 609. From there they can reach their plots only by passing through Israeli territory, the village of Yama which is located at the area council Zemer. (this council comprise 4 villages of Palestinians who are Israeli citizens, amongst which are Yama, Abth'an and two other villages).

The passage by Zemer is by law forbidden for Palestinians. When the Israeli Police catches them in this area, it may confiscate the tractor belonging to whoever is caught or revoke his permit to pass by gate 609. Thus every day about 150 farmers are forced to make their way to work at their lands.

(further there will by photographs, amongst which a manual sketch of the Head of the Council, so that we may understand the absurdity of this illegal "arrangement" which was forced on the people of 'Atil).

 

In an attempt to change this distortion the village approached several times the Palestinian DCO, so that the latter might approach the Israeli DCO and find a legal and rational solution for the situation. Until today nothing has been done. Now the handling of this issue is in the hands of an Israeli lawyer from Tira.

 

In the course of the conversation we explained to our hosts we, as members of Machsom Watch are partners to the project initiated by Yesh Din, with the intention of examining and defending the legal rights of the Palestinians regarding all that concerns their access to their lands beyond the fence.

 

General Situation –

The village is the biggest community in the Tul Karem area. Today it comprises about 12.000 inhabitants. 60.000 if the village's people live today abroad: the U.S.A., Canada, the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuweit etc. The departure began since 1967, and the families abroad became bigger and bigger. Some are very successful and they pour large funds to the development of the village. There are some families few of their sons remained at 'Atil and process the lands, and there are among those who live abroad some who lease their lands. 600 dunams of the lands were confiscated by Israel for the building of the fence.

 

Most of the villagers are educated. They work in Education and in various posts at the Palestinian Authority, including the councils of villages in the area. Education is very important for the families at 'Atil. They are prepared to invest a great part of their resources towards the education of their offsprings. There are 6 schools in the village, separated for girls and boys.

The big problem is that most of the young people who finish their academic studies don't find work in their profession. Amongst the simple workers too there is unemployment.

We asked about the place of the women in the village. N. told us proudly about 3 women who are council members, and one who is his deputy.

 

At the meeting with ust there participated,  in addition to a secretary and the village's engineer, another young woman who explained that here function was that of a social worker: to know the families, to direct people to doctors for treatments and to special frameworks for children.

 

There are several organizations in the village that offer special programs for women, amongst which are embroidery and handicraft.

 

The head of the village is a well to do merchant who has a privileged person's permit which allows him to do business with Israel and to visit here everywhere.

He is proud of the high level of education at 'Atil, and also of the fact that he succeeded in raising funds for the development of the village. The money is directed towards education and the development of the infrastructures. They also plan to build a hospital. One of the donor contributed a million dollars to this end.

 

They told us that there are no settlements in their vicinity and no harassments by settlers. However, the army arrives at the town at nights, especially when they come to make arrests. On one night lately 13 young people were arrested.

 

We got the impression that the village is more affluent and more modern than villages and towns were know. It has a branch of "The Jerusalem Bank", a well-organized taxi "sherut" station, beautiful and very wide streets, cleanliness everywhere.

 

As guests of a moment it seems to us that 'Atil serves as an example for the fact that, when there are no harassments and terrorizations by the settlers, and when the economic situation isn't dictated by severe limitations of the occupation, and there is also some 'independent' capital which is used for the welfare of the inhabitants – one can discern this not only by the external well cared for look of the place, but also by the general atmosphere there. The people we met spoke a lot, smiled and jested, with us too.