Hamra - grazing area is getting smaller and smaller
We accompanied Fadel from Lower Hamra, and his cousin Mantasar, who were grazing two herds of the community near Hamra.
Their encampment is surrounded by the Hamra settlement to the east, and Moshe Sharvit’s illegal outpost to the west. Thus, by violent force and in the name of the law of the occupier, their grazing area is completely reduced and they can always be accused of trespassing on state lands (Israel!) or whatever definition that suits the occupier at that moment such as invasion of “closed military territory” and so on.
It is very important for the shepherds that we are with them. Without our accompaniment, they are afraid to go far into the remote area where there is still something for the flock to chew on.
A dirt road leaves from Alon Road 578 and crosses the territory to the illegal outpost and is considered by the occupier to be a border for the Palestinian shepherds. During our stay there, a settler came on an ATV to take pictures of the shepherds, and then another car brought photographers who took pictures from a different angle. After that, an ATV from the outpost circled around, ignored us, and went back.
For the shepherds, each of these is a terrifying threat. I saw P. angry as I have never seen him before. He is a gentle and patient man, but utterly exhausted by the situation.
Today the weather was pleasant and they wanted to prolong the time spent in the field and asked us to guard them until they decided to return. and so it was.
The fields are now plowed for sowing. Waiting for the first rain to come and replace the brown thistles with a soft green landscape.
Jordan Valley
See all reports for this place-
Jordan Valley The Jordan Valley is the eastern strip of the West Bank. Its area consists of almost a third of the West Bank area. About 10,000 settlers live there, about 65,000 Palestinian residents in the villages and towns. In addition, about 15,000 are scattered in small shepherd communities. These communities are living in severe distress because of two types of harassment: the military declaring some of their living areas, as fire zones, evicting them for long hours from their residence to the scorching heat of the summer and the bitter cold of the winter. The other type is abuse by rioters who cling to the grazing areas of the shepherd communities, and the declared fire areas (without being deported). The many groundwaters in the Jordan Valley belong to Mekorot and are not available to Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley. The Palestinians bring water to their needs in high-cost followers.
Sarah PostecDec-27-2026Hammam al-Malih: Border Guard and settlers in the compound
-