Fair trade encourages Palestinian farmers to remain on their land

PALESTINIAN farmers are using their creativity to prevent yet more of their land being taken away for illegal settlements – and they are hoping that their supporters in the UK, Devon fairtraders, will support them in their efforts.

Deir Istiya is a village of some 4150 people in the northern West Bank. In 1967 it owned 36,000 dunums of land (one dunum = 1,000 sq metres) but it has lost great swathes to the Israeli occupation and stands to lose more.

A ring of eight settlements perched on hilltops around the village even threatens beautiful Wada Qana, a fertile valley where Deir Istiyans own land and a few remaining Bedouin hang on to their traditional lifestyle.

The trials since Israel invaded during the Six Day War have been well documented* but it was the arrival of the first Israeli settlers in 1976 which has undermined the prosperity and security of the village.

Over 10,000 dunums have been expropriated for the settlers whose very presence is a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention. And Deir Istiya stands to lose another 7,000 earmarked for the settlements' "natural expansion."

Nearly two-thirds of the land will be lost when you add the area now inside the Separation Barrier – itself a violation of international law.

Community leader Riziq Abu Nasser said: "The majority of our area will be annexed – this is what they are doing. We are making a case in the high court but until now they don't reply."

He recounts the harassment villagers suffer, including the beating of an old man, a settler deliberately driving his car into a shepherd, the uprooting of trees and prevention of ploughing and harvesting.*

And settler sewage has polluted the water in Wadi Qana where citrus, olives and almonds grow.

Villagers have resisted the loss of the land in various ways – some more successful than others.

With the help of Israeli peace activists Rabbis for Human Rights, they planted trees in a threatened area but the army declared it a closed zone, threatening farmers with heavy fines if they didn't remove the saplings.

I was told that when they started to organise and called a meeting, known Palestinian intelligence officers and collaborators with the military occupation attended.

"We didn't continue, the people feel they are not safe," said Riziq. "To go to court is better than a demonstration."

Indeed legal action succeeded in 1986 when farmers started to plant in an empty field supported by Israeli peace activists.

"According to their maps we succeeded to protect that part of our land," Riziq said.

Now they seek to plant more fields and need help to erect fences in a bid to forestall more land seizure.

Wadi Qana, a favourite picnic spot, has a lot going for it – plentiful water and fertile land but no infrastructure. Now only around 25 people live in a part where 500 lived before 1970.

Riziq says they left because of the settlements. He himself used to herd goats on part of it, sleeping in one cave and sheltering his animals in another.

Now he hopes to settle three families in that area with a fund for 100 goats provided by micro credit from his Devon supporters.

"In three years they will be able to pay it back," he said. "This protects the area from when they want to confiscate it – they can't say this is an empty area."

He paid tribute to UK fairtrade distributor Zaytoun whose decent price has made a real difference to Deir Istiya – and to those who buy the oil.

"When you buy any quantity of Palestinian olive oil this means that you keep the life of the Palestinian with his land," he said. "You can invite the Palestinian to live in Canada or Australia but the issue is to support him to stay with his land."

*For details see International Women's Peace Service website: www.iwps-pal.org