EA Update June-July 2008

 

 

Yanoun

• Palestine Peace Circus in Yanoun: At least 25 children and a few adults gathered in front of the International House to watch the circus group that the EAs had invited from Jenin. With juggling tools, a diabolo and clowns' noses, they performed acrobatics, clown slapstick comedy, juggling and dancing to music. Towards the end of the show, the boys in the audience burst all the balloons and the performers took some of the children by the hand and danced.

Tulkarem

• Attil agricultural gate: Since the EAs started their monitoring of this gate, the number of permit holders has increased. The previous team reported that six people crossed the gate, whereas farmers now claim that 60 people cross the gate on a daily basis. Farmers began to apply for permits after one of them won a case in the Israeli court.
• Anti-wall march in Deir al Ghasun: The march gathered all the important figures in the Tulkarem area, from the district governor and other local authority representatives, to the EAs' contacts in Tulkarem.
• Quaffin summer camp protesting against the Wall: This "protest camp" was organised by peace movements such as ISM and IWPS, and EAs have participated in some of their activities.
• Attended military court case of a lawyer and doctor from Nablus in Jenin: EAs accompanied his parents who had not seen him since March. Unfortunately, his case was postponed due to administrative errors.
• Visit to St. Luke Hospital: Privately run by the Anglican Church, the hospital was established by a German minister in 1900. The future of the hospital is insecure and depends on donors' good will.
• Conference on recycling waste in Qalqiliya: The Sustainable Environment Development Society (SEDS) gave information on how to deal with garbage and recycling of waste. The governor of Qalqiliya drew parallels between the global and local complexities of the problem, before presenting the local challenges of a project in Jenin. Although this issue is quite new and presents a challenge, it could provide employment and new sources of energy in the long-term.
• Demolition orders in Farun: The Israeli High Court has put a 6 month freeze on the demolition orders in the village, south of Tulkarem. Farun villagers are afraid to do anything in case their activity would nonetheless provoke demolitions. EAs participated in a local meeting where international activists and the village council updated and developed the tactics for the coming months.

 Jerusalem

• Volleyball game in Jayyous: The Jerusalem EAs arranged for a group of internationals who play volleyball every Wednesday at Augusta Victoria to travel to Jayyous and meet the West Bank volleyball champions. The internationals had a great welcome in Jayyous with a loudspeaker van announcing the evening's event. The game was played in a positive spirit and the Jayyous giants were gracious and gentle in their resounding victory over the visitors. There was a commitment to continue to have this sporting contact.
• Augusta Victoria Hospital Bus: Built in 1910 as a hospice and resting home, the historical building on the top of the Mount of Olives today houses the Augusta Victoria Hospital which provides wide-ranging services to patients from the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Because of restrictions of movement and difficulty acquiring permits, the EAs continue to assist staff and patients to get through checkpoints.
• House demolition in Beit Hanina (10 June): The family of seven had moved into the little house four years ago. All of the family have Jerusalem IDs and like many others, they had to move from the West Bank part of Beit Hanina to the Jerusalem side to keep their status as permanent residents of Jerusalem. Ten months ago, the father built a veranda. This morning, the police and soldiers knocked on the door at 7am and told them of the immediate demolition of the balcony area of their house. The demolition took just 10 minutes, so when the EAs arrived all they saw was the rubble outside and the dust and disruption inside. 

Jayyous

• Izbat at Tabib, village at risk: 21 out of 45 village houses have demolition orders since Israel considers the village to be government-owned land and plans to build a new road going through the village to connect the settlements of Alfe Menashe and Qarne Shomeron. 45% of the land belonging to the village has been stolen by the wall, says one of the villagers. Half of the population has already moved away because of the unbearable situation. 
• Al Ayun villagers are 1948 refugees from the Jaffa area.  The village is surrounded by seven settlements with settlers causing much trouble to the villagers, damaging their houses and agricultural belongings. The villagers are currently fighting the Revava settlement over sewage problems and land confiscation.  The village formerly had 40 houses of which only seven remain, the other 33 having been demolished by the IDF.
• Sewage from Zufin settlement polluting Jayyous farmland: The villagers fear that the sewage will seep into the ground water and pollute Jayyous wells.
• Commemorating the 9 July 2004 ICJ advisory opinion on the Wall: EAs participated in two demonstrations commemorating the ICJ decision in front of the  checkpoint at Azzoun 'Atma and at Falamya gate. 

Hebron

•  Settler attack on family in Susiya (8 June): Video footage of masked settlers attacking unarmed Palestinians with bats and rods have shocked both Israelis and people abroad. Two men and two women were attacked, one of them was even beaten unconscious.  The Israeli police is in charge of the investigation and have collected testimonies  and secured forensic evidence. Video footage of the attack was  made possible through the distribution of video cameras by B’Tselem.  To respond to the needs of the Susiya community, the EAs have increased their presence in the South Hebron Hills.
• The power of the sun and the wind: "The people in Susiya have the right to electricity like everybody else," says Noam. "They haven't chosen to live a life without modern facilities—it's the occupation that denies them electricity. These people don’t ask for extravagancies, but to be able to use a lamp in the evening must surely be considered a right in the 21st century?" For two years, Israeli civil engineer Noam has been involved with an organization called The Villages Project that works to provide the Susiya community with electricity through solar and wind power. The project has already resulted in the construction of two installations of solar panels and wind turbines. 
• Eggs and stones: In the last few weeks, EAs have been attacked by eggs and stone-throwing settler children outside the new settlement, so-called Beit Shalom, as well as on Shuhada Street, where two settler cars blocked the street on which EAs were walking.

Bethlehem

• Al-Nu’man court case: On the very day of the anniversary of the ICJ Advisory Opinion about the Wall, the case of the village of al-Nu’man was brought against the PM of Israel, the Minister of Defense, the Commander of the Israeli Military in the West Bank, the Minister of the Interior and the Municipality of Jerusalem and contains a request to dismantle the Wall in the area. Although Al-Haq’s case study about the village makes frequent references to the ICJ advisory opinion, the language in the High Court hearing rather focused on how to legalise the villagers’ residency, as if this was simply a matter of rectifying an administrative over-sight. In the end, the judge referred the villagers to the general procedure set up by the State, whereby Palestinians can apply individually for permits to remain in their own houses.
• Checkpoint 300: The team gained first-hand knowledge of the checkpoint at night by going there at 2:30 am.  By 4:00 am, there were approximately 400 people waiting in line.
• Al Khader village: EAs visited a few houses under threat of demolition and listened to the history of the families and their situation. They also spent a day in the agricultural fields, where the deputy mayor and others explained problems faced by the community, such as restriction of movement and lack of water, and pointed out the proximity of local settlements.
• Oush Grab: In response to settlers’ return to Oush Grab, the Municipality of Beit Sahour arranged to have the last day of the Cucumber Festival on the site, after which NGOs would hold a Loud Party to show that the plot is in use. A large group of 250 people gathered under the trees, but 150 settlers soon arrived escorted by the military with food and luggage for the night. To the frustration and disappointment of everyone present, the Mayor cancelled the Loud Party after a phone call from the IDF.

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