Jordan Valley south: accompanying Palestinian herders near Ouja

Another morning of accompanying Palestinian herders near Ouja. Today, this herd was able to graze undisturbed by army and settlers in view of the Andarta Nun-Dalet.- the Memorial for the 54.

As we walked the herd back to Ouja-East, we got word that the second group did not fare so well. They were just on the other side of the Andarta Nun-dalet and were confronted by the new army commander. After they asked to see the order preventing them from being there, the rather aggressive officer was able to have one produced and brought to them - the usual 'closed military zone' order, with the appropriate map and valid till five in the evening. He promised a new one would be produced for the following day.

We had joined them at this point, and we were given five minutes to get off the land that the officer said belonged to the settler Omer , who has taken over huge tracts of land to build his farm, and is out to get the army to keep the Palestinian herders from grazing even a distance away. Even in the eyes of the Israeli government this farm is illegal - but it seems to play into the government's plan to ultimately expel all Palestinians from area C that includes the Jordan Valley.