Image Credit: 2005-11-28 CPTNet.
AT-TUWANI: Israeli Soldiers Block Palestinian Farmers
CPTNet via BBSNews 2005-12-02 -- On Monday, 28 November 2005 Palestinians from At-Tuwani plowed and planted land in Khoruba valley. Before beginning work, Palestinians arranged for an officer from the Israeli military District Coordinating Office (DCO) to be present on the land--which lies close to the Israeli settlement outpost of Havot Ma'on (Hill 833)--during plowing.
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Israeli soldier stops Palestinians from working farm land.
Image Credit: 2005-11-28 CPTNet. |
The DCO officer failed to show up at the appointed time and did not answer phone calls from Palestinians inquiring about his presence. After waiting an hour and a half, the Palestinians began working without the presence of the military. Diane Janzen, Kristin Anderson, and Amy Knickrehm from CPT arrived with Operation Dove members to accompany the villagers.
Ten minutes after Palestinians began plowing and planting, settler security from Ma'on, along with three settler men, arrived and observed from the hill above. Israeli soldiers arrived forty-five minutes later. After speaking with the settlers, the soldiers ordered Palestinians to cease work until the DCO arrived. The Palestinians agreed to wait.
Fifteen minutes later, four Israeli soldiers arrived in a silver truck and walked down to where the Palestinians were waiting. CPTers and Doves remained with the Palestinians, documenting the soldiers' orders with photographs and videotape. Immediately, soldiers demanded that the Palestinians move up the hill, further away from the settlement. As CPTers and Doves photographed the incident, soldiers began to shove, grab, and chase the internationals who were holding cameras. Soldiers confiscated two digital cameras and one video camera, and detained one member of Operation Dove.
Shortly afterwards, members of the Israeli peace groups Ta'ayush and Rabbis for Human Rights arrived to document the situation, and act as advocates for the Palestinians attempting to work their land. One hour later, after the Israeli advocates negotiated with the soldiers, soldiers released the Dove and returned the cameras.
Following the incident, Israeli police arrived on scene to investigate, speaking with the settlers and taking a statement from Ma'on settler security. When the internationals requested that police take their statements regarding the soldiers assaulting them, a policeman told them, "If you file complaints against the soldiers they will file complaints against you, charging you with holding onto soldiers' weapons, and you will be arrested."
An Israeli military commander for the At-Tuwani area arrived, saying although "the civil administration doesn't have any decision on the [ownership of] the land," the military was declaring it a closed military zone, effectively preventing Palestinian access to the land. The commander also told the internationals that the soldiers had behaved inappropriately. "You have a right to take photos as you like," he told them.
At 4:30 p.m. the Palestinians, Israeli peace activists and internationals left the area. Several military personnel remained in the area for the closed military zone order to arrive. Palestinians from At Tuwani told internationals that they would continue to work their land, aided by their Israeli lawyer, who has documents proving both Palestinian ownership and the illegality of military interfering with Palestinian access to their fields.
See photos of the incident.
Christian Peacemaker Teams is a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite Churches (USA and Canada). The Baptist Peace Fellowship, Every Church a Peace Church, On Earth Peace and The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship are also sponsors of CPT. Christians from other bodies in the ecumenical Christian community are particpants in the 40 member full time Christian Peacemaker Corps and the part time 125 member Reserve Corps. CPTNet is the collective information source used for this story.
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