Jordan Valley
We could see a long line of cars in front of Hamra Checkpoint from far away. We counted 36 cars waiting. We stood far away for 15 minutes and then decided to go closer. Before we arrived the soldiers went back to the watchtower and within a minute all the cars had passed through towards Nablus. Anyone wishing to go to any of the cities on the West Bank such as Nablus or Jenin never knows whether they will arrive on time or will be delayed for an hour or hour and a half at the checkpoint. The summer is approaching and produce will not be fit to be sold after waiting in the heat.
We visited Abu Sakker. He, three of his sons, and even his daughter were arrested for several hours. It was disturbing to see the destruction that the army had wrought in their tent during their search. Everyone was released except for his son Muad who was sentenced to nine months in prison.
We visited Mahdi’s family at the Tubas Junction. We talked about the visits to the beach and who would organize them, about his fear of the army and the settlers who harass him each time they see Israeli activists visiting his tent.
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.
Sarah PostecDec-27-2026Hammam al-Malih: Border Guard and settlers in the compound
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