Three brothers, their wives, and children lived in the eastern community of Duma.  The neighborhood is on the edge of the mountain and commands a wonderful view of the entire central valley and the mountains of Ephraim.   Unfortunately, a particularly violent settlement was established to the north one month ago.  Its residents came one night, sole sheep, and attacked the residents of Duma.  Since then the children and women have moved to other communities and we were attempting to provide protection for them around the clock. Bedouin from other communities are also guarding the community.  Several days ago   a settler pushed a water tank on Rabbi Arik Asherman and he was injured.  Activists surrounded the community with high barbed wire barriers to prevent the settlers from entering and blocked the entrance road with barbed wire as well.

On our way to the community two young settlers wearing holiday clothing sped towards us on an ATV and blocked our way.   We did not wish to engage with them so we drove into the village of Duma.  The settlers chased us on their ATV until they reached the houses in the village and then turned around and returned to their outpost.  We waited to receive instructions on how to reach the community, and we were told by the Palestinians to leave our car   in a Bedouin community that was farther away.  One of the volunteers drove us to the community that we had come to protect.  We  had to crawl underneath the barbed wire to enter and one of the Palestinians held the wire up so we could crawl underneath.

While we were there a couple of settlers arrived every half hour to see if there were activists guarding the community and how many there were.  If we would not have been there they would have come to attack and steal.   They even launched a drone to view the community from the air even though it was a holiday!  (Translator’s note: According to Jewish las people are forbidden to drive or operate electronic equipment on the Sabbath and holidays, but the settlers place their needs above this law!)    If these people ignore the fact that the Ten Commandments state not to steal, murder, or covet, than evidently a trivial matter such as breaking the laws of the Sabbath does not bother them.

The correspondents from the French television station were with us throughout our shift and photographed everything.  We were told that the article was broadcast a few days ago on the major French television channel.

.  It is no wonder that people throughout the world hate us.

The Palestinian residents showed us the cables from the solar panels that the settlers had cut.  It is difficult to comprehend the amount of malice and evil among the settlers and none are brought to justice.

There was a military checkpoint at the exit from Duma with soldiers who were masked.  People were crossing slowly and  passengers  – including us – were being checked and made to show ID cards and get out of the car and open the trunk.