The Dawabsha family in Duma village and the Ahmad family in Jawarish village invited us to visit them. We chose to honor the invitation of these two families and dedicated our shift to this end.

We met the Dawabsha family at Tel Hashomer Hospital one day after the horror that took place on July 31, 2015, when terrorist settler-colonists from illegal outposts arrived at night at Duma village, ignited a home whose inhabitants were asleep inside, and threw incendiary bombs at the family members who tried to escape from the flames and into the street. The only survivor of this attack was their 4-year old son, Ahmad. He sustained severe burns in 70% of his body, struggled for his life and survived. He spent a long time in the hospital with Hussein, Ahmad’s grandfather and other family members at his side. We accompanied the family throughout the long recuperation period at the hospital and have remained in close contact with them.

Duma. We arrived at 10 a.m. We met Hussein Dawabsha at a street corner near the entrance to the village, and with him we went up to the spacious family home. We sat on the porch next to the beautiful garden, under almond and peach trees that are in full bloom at this time of year. The vegetable garden has beds of spring onions and green broad beans that will ripen in about a month, and a small flock of sheep grown for sale.

Ahmad followed Hussein, and brought us a can with a small fish, and another with a river crab. He collected the animals at a water source in Fassail. Hussein said that part of Fassail Fuqa and the Fassail spring area are lands that belong to the family. As the crow flies the spring is only 4 kilometers away. He explained that the spring can be reached without having to cross the Fatzael settlement checkpoint, as there is a closer alternative track.

We have heard that recently Hussein and Ahmad were invited to an opening of a Jericho restaurant. Ahmad was urged to cut the ribbon as good-luck act for the new business to succeed.

We spoke about entry into Israel. Ahmad still needs routine treatment. At this point he still has to undergo monthly laser operations in order rehabilitate injured parts of his skin in various parts of his body. Hussein accompanies him to the hospital.

Every week, Ahmad travels with his cousin to Tira to learn English at a school that belongs to the N. family, devoted to him ever since he was in the hospital. Satira, his grandmother, wishes to accompany him on these trips, but is not allowed because she has no permit. We were given to understand that the matter is being looked into by Sylvia.

Jawarish. We met S. and her mother. S. is a first-year student at the Al Najah University in Nahlus. She studies communication, and faces four years of study until she completes her degree. She said that hundreds study communication, most of them girls like her. She already has projects, in her first year, and is frequently out in the field conducting interviews. She also found work that covers some of her expenses. She works as a phone operator for a firm that provides information services.

She said that during the past year, 400 dunams of Jawarish and Qusra lands have been annexed by Israel in order to build a new neighborhood in the settler-colony of Migdalim. From road 505, before the Qusra junction, a new road has been paved as a shortcut to the new neighborhood in the colony.

After we enjoyed an hour-long conversation with the mother and daughter, tea and coffee, we were invited to join them to visit a friend of the family. We thought that this was in order to see her handicraft, but a surprise was in store. The daughter’s family was preparing to receive guets from the Israeli organization Re’acha Kamocha (“thy neighbor as thyself”)/ Dvorka, Shosh, Haya and others, our former members of Machsomwatch. Since it was cold and overcast, we were urged to enter a room with a broad carpet, covered by a transparent nylon sheet, surrounded by mats and cushions. We all sat around and the women of the family began to hand around platters of delicious food.