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Nabi Ilyas

Place: A-Nabi Elias
Tags: Youngsters and students
Observers: Brenda, Rachel A. (reporting), Translator: Yael Bassis(Student)
Jan-24-2014
| Morning

Nebi Elias

 

 

We arrived early and the place was still closed. After a short while the first pupil arrived with the keys  and soon the rest of the group , four girls and one boy,  joined in. The children are eager to learn and the atmosphere is pleasant.

 

10:00  Class begins and Brenda presents today's New York Times with the fresh news. Since not all the students are on the same those who know more explain to the others in Arabic. Later Brenda moves to teaching pronouns and dealing with their "American" accent.

At this stage I go out and play with the children that are hanging around out outside. I have a ball that I've brought along. They are a group of 8-10 sweet enthusiastic children.

 

 

11:20  We left

  • A-Nabi Elias

    See all reports for this place
    • A-Nabi Elias this is a Palestinian village in the northern West Bank, east of Qalqilia on Road 55, north-east of Alfei Menashe colony and west of Karnei Shomron colony and the Palestinian city of Nablus. As of 2016, the village was populated by 1,458 inhabitants.

      Near the village is a maqam (holy site memorializing a sanctified person) - the prophet Elisha. Until 2021 Road 55 crossed the village. Then a bypass road was paved through olive groves that were sequestered from the villagers. Consequently, the farmers were left with small olive groves that they could not access nor cultivate. Inhabitants protested against the road for weeks, supported by peace activists, but nothing helped and the road is now a given fact.

      The village's main street had been a shopping center for all residents, including colonists. We even saw a Kashrut (kosher food) inspector in a butcher shop close to the falafel stand… The bypass road, according to tradesmen, has impacted their businesses and clients, while others claim that there are customers now for parking has become easier.

      Alfei Menashe and Tzofim colonies nibble at the village lands from the north and south and get closer to it all the time. Colonists of Alfei Menashe have outdone themselves, sending their surplus sewage from the oxygenation pools toward a-Nabi Elias land, even reaching the houses.

      The villagers are known as seekers of peace. For years there was no hostility towards Israelis. On the contrary, we were always welcomed warmly and stopped there to enjoy their delicious, inexpensive falafel.

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