Huwwara

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Place: 
Observers: 
Pitzi, Ariela, Yael, Amira (reporting), Charles K. (Translator:)
Nov-7-2016
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Morning

After a preliminary meeting with five women interested in joining, Yael C. and Ariela Y. accompanied us after an “upsetting tour” (led by Yael S.).

This morning they came with us, “rose from their easy chairs,” as they put it.  We enjoyed their company and are certain they’ll make a contribution.  We chose Huwwara, which wasn’t included in their tour.

On the way we explained all we could, and when we reached Huwwara met our friend M. who agreed to join us at Mazen’s baklava café and describe the problems in the field.

M. said the main problems at present are:

  1. Coordinating the olive harvest.  The plots in the area are on their side of the separation fence.  Nevertheless, every trip to the groves requires coordination between the Israeli and Palestinian DCLs to ensure the safety of the landowners whose plots usually adjoin their homes.  The coordination involves sending soldiers to guard the plots, and specifying the number of harvesters permitted.  The settlement security coordinators are also informed.  Without coordination, it’s clear the Palestinians would suffer from the settlers’ violence.  M. is a field activist and handles the coordination.  He said there’s less violence this year than in the past.

The number of permits granted is inadequate given the number of days for the harvest.  The reasons are:

  1. The army doesn’t allocate a sufficient number of soldiers.
  2. Even though the necessary coordination has been carried out, the soldiers don’t show up.
  3. The excuses for not sending soldiers:  stones were thrown at vehicles; farmers didn’t arrive on time (?); the number of harvesters who appeared didn’t match the number permitted; endless excuses…  The result is that olives remain on the trees in many plots whose harvest would have been completed in two more days, and the farmers aren’t able to finish the harvest which was in any case meager this year.

If the farmers  go to the groves on their own the settlement security coordinator sees them immediately and notifies the settlers, who may attack the harvesters, steal olives, set fire to the trees, etc.

This morning M. was notified that despite the coordination soldiers won’t be showing up.  He went to a farmer who was already in the grove and presented the choice – to continue picking, or protect himself (and other family members) by leaving.  The farmer and his family fled from their land.  Fled!, M. emphasized.

 

  1.  Widespread expropriation of land.  More and more expropriations by illegal outposts.  This disease keeps spreading.

We drove along Huwwara’s main street and saw new plazas that had been built.  M. told us that two days ago a celebration was held around the olive tree in the plaza.  It had been constructed with funds from USAID.   Large numbers of settlers showed up and danced around the plaza (as if a new location had been built for them).  The army stopped traffic on the road until the ceremony ended.

We continued to the checkpoints at Huwwara, Awarta and Beit Furiq to explain and see for ourselves.  From there we drove to look out on Nablus from the heights of Alon Moreh.  The settlement’s bulletin boards identify themselves as “Alon Moreh – Shechem.”  There’s a poster calling for Netanyahu to resign because of Amona.  The entire area is covered with posters reading “Amona will not fall again”.

A real Massada.