We reached the Valley and split up into shepherd accompanier teams.
One team joined the shepherds of Al-Farisiya who moved to Ein a-Sakut for the summer, where they rented fields from Palestinians of Ein al-Beida. Here the flocks can graze and enjoy the rest of the stubble in the barley and corn fields left after the harvest, as well as the fruit left in the watermelon plot.
Another team joined Sh. who lives in Al-Farisiya al-Hameer – a small locality where only three shepherds have remained under a rocky hill west of Allon Road, not far from Al-Farisiyia and close to Mekhola settlement Junction.
The accompaniers helped Sh. cross the road eastward toward the stubble barley and corn fields he also rented from another farmer in Ein al-Beida. In these two sites, the sheep peacefully grazed enjoying the stubble and stalks between 6 and 9:45 a.m. when the heat became unbearable. The sheep then voted with their legs to return to their pens.
A third team joined F. who owns a cattle flock, accompanying him between 6 and 9 a.m.
Then it went with him until 10 a.m., accompanying him to the Ein al-Hilwe spring to have his flock drink their fill.
After ngrazing, some of the teams remained at S.’s home to rest, others went back to Al-Farisiya to do the same.
Two of us drove to Humsa to tell them what awaits their detainees at Ofer Base.

It was a usual Saturday. This is when the settlers usually catch up on their Sabbath sleep until the afternoon, and the protective presence in the various grazing grounds usually passes quietly, almost peacefully.
In fact, one never knows whether they would change their habit and come out to harass Palestinians.
Two days earlier, W. and his sons were attacked by settlers at Humsa. A severe conflict ensued whereby Palestinian shepherds were injured by the settlers, and when they defended themselves, a Jewish shepherd from the Asael outpost was lightly injured, Naturally the Israeli social media focused especially on him and blamed the Palestinians for the attack. The army came and in light of the settlers’ testimonies, arrested the Palestinians and brought them to Ofer. They were released two days later by Attorney Leah Tzemel who volunteered to represent them for there was no evidence against them. It should be noted that videos taken during the attack definitely show the settlers attacking and that the shepherds had no other choice but to defend themselves. Without these videos they would have spent many more days in prison.
At 3 p.m. two teams went out again to accompany Sh. and the Al-Farisiya shepherds at Ein a-Sakut,
6 other accompaniers who arrived at the Valley at this time were divided among the homes of Ein al-Hilwe.
At 4 p.m. settlers in their white Sabbath shirts began to get organized for an attack against the Ein al-Hilwe encampments. 4 boys aged 16-18 came from the direction of Maskiyot settlement and took walks in the residential areas of A. and Q. The team there followed them everywhere and wouldn’t let then enter the Palestinian shepherds’ homes. The boys were planning to enter Q.’s areas and finally gave up and went up to their observation shack. Eventually they went back through the residential trails, crossed Allon Road and went back up to Maskiyot.

At the same time, a team was notified that M. saw settlers on his way to his night grazing site. We drove toward him, but the colonists were already gone. We decided that if any problems arose he would notify us and we would come immediately. He managed to cross safely.

The settlers who had slept during the Sabbath were refreshed for the afternoon’s pleasures. We were called by F. saying the settlers are coming close to his house and his sister F.’s home. We came rapidly and there, too, prevented the settlers from entering the houses. These boys did not give up, standing by the lamb pens, apparently wishing to steal a lamb. We stood there until they left and went down toward the spring.

1. got his share too… Five more settlers came out of Bentzi’s outpost in the way to Tubas, to harass him at home. The accompaniers prevented them from entering the homes, so they crossed from there to the spring and went up the track to Maskiyot.

In appropriately organized action we managed to prevent the younger and older colonists’ attacks against the shepherds and they all went back home.

At 7:30 p.m. another call came about settlers from Bentzi’s outpost who were seen on the ground, but as they saw our car, they went back up to their shack and to Bentzi’s outpost.

Night fell. We went to sleep. Sleep there is never peaceful. The inhabitants and accompaniers are all alert for any attack that could come. Luckily, this night passed peacefully.

We left at dawn on our way to Tel Aviv, as the morning shifts arrived.