Susiya - The cows of the settler Shem Tov are destroying the olive grove

Following on from what happened in the South Hebron Hills, this time we went to the Ahmad Nawaj’aa family in Susiya. We bought groceries for the family at the Hura supermarket.

A little after Meitar there is an increased presence of the IDF beyond the repaired fence who are looking for illegal workers.

Further on, on road 317 on the hills east of Mitzpe Asael, above Wadi Radim, which was once the home of Abu Safi, may God have mercy on him. His neighbour, Ahmaed, once lived there and was expelled from there before the war by the settler, Israel Kaplan who took over his lands. Now more and more buildings have been added in a new settlement.

In Susiya at the family's home, we met an older volunteer from Germany who came from Bethlehem to visit. He was happy to meet and talk with Machsom Watch. He had heard of us. The members of this family also talk about the routine harassment of new settlers who settled around them. Besides the old people of the Susiya settlement, there is a man named Shem Tov who lives in ancient Susiya and he and his people harass the Palestinians.

On Friday, the army arrived and simply stopped people who arrived on foot to inspect them. Then his men arrived on two horses and entered their residential compound with a dog (an unclean animal in Islam). Ahmad's wife heard them giving commands to a dog that sniffed their house and searched with them. After half an hour, more of Shem Tov’s people arrived with their herd of cows and led them to their olive groves. Cows trampled and ate everything they grew. They have no olives now. The cows ate everything.

According to them, they have 30 dunams and everything that grows there was stolen by the settlers from Susiya. Last Sunday, Nasr Nawaja'a managed to take pictures of what was happening and filed a complaint with the Kiryat Arba police. What number complaint? Who knows which one? They police took no steps or any legal action against the settlers this time either.

She also says that her daughters, along with about 20 other children, walk every day 2 km in each direction to school, afraid of the settlers. Sometimes there are volunteers who accompany them, but not always.

 When we left, many military vehicles and soldiers arrived. There was no clear reason for this and we had to leave. Later we were informed that they had gone to the ancient Susiya where, as mentioned, the Shem Tov family was located and the hill top boys were helping them.

Also, in front of the old Susiya settlement, across the road, near their cemetery, there was a settlement called Givat Hanan. More caravans have recently been added.

Routine.