Jordan Valley
We came to Ein Al Ujja in the northern Palestinian Jordan Valley to accompany Palestinian shepherds grazing near their home. After receiving appeals from residents of the area, we have begun to accompany shepherds around Ein Al Ujja in several places.
This action began since Israeli settler-colonists do not enable shepherds access to grazing areas even in parts that are not at all close to settler-colonies. In one such case the settler-colonists even approached the Palestinians’ flock and wounded several animals.
On Wednesday afternoon we came to the area near Omer Farm, where some of the shepherds have not dared graze for the past 15 years.
The grazing area lies partly in Area A and partly in Area C, and there is no reason not to graze there. Still, young settler-colonists on mini-tractors can reach any part of the area and chase the Palestinian shepherds out.
On Monday afternoon 4 flocks climbed up the hills outside our field of vision. A vehicle belonging to the Civil Administration arrived at the area where we were, no one disembarked, it turned around and continued, apparently nothing should keep the shepherds from grazing there. Two mini-tractors with settler-colonists arrived, realized there were Israelis among the shepherds, and did not approach.
On the other hand, a mini-tractor with a settler from Omer Farm came to the flocks grazing on the other side of the hill, out of our sight, accused one of the shepherd boys of stone-throwing, the shepherds accused the settler of drawing his weapon, soldiers came along, it took them a while, they showed us a closed military zone order, and the flocks began to return home, without any charges or arrests made.
Jordan Valley
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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.
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