We brought several food parcels for each family we visited (courtesy of Nava, who receives them from anonymous donors), and of course clothing and other donations.
A sunny day, blue skies, green green green expanses…

The grazing in Hammam al-Malih passed peacefully. At last the sheep have something to graze on, not just pawing at the soil. Sheep can graze all day long, even when they are full. But if a ewe that has given birth hears bleating from the direction of the pen, she immediately stands up and answers with a “maaah,” meaning she intends to return and nurse— from a distance of hundreds of meters.

We were in an area close to the encampment. Throughout the grazing time, a settler ATV kept driving along the nearby road, going up and down, leaving and returning. Sometimes it filmed from afar. The owner of the grazing land said that only he goes out to graze, even though he has adult sons. They are afraid to go out, and he is afraid for them. He himself also finds it hard to go out alone.

Two weeks ago the settlers came to them, detained several people, and one of the sons was arrested and taken to Ofer Camp, where he was held for four days. The head of the household and his two wives were taken to a military base in the Jordan Valley, where they sat for five hours outside the base in the rain and cold, without any questioning. Just like that. Late at night they were transferred to a nearby settlement, and then shepherd escorts who were in the area came and brought them back to their home. They are now living in constant fear. They arranged night watch shifts for themselves, with the sons rotating every so often. From time to time, international volunteers also come to sleep there; they too are spread throughout the Jordan Valley.

In fact, out of the entire community that had been there, only two families remain. The others fled after part of their flock was stolen and killed. Today, some moved to a town and sold their sheep. Others moved to live with their flock near another town. Everyone’s situation is bad. It is hard to find work, and it is also hard to start over with a flock without grazing fields.
Everyone is praying that this will all end already.

At noon we visited Samra, Khallat Makhoul, and Hammam al-Malih. We truly enjoyed exemplary hosting by families and children on holiday—family after family in different places.

A new gate was inaugurated today on a dirt road that leaves the Beqa’ot area northward, toward ‘Atuf and the villages above it.