Escorting shepherds in the Jordan Valley: a quiet weekend

Escorting shepherds: a group of Israeli volunteers who accompany the Palestinian shepherd communities when they go out to pasture, against the aggression and violence of the settlers (the youth of the hills, the army). the locals from violence and assaults by the settlers.

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The weekend was quiet with the exception of one incident that will be described at the end of this report.

Dan and I arrived on Friday night at the encampment belonging to N. in Al Makaser near Hamra Checkpoint at about 22:00.  All the shepherds had already gone to sleep, and only N’s brother showed us the way in the dark.  Three shepherds’ families live there with their children.  N was arrested last week because of a complaint  by a settler named Neriya claimed that N. had attacked him, while N. claimed the opposite was true.   N. has been released on bail until his trial and he is afraid of violence by settlers at night as well as during the day.

The night was quiet except for the sounds of chickens and sheep.

On Saturday morning new Israeli volunteers arrived and went out to the pasture with N.  on the western side of the Alon Road.   Neriya, the settler who lives in the outpost on the east of the road, was not seen that day.    

After grazing the flocks everyone returned to the encampment at about at 10:00.  The sun was already high in the sky and everyone sat down to eat breakfast together with the shepherds and their children, returned home at 13:30 as planned. 

N, the shepherd asked us to accompany him to the pasture in the afternoon, but unfortunately because of previous commitments and lack of escorts we could not stay.  We asked him to report any incidents to us and promised  that we would take action accordingly.

Ein Sakut is a grazing area that is rich in grass and water on Palestinian land near the village of Ein Al Bida where the shepherds A., B., and L. passed.  The time in the pasture went by without any incidents.  The flocks grazed on grass in the abandoned corn and tomato fields.  After that the escorts sat in the shade of a tree to continue their presence and protect the shepherds and their flocks. 

It was hot and boring…

At 13:30 Rachel and Noga – the women on the afternoon shift of volunteer escorts arrived and took the place of the previous volunteers who returned home to Tel Aviv.

In Farisiya it was also quiet.  Sandy and I were there in the morning and at noon Ofra Tene replaced Sandy.   We wandered among the families and talked with them about this and that and played games with the children.   The heat was unbearable, and most people were forced to retreat to their homes or to the shade of trees.   

The only incident that has become a daily ritual was the appearance of T, who is in charge of security in the settlement of Rotem, who  appeared in his car on the hill above the houses.  The residents of Farisiya no longer pay attention to him, and he returned to his house in Rotem.

Towards evening the escorts arrived to begin the night shift in Farisiya and Ein al Sakut.   IN the morning after the shepherds had already left for the pasture two jeeps with soldiers arrived.  They got out and talked amongst themselves  while pointing to the temporary structured that serve as sheep pens.  They refused to talk with Dan or me and left after a half hour.    We assumed that they had been sent on a preliminary patrol to determine whether the buildings should be left or taken away.

When we left at 07:00 N. phoned and said that the cows belonging to Neriya the settler had entered his field again.  Three escorts who were at Ein Sakut  got there before we did and managed to get the cows out.  They waited for another half hour and then left.   Evidently the shepherd waited until they left and then returned.  The volunteers on the shift the following day had to take care of it. 

During those two days we were blessed with the Chinese proverb: “May you be bored"