Deir Ballut, Kufr alDik, Thu 9.5.13, Morning
A-Dik
16:00 – We met with the head of the women's recreation center, her husband, and another young man from the village council who deals with health and education in the village of A-Dik. He is also active with Physicians for Human Rights in providing medical aid to several villages in the area. We decided to wait until the end of examinations in the schools to organize groups of university and high school students in the village who need help with improving their skills in English. The groups will be open to those who are truly interested in making progress.
17:15 – Dalia and Dvorka met in Dir Balut with K., the mayor of the village. Our friends had come here more than a week ago intending to begin activities with women in the village after this had been agreed upon with the co-coordinator a week beforehand. Unfortunately to our surprise they were turned down by someone who claimed to be a member of the council. He claimed that he was opposed to our women conducting activities in the village. This was perhaps intervention by someone from outside the village. We sat and talked for a long time and talked with him and several of his friends about the fence, the building in the area, and the need to live together, as well as the activities with the women that were halted one week ago. We offered once again to organize a day at the beach for mothers and children, and activities for the women. He said that we would stay in contact. Meanwhile his stance regarding our cooperation with them is not clear.
We saw the route of the new fence being planned south of the village. We were not sure if its construction has already been approved or not. K. showed us how the fence would close the village and Rafat, making them an enclave on three sides.
On our way back we drove south in the direction of Beit Arieh and Rantis. The road winds through a beautiful river valley until it reaches the Rantis-Ofarim crossing at the end of the road where there is a checkpoint.