Jordan valley south, Ouja: Accompanying Palestinian herders

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Place: 
Jordan Valley
Observers: 
Rita (reporting) Arik Asherman (driving) Aviv (driving), Adam, Dor, Batsheva, and another car from the north, with Hagai and Ido.
Mar-27-2018
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Morning
Jordan valley south: grazing peacefully, at least for now, in the disputed fields
Jordan valley south: grazing peacefully, at least for now, in the disputed fields
Photo: 
Rita Mendes Flohr
Jordan Valley south: the herds are arriving from a bare desert area – where there is no dispute with the settlers, as there is nothing to graze
Jordan Valley south: the herds are arriving from a bare desert area – where there is no dispute with the settlers, as there is nothing to graze
Photo: 
Rita Mendes Flohr

06:00 - 11:30

 southern Jordan valley, not far from Omer’s farm.

Accompanying Palestinian herders not far from Ouja in the southern Jordan valley - with no interference from the army or the settlers.

We split into two groups of four, one group in Ouja East and we are across the road to Mevo’ot Yericho, on the side of Omer’s farm.

 

An aggressive female soldier came out of a jeep as we were still waiting for the herds to arrive, and belted out: what are you doing here? We said we were waiting for the shepherds, and she yelled out, they can't come here. We said there is no valid order preventing them from doing so. "THERE, they have ALL that territory where they can freely roam" - as she points to the bare desert with not a blade of grass...

but she did not return, though she threatened to produce a closed military zone order. Nor did any other soldiers bring us such an order. I guess they were busy preparing for Passover, or more likely, for the feared events of Land Day, and could not bother with issuing yet another order at the behest of the settlers at Omer's farm that is illegal even according to Israeli law