Friday’s day shift, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Today the regular volunteers were joined by four new volunteers from the students’ cell of Standing Together. The sweltering heat evidently made it possible for the escorting and protective presence to go ahead peacefully.

Two escorts stayed at El-Farisiya as a protective presence (which stays at the homes with the families round the clock), which passed peacefully throughout the day.

Three escorts (a regular escort and two students) went out to the pasture with A and other shepherds in the direction of Ein Shak, where the sheep can quench their thirst and there’s a bit more vegetation, even though still meager. While the sheep grazed and drank, the escorts and shepherds sat down for a tasty field meal of pita, cheese, and matbucha, with tea for dessert.

They returned to Farisiya around 11:30 to get to know the community and families.

At Ein Al Hilwa, a regular escort and two students went out with herdsman P. He grazed his herd of cows in the field near his home. He didn’t dare cross the road because on two occasions he’s run into the army, which sent him home and forbade him to graze there. The vegetation is almost dry and the cows are very thin and the hungry cows were even licking at stones.

This time there were no disturbances from the settlers and he finished grazing the cows at 9:30. Afterwards, the herds went down to the spring to drink and that too passed without interruption.

When they went back to graze the cows beside P’s home, the military security coordinator was standing on the road and tried to disturb them by honking his horn. Thanks to the escorts, the herdsman decided to let his cows continue grazing and did not return home. All went well.

While it was a quiet day, there’s always tension in the air because you can’t know what any moment will bring. Today, luck showed her face to the herdsmen.

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