As-Sawiyya
Shift and meeting for knitting and English with the girls of the village
Routine. Nothing exceptional on roads 5 and 505. There are soldiers at hitch-hikers stations, the bulldozers have left the Za’atara (Tapuah) intersection to dig somewhere else.
This time we did not leave the main road, despite the natural tendency of the vehicle to pull in the direction of Nablus.
The meeting with the girls was truly amazing.
I would easily use superlatives, but shall restrain myself. The work together is wonderful. The lessons and the conversations are most naturally held in English, Arabic and Hebrew.
We read a new story in English, as well as a new song they loved very much. Continuance of the knitting with impressive results. Love is in the Air. The muezzin joined the warm and confidence inspiring atmosphere. This week a fourth sister of the Ednan family joined us. The five year old girl danced, sang and produced very pretty works of handicraft. The elder sister got married a week ago and intends moving to live with her husband in Dubai. Life could be honey were it not for the occupation. We did not participate at the wedding as we were hesitant to drive at night in the occupied territories. I think they understood. From a telephone conversation we gathered that it was dreamlike and the bride beautiful like a princess. At our next visit we shall see photos.
I hope the gossip didn’t disturb anybody. It is proof to the fact that people essentially aspire to a normal life. To make a living, to get married, to raise children and to enable them a good education and happiness.
A-Sawiya
See all reports for this place-
A-Sawiya
Located about 18 km south of Nablus.
The population of the village was 2,904 in 2016. In 1983, about 400 dunams, on a hill about a kilometer south of the village, were declared "state lands" and the settlement of Ali was established on them. Over the years, the settlement has expanded to additional lands privately owned by the villagers, and nearby villages in an area of about 1,000 dunams. Only in 2013 was an outline plan prepared for Ali, in which hundreds of illegal structures were approved in its territory. In 2017, a synagogue was built in the Ali settlement, in violation of the law without permits, outside the legal territory of the settlement and on private Palestinian land of a-Sawiya residents.
Over the years, the settlement has expanded to additional lands privately owned by the villagers, and nearby villages in an area of about 1,000 dunams. Only in 2013 was an outline plan prepared for Ali, in which hundreds of illegal structures were approved in its territory. , Outside the legal territory of the settlement and on private Palestinian land of the residents of a-Sawiyah.
Checkpoint Watch companies have been in contact with the village since 2007. They document the checkpoints, the settlers' violence, the sewage problems flowing from the nearby settlements and outposts, and even held knitting and English lessons with women in the village. Even during the Corona we were in telephone contact to help the plight of the residents.
-