Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Mon 13.5.13, Morning

Translator: Charles K.

Wickedness and injustice everywhere

We drove first to the destroyed olive grove below the notorious Ma’on Farm and a-Tuwani. The small grove had just begun to recover and during the past harves

t began for the first time in six years to bear fruit.

Why? Because the settlers had cut down all the trees. After being treated they again began to put out leaves, and even bore fruit.

So, last week, the hidden hand [?] belonging to Tag Mechir (Price Tag)          

destroyed some seventy trees.

K., the grove’s owner, says/asks: “The cameras surrounding the settlements and Highway 317 that record every passing cat – how come they never see the settlers? Red Cross personnel helped us erect a fence. But any metal snips can cut it.” “Did anyone compensate you?” we ask. [Maybe there are some decent people in this story].

“No one,” he replies. All the organizations and TV channels were there.

But who will compensate people for human natural disasters? Who will compensate people injured by Jewish terror?

Israel’s laws exist only for its citizens. Those subject to its control aren’t entitled to anything.

Hagit telephoned Knesset members from Meretz to have them submit a question. Perhaps some justice will be done as a result of their efforts and our pressure.

Hebron

We decided to drive straight to Giv’at Gal, a settlement located south of Kiryat Arba, adjoining its industrial zone. It’s surrounded on all sides by the Jalous neighborhood. The intentions of the settlers, who continue to add another pre-fab, and then another, are clear. We visited Shakar Tamimi, whom we all saw being arrested for no reason while he was working his land and was immediately released the next day after Judge Sharon Rivlin determined there were no grounds for arresting him.

His groves and lands had been a closed military area for 30 years.

Two years ago he was allowed to return to them.

But in the meantime the settlers and their pre-fabs appeared, and they’re making his life miserable. Two years ago they poisoned dozens of his sheep. “One night” at the same time, he says, “a settler appeared, uprooted the vegetable seedlings and destroyed the drip irrigation lines.” Shakar caught him. The settler begged for his life; Shakar told him he’d take him to Gil’ad Shalit. Instead he brought him to the nearby army base, woke the soldiers (don’t make me describe the condition in which he found the sentries at night) and gave them the settlorist. What punishment was imposed? Only a few days in jail. Shakar stopped complaining because neither the Israeli police nor the army pays any attention to him.

While he was working his field last week, sheep belonging to a man named Avner Cohen, a Jewish neighbor, entered it. Shakar helped Avner removed them Although there had been no argument, settlers suddenly came and began hitting him. [Avner Cohen didn’t try to defend him, of course]

That’s already sufficient reason for the IDF, the police and Kiryat Arba’s security force to turn the victim into the aggressor. They decided to arrest him, his son and his nephew (we saw it all on television). First they took them handcuffed and blindfolded to interrogation in the Kiryat Arba police station, and then moved them to Etzion. The next day, in the court at the Ofer base, the judge heard testimony, viewed on an iPad what had happened and ordered their immediate release. [We saw the order]

But the IDF kept them in a cell in the sun for many more hours, handcuffed. Twelve hours later they put them in a stifling, stinking paddy wagon for six more hours. They were “thrown out” by the roadside only at midnight, caught a taxi and returned home.

Again – who’ll compensate them for the false arrest? Who’ll compensate them for property damage?

Who allows settlers to erect new pre-fabs in a location where signs announce the third stage in the development of the industrial zone and approach the homes and fields of Hebron residents so closely as to deny them freedom of movement?

Why are settlers permitted to harass someone who’s legally working his land?

I’m making you laugh, right? Stupid questions – right?

We also told Shakar Tamimi that we’d try to get law enforcement agencies involved; maybe something will happen.

“I proposed,” he said, “to the neighboring settlers that we organize a soccer game for our children…” And added: “I have faith in the Israeli court”…