Last Saturday, January 18, approx. 20 Ta’ayush activists, together with a few members of the CPT (Christian Peacemaker Teams), went to South Hebron Hills region, in order to help Palestinian farmers to plow their land. Ta’ayush activists, who have established long-term relationship with the people of South Hebron Hills, and are working to prevent their expulsion by the Israeli government, arrived in order to assist the Palestinians with the plow mission, in a non-violent way and with great concern to the safety of the Palestinian farmers.
The group arrived in the region at morning hours and were attacked, on their way to the fields, by settlers who were armed with guns and stones. The settlers threw stones and fired their guns in the air, while chasing and beating the peace activists. The settlers also damaged some of the Palestinian farmer’s gear; they pushed one tractor down the valley and stole the equipment that was on it. Only after army and police forces arrived on the scene, the group was able to pull back the tractor (which was damaged in thousands of Shekels, according to the estimations). The plowing was not carried out.
During the last few years, the Palestinians in the area are suffering from systematic land grab, prevention of regular agricultural work, damages to their water wells and caves, and many violent events of settlers harassing and attacking people and young kids (attacks on Tuanne elementary school kids on their way home, and even a bomb that was hidden in Ziff school yard).
Video shots of the settlers throwing stones, beating up and shooting towards the peace activists, were forwarded to Channel 2 News, which broadcasted them during Saturday.
We need help with the preparation of our complains to the police, and we’re still building the database of people who would like to participate in future plowing activities (hopefully, with no violence at all).
Contact: Aviad el_tin@hotmail.com