HEBRON AND SOUTHERN HEBRON HILLSMay 17, 2007 Observers: Ofra & Mira8:30-11:30 8:30 Meitar checkpost – empty Road #317 – the openings in the security fence next to the road are quite large. (This is the fence the high court ordered taken down, but the army ignores the order.) In the bus stop outside Susiya, a women settler is hitchhiking, despite repeated warnings not to do so.9:15 Tawani :Following Hagit’s request we entered the village and walked towards the field where Juma’s family is busy harvesting. We meet Jal (sp?) from CPT (Christian Peacemaking Team) and Milana a Polish volunteer who is working with Rabbis for Human Rights. They tell us the following:About 7 a.m. the family came to harvest the wheat next to the grove. (Hill # 833, the grove that was taken over some time ago by the settlers – considered illegal, an expansion of Maon. The settlers there are constantly harassing the Tawani residents.) The Palestinian farmers’ area is separated from the grove by a fence and there is a court order allowing the farmers to cultivate the land up to the fence, in coordination with the security forces. Several international volunteers accompanied the farmers to their land that day, and volunteers from Rabbis for Human Rights that coordinated the work with security force ahead of time. The family started working in the area near the grove, and then moved to the rest of the field. Shortly after they began working, a settler named Gilead Pollack showed up and started chasing away the sheep, and called to two other settlers, including Yehoshafat “Patty” Tour. They threatened the farmers with dogs. There were screams back and forth and tempers rose. Gedaliya, the security officer for Havat Maon, showed up, but he didn’t do anything. The Palestinians and the rabbis called the army and within a short time a police jeep and military jeep arrived. As usual in such cases, the police and army ordered (Major Hamudi) to the Palestinians to move away from the place. (They claimed the coordination wasn’t done properly.) After several talks with Yehiiel (Rabbis) with the police, the farmers were allowed to continue their work, but in areas further from the fence. We think they managed to finish the harvesting on the higher level of the field close to the grove. We understood that the sheep were supposed to stay after the harvest and graze on the stubble. But the police didn’t allow this. When we arrived we saw the army jeep and the incident was over.Palestinians were busy at work and everything looked pastoral and quiet. Avichai and Arik from Rabbis also arrived. After an hour the army jeep left and only the police jeep remained. We left an hour later.Summary: the Palestinians who are obeying the law are again suffering, even though the police and army know that:1. The area is permitted for their work2. The settlers are in the grove illegally3. The settlers are violently provoking the farmers.The authorities’ solution is that the local inhabitants give up their rights so as not to annoy the violent settlers. The police who were sitting in their jeep while this was going on told us bluntly that their aim was to see that it was quiet. Obviously, none of the settlers was arrested.10:30 Mahsom Ramadim Quiet – 4 border police are eating cake; as we arrive they invite us to share. One of the soldiers has been serving for 3 years at this checkpoint. He says he already knows the faces of all the residents so there is no need for him to check papers. Vehicles coming from Ramadim stop 30 meters before the army position, and only after permission, continue to move. The soldiers recognize the faces of the drivers say shalom and let them pass. An Israeli vehicle with two passengers with Middle Eastern features arrives at the Mahsom. They say they were trying to get to Shomriya. The soldier explains they made a mistake. Later Ibrahim (our driver) told us that the driver had asked him earlier how to get to Dura. We know that all along the road there are barriers, and thus it’s necessary to go all the way to Dura al-Fuar, and perhaps there he can get in (though it’s possible that the soldiers will stop him.) Very little traffic, we leave soon after.