Nabi Ilyas
Our shift hadn’t been planned; it followed news of olive trees being cut down in Nabi Elias (this report is late because the report and the photos had been sent to the media in hope they’d be published. Apparently this hope was abandoned).
We met S. in Muhammad’s restaurant; he went with us to show the damaged trees.
Here’s what he told us: “they cut down 150 of my trees, my source of income.” He said he has documents confirming that he owns the land. He now barely makes a living from sporadically providing transportation, earning about NIS 100 a day. That has to suffice for his wife and seven children.
(The day before yesterday we ran into him again near the restaurant, doing nothing. He must have been waiting to see whether anyone needs a ride…).
He’s the same as before: “It’s the will of Allah.”
We referred him to Yesh Din; we were informed they’re looking into it.
At the restaurant, we were joined by a settler from Ma’aleh Shomron. When we told her why we’d come she didn’t believe Jews would cut down trees belonging to Palestinians. And she believed what she was saying.
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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