AT-TUWANI UPDATE: September-October 2008
November 29th, 2008
in:
CPTnet
29 November 2008
AT-TUWANI UPDATE: September-October 2008
CPTers serving on the At-Tuwani team for this period were Tarek Abuata, Jan Benvie, Johann Funk, Joshua Hough, Maureen Jack, Allen Johnson, Alwyn Knight, Rich Meyer, Sam Nichols, Sean O'Neil, Lorin Peters, and Paulette Schroeder.
The Israeli army escort was either very early or very late for school throughout September, possibly due to the move to daylight saving time in Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) which created a one hour time difference between Israel and the OPT. Israeli settlers twice assaulted the schoolchildren from Tuba, and the Israeli army escort consistently failed to accompany the children on the complete route, leaving them vulnerable to such settler attacks. Palestinian shepherds spent less time out with their flocks because of Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. However, settler harassment of shepherds continued. The Israeli military frequently declared the area around At-Tuwani a closed military zone on Saturdays, possibly to prevent the Israeli group Ta’ayush from coming to work with Palestinians in the area. During October, the villagers harvested their olives and began ploughing and planting. The harvesting in At-Tuwani was not interrupted by settler violence as it was in much of the OPT. Six international groups visited the village to learn more about the situation there, and a CPT delegation spent two days in At-Tuwani.
Sunday 7 September
Whilst on morning school patrol on Khoruba, Benvie observed a large new metal-framed building in the trees at Havat Ma'on.
Saturday 13 September
The Israeli military prevented a group from Holland, visiting with the Palestinian Liberation Theology center, Sabeel, from coming to At-Tuwani. The military stopped the visitors at a checkpoint northeast of the village and told them the area was a closed military zone. Benvie spoke with a member of the Israeli peace group Ta’ayush, who told her that the Israeli military was declaring the area a closed military zone every Saturday.
The Israeli military set up a flying checkpoint at the edge of At-Tuwani, on the road to Yatta, just after 8:00 p.m. Benvie and Peters went to monitor the checkpoint. The Israeli soldiers ordered the occupants of three Palestinian cars to leave their vehicles, and then made the drivers remove the back seats and door panels. The soldiers told the CPTers that the area was a closed military zone but refused to show them any papers, so the CPTers remained at the checkpoint. The Israeli military finally allowed the Palestinians to return to their cars and continue their journeys.
Sunday 21 September
Hough and Schroeder accompanied shepherds in Umm Zeitouna. At 8:30 a.m., three settlers from the Havat Ma'on settler outpost drove close to them. Two settlers chased the shepherds and sheep back to Tuba.
Wednesday 24 September
In the early morning, representatives from the World Bank visited the village and met with some of the village leaders. The villagers spoke with the representatives about the lack of running water, and explained about the Israeli military issuing a stop work order for the new cistern. (See
http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/27/tuwani-reflection-sentinel-resistance).
The representatives spoke with CPTers about the blockades on the road between At-Tuwani and Yatta and the difficulties faced by villagers in Tuba and Maghaer al Abeed.
Friday, 26 September
Benvie and Schroeder spent the night in Tuba. A scorpion bit a young girl in the village and the family was anxious because the settler blockade of the main route connecting Tuba, At-Tuwani, and Yatta made accessing medical care difficult. The young girl recovered without medical treatment.
Tuesday 30 September
At around 9:30 a.m., the Israeli military set up a flying checkpoint on the road leading to Yatta. The soldiers appeared to be on some sort of training exercise. They came into At-Tuwani and stayed on a hill overlooking the village for an hour or so.
Friday 3 October 2008
In mid-morning, armed Israeli settlers entered the village and went towards the village well, but left when CPTers approached. CPTers informed Israeli soldiers at a nearby checkpoint that armed men had been in the village, but the soldiers dismissed their concerns.
Saturday 4 October 2008
The Israeli military set up a checkpoint on the road to Yatta around 8:00 a.m. and stopped Palestinians on the way to and from Yatta. When Benvie and O'Neill went to observe, the soldiers informed them that the area was a closed military zone and showed them the relevant papers. The CPTers moved to an area nearer At-Tuwani and continued to monitor the checkpoint.
Friday 10 October 2008
Knight, Meyer, and Schroeder escorted boys from Tuba to Tuwani for football (soccer) training at the school. The football project is jointly organized by Palestinians an Israelis. One of the Israeli coordinators of the project said that “it is up to the Knesset [Israeli parliament] to make the policies, and it's up to me to live the policy of justice and peace.”
Four French journalists visited At-Tuwani and interviewed village and Israeli coordinators of the football project.
Sunday 12 October 2008
The army was very late for morning school patrol and the children had to wait alone at the edge of the settlement for almost an hour and a half. CPTers made numerous calls to the army escort and observed an Israeli military vehicle in the area driving towards Palestinian shepherds grazing their sheep. CPTers tried to approach the military vehicle, to ask the soldiers to attend to the school escort, but they drove off before anyone could speak with them. After consultation with villagers, CPT contacted colleagues from the Israeli peace movement requesting that they call the Israeli military commander for the area and express concern regarding the lack of a timely escort for the schoolchildren. CPTers and supporters from the U.S. also contacted the military commander.
Monday 13 October 2008
The military escort was on time and completed the whole route with the schoolchildren.
Tuesday 14 October 2008
During afternoon school patrol, the escort did not accompany the schoolchildren along the complete route. Two adult settlers shouted, chased, and threw stones at the children. (See 15 October CPTnet release, “AT-TUWANI: Israeli military escort fails again protect Palestinian children from settler attacks,” http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/15/tuwani-israeli-military-escort-fails-again-protect-palestinian-children-settler-at.)
Monday 20 October 2008
A group of French journalism students visited At-Tuwani. The Israeli military took their driver's papers while the group was in the village, and returned them to him just before the group left.
Tuesday 21 October 2008
The Israeli military set up a checkpoint on the road to Yatta. They took identification cards (IDs) from a small group of villagers and drove off with them. (Palestinians must carry their ID cards with them at all times. An Israeli lawyer told CPT that it was illegal for the army to take someone's ID.) A short time later, the military returned with the IDs.
A small group of Israeli settlers approached a Palestinian shepherd grazing his sheep near the village. The shepherd quickly left the area, but some settlers hurled rocks at Funk and Knight as they walked away. Some of the rocks hit Funk, but he did not sustain significant injuries.
Thursday 23 October 2008
During the afternoon school patrol, Israeli settlers chased the children. See 24 October 2008 release, “AT-TUWANI: Israeli settlers yell death threats at Palestinian children walking home from school,” http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/24/tuwani-israeli-settlers-yell-death-threats-palestinian-children-walking-home-schoo. The Israeli soldiers escorting the children remained in their vehicle during the attack.
Tuesday 28 October 2008
When returning from monitoring the afternoon school patrol, Jack and Johnson encountered a car full of settlers. Johnson had some discussion with them; then the car left, turned, and came back. Two masked adult male settlers followed the CPTers, and one of the settlers said to Johnson, “If you want to live to be an old man, go now.”
Wednesday 29 October 2008
The Israeli military demolished seven homes in the neighbouring village of Umm Al Kher. (See “AT-TUWANI URGENT ACTION: Ask Israeli authorities why the Israeli military demolished homes in Um al Kher, South Hebron Hills,” http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/30/tuwani-urgent-action-ask-israeli-authorities-why-israeli-military-demolished-homes).
Thursday 30 October 2008
The team visited Umm Al Kher and learned that Bedouin of the village had moved to the area in 1948 when the Israeli authorities expelled them from their land near Beersheva. An old man in the village spoke to the CPTers about the Israeli soldiers who had demolished their homes, saying, “Where is the democracy? Do they accept what happens to children here to happen to their children? What have these children done to Israeli children?”
29 November 2008
AT-TUWANI UPDATE: September-October 2008
CPTers serving on the At-Tuwani team for this period were Tarek Abuata, Jan Benvie, Johann Funk, Joshua Hough, Maureen Jack, Allen Johnson, Alwyn Knight, Rich Meyer, Sam Nichols, Sean O'Neil, Lorin Peters, and Paulette Schroeder.
The Israeli army escort was either very early or very late for school throughout September, possibly due to the move to daylight saving time in Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) which created a one hour time difference between Israel and the OPT. Israeli settlers twice assaulted the schoolchildren from Tuba, and the Israeli army escort consistently failed to accompany the children on the complete route, leaving them vulnerable to such settler attacks. Palestinian shepherds spent less time out with their flocks because of Ramadan, the month when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. However, settler harassment of shepherds continued. The Israeli military frequently declared the area around At-Tuwani a closed military zone on Saturdays, possibly to prevent the Israeli group Ta’ayush from coming to work with Palestinians in the area. During October, the villagers harvested their olives and began ploughing and planting. The harvesting in At-Tuwani was not interrupted by settler violence as it was in much of the OPT. Six international groups visited the village to learn more about the situation there, and a CPT delegation spent two days in At-Tuwani.
Sunday 7 September
Whilst on morning school patrol on Khoruba, Benvie observed a large new metal-framed building in the trees at Havat Ma'on.
Saturday 13 September
The Israeli military prevented a group from Holland, visiting with the Palestinian Liberation Theology center, Sabeel, from coming to At-Tuwani. The military stopped the visitors at a checkpoint northeast of the village and told them the area was a closed military zone. Benvie spoke with a member of the Israeli peace group Ta’ayush, who told her that the Israeli military was declaring the area a closed military zone every Saturday.
The Israeli military set up a flying checkpoint at the edge of At-Tuwani, on the road to Yatta, just after 8:00 p.m. Benvie and Peters went to monitor the checkpoint. The Israeli soldiers ordered the occupants of three Palestinian cars to leave their vehicles, and then made the drivers remove the back seats and door panels. The soldiers told the CPTers that the area was a closed military zone but refused to show them any papers, so the CPTers remained at the checkpoint. The Israeli military finally allowed the Palestinians to return to their cars and continue their journeys.
Sunday 21 September
Hough and Schroeder accompanied shepherds in Umm Zeitouna. At 8:30 a.m., three settlers from the Havat Ma'on settler outpost drove close to them. Two settlers chased the shepherds and sheep back to Tuba.
Wednesday 24 September
In the early morning, representatives from the World Bank visited the village and met with some of the village leaders. The villagers spoke with the representatives about the lack of running water, and explained about the Israeli military issuing a stop work order for the new cistern. (See
http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/27/tuwani-reflection-sentinel-resistance).
The representatives spoke with CPTers about the blockades on the road between At-Tuwani and Yatta and the difficulties faced by villagers in Tuba and Maghaer al Abeed.
Friday, 26 September
Benvie and Schroeder spent the night in Tuba. A scorpion bit a young girl in the village and the family was anxious because the settler blockade of the main route connecting Tuba, At-Tuwani, and Yatta made accessing medical care difficult. The young girl recovered without medical treatment.
Tuesday 30 September
At around 9:30 a.m., the Israeli military set up a flying checkpoint on the road leading to Yatta. The soldiers appeared to be on some sort of training exercise. They came into At-Tuwani and stayed on a hill overlooking the village for an hour or so.
Friday 3 October 2008
In mid-morning, armed Israeli settlers entered the village and went towards the village well, but left when CPTers approached. CPTers informed Israeli soldiers at a nearby checkpoint that armed men had been in the village, but the soldiers dismissed their concerns.
Saturday 4 October 2008
The Israeli military set up a checkpoint on the road to Yatta around 8:00 a.m. and stopped Palestinians on the way to and from Yatta. When Benvie and O'Neill went to observe, the soldiers informed them that the area was a closed military zone and showed them the relevant papers. The CPTers moved to an area nearer At-Tuwani and continued to monitor the checkpoint.
Friday 10 October 2008
Knight, Meyer, and Schroeder escorted boys from Tuba to Tuwani for football (soccer) training at the school. The football project is jointly organized by Palestinians an Israelis. One of the Israeli coordinators of the project said that “it is up to the Knesset [Israeli parliament] to make the policies, and it's up to me to live the policy of justice and peace.”
Four French journalists visited At-Tuwani and interviewed village and Israeli coordinators of the football project.
Sunday 12 October 2008
The army was very late for morning school patrol and the children had to wait alone at the edge of the settlement for almost an hour and a half. CPTers made numerous calls to the army escort and observed an Israeli military vehicle in the area driving towards Palestinian shepherds grazing their sheep. CPTers tried to approach the military vehicle, to ask the soldiers to attend to the school escort, but they drove off before anyone could speak with them. After consultation with villagers, CPT contacted colleagues from the Israeli peace movement requesting that they call the Israeli military commander for the area and express concern regarding the lack of a timely escort for the schoolchildren. CPTers and supporters from the U.S. also contacted the military commander.
Monday 13 October 2008
The military escort was on time and completed the whole route with the schoolchildren.
Tuesday 14 October 2008
During afternoon school patrol, the escort did not accompany the schoolchildren along the complete route. Two adult settlers shouted, chased, and threw stones at the children. (See 15 October CPTnet release, “AT-TUWANI: Israeli military escort fails again protect Palestinian children from settler attacks,” http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/15/tuwani-israeli-military-escort-fails-again-protect-palestinian-children-settler-at.)
Monday 20 October 2008
A group of French journalism students visited At-Tuwani. The Israeli military took their driver's papers while the group was in the village, and returned them to him just before the group left.
Tuesday 21 October 2008
The Israeli military set up a checkpoint on the road to Yatta. They took identification cards (IDs) from a small group of villagers and drove off with them. (Palestinians must carry their ID cards with them at all times. An Israeli lawyer told CPT that it was illegal for the army to take someone's ID.) A short time later, the military returned with the IDs.
A small group of Israeli settlers approached a Palestinian shepherd grazing his sheep near the village. The shepherd quickly left the area, but some settlers hurled rocks at Funk and Knight as they walked away. Some of the rocks hit Funk, but he did not sustain significant injuries.
Thursday 23 October 2008
During the afternoon school patrol, Israeli settlers chased the children. See 24 October 2008 release, “AT-TUWANI: Israeli settlers yell death threats at Palestinian children walking home from school,” http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/24/tuwani-israeli-settlers-yell-death-threats-palestinian-children-walking-home-schoo. The Israeli soldiers escorting the children remained in their vehicle during the attack.
Tuesday 28 October 2008
When returning from monitoring the afternoon school patrol, Jack and Johnson encountered a car full of settlers. Johnson had some discussion with them; then the car left, turned, and came back. Two masked adult male settlers followed the CPTers, and one of the settlers said to Johnson, “If you want to live to be an old man, go now.”
Wednesday 29 October 2008
The Israeli military demolished seven homes in the neighbouring village of Umm Al Kher. (See “AT-TUWANI URGENT ACTION: Ask Israeli authorities why the Israeli military demolished homes in Um al Kher, South Hebron Hills,” http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/10/30/tuwani-urgent-action-ask-israeli-authorities-why-israeli-military-demolished-homes).
Thursday 30 October 2008
The team visited Umm Al Kher and learned that Bedouin of the village had moved to the area in 1948 when the Israeli authorities expelled them from their land near Beersheva. An old man in the village spoke to the CPTers about the Israeli soldiers who had demolished their homes, saying, “Where is the democracy? Do they accept what happens to children here to happen to their children? What have these children done to Israeli children?”
