Sha’ab al-Butum – large olive trees could not be harvested because access wasforbidden
A shift without unusual events: the siege of the settlements continues, the settlers' takeover of the lands continues, and the army reinforces the blockades.
The third week of Ramadan. The traffic on road 317 is very sparse, and there is little Palestinian traffic on the roads.
Passing abandoned communities: in the distance what remains of the bustling school of Zanuta, all of whose residents were forced to leave. Further on in Wadi Radim, the Israeli flag flies over what was the glorious kingdom of Abu Safi, who wisely managed a self-sufficient economy. Today he lives as a sick refugee in Samu’ which like the other villages, is locked and closed.
And on the other hand, new military posts are emerging, such as against Susiya. Asa’el is expanding. Yinon, whose accounts were blocked by the USA, takes over the lands and ploughs the stolen lands. We saw his car in the distance.
We stopped on the road at the entrance to Sha’ab Al Butum. Muhammad pointed to a field where the owner of the plot had harvested some wheat and young olive trees. A little further there is a plot with large olive trees. The trees were not harvested. Access is impossible and opposite a new yellow gate.
We visited in Susiya, which is closed, Azzam and Wadha. A light breeze and a pleasant atmosphere and fluent conversation and a blooming garden - as if there is no siege in the world. The youngest son came back, thin after a month in Ramla prison. He had worked illegally in Israel. Azzam told about the neighbour who was beaten by gangs of settlers from the Talia farm, who come masked. He said that it is forbidden to move away more than 100 m. or even less from their homes. And there is no one to protect them.