Mitzvah on Shabbat for the settlers of the Jordan Valley: to steal a herd of Palestinian cows

A protective presence: the shepherds' companions stay with the shepherd community around the clock, in the pasture or in the camp, to protect them from attacks by the settlers

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Friday, July 26th

The accompaniers split at two shepherd communities - Al Farisiya and En Sakut. Night rest of the women of Al Farisiya and their children passed peacefully, and the two women accompaniers who were with them slept equally well. Al Farisiya is a tiny Palestinian locality of 5 families, opposite Rotem colony and its violent outpost, Tene Yarok (Green Basket… Orwell couldn’t name it better).

En al Sakut, too, a 10-minute ride away, enjoyed a quiet night with the accompaniers and the male shepherds of Farisiya who spend the summer months there with their flocks because of the water and grass and dried remains in this dry time. It should be noted that they are situated on leased Palestinian land. A day earlier, boys from nearby Shadmot Mekhola colony threatened to burn their sheep pens and managed to steal two solar installations while voicing their threats.

Saturday, July 27th

In the morning, a new accompanier group came, replacing the night shift in three places. They accompanied N. and his brother from a village in the Al Makasar area, who are regularly threatened by colonist Neria living east of Allon Road. He and Chen (a 14-year-old) regularly graze in the fields left for Palestinians as if they are the owners, but they were not seen this Saturday. So grazing went well and the two shepherds enjoyed the Sabbath respite just as the Jews do…

In En Sakut, too, grazing went well, as in Farisiya. With the absence of colonists Gil’ad (18-years-old) and his buddies from Tene Yarok, the shepherds enjoyed relaxing with their families. Only the heat that became worse during the morning and noon hours completely exhausted the villagers and accompaniers.

Around 2:30 p.m., the accompanier noon team arrived to replace the morning shifts. Two accompaniers remained in Al Farisiya for protective presence, and the children played social games. I (Miki) and Boaz went to accompany N. from Al Makasar and help him cross dangerous Allon Road to the west, to graze there. The flock scattered and we sat and peacefully drank tea that N. prepared on a campfire. It was a lovely biblical restfulness so beautifully described by author Meir Shalev.

At 3:30 this peace was broken. A phone call came from K. in En Al Hilwa (a shepherd community at the Hamam Al Malih junction): colonists are walking around among the village homes. When we got there, we were summoned to a villager’s home. His wife and daughter said that half an hour earlier, three yeshiva boys in white Sabbath shirts walked around the yard and one of them even entered the house and scared the women until they ran out. F. was with the cattle at the spring at the time. We stayed there to drink tea (couldn’t refuse) and heard again about the goings-on and the fear that the colonists would begin to beat up Palestinians, not just patrol and scare them.

At 4 p.m. came a call, this time from M., representative of the PA in the area. He reported that two colonists from the outpost of Asa’el stole a flock of cattle from Yarza village, close to Tyassir Checkpoint, and he needs us to help him chase it and let the police in on it. The officer on duty at the 100 police hotline, to our surprise (although this should be the norm…) was efficient and active. She immediately asked for all the details in order to activate the police. M. arrived and together we waited for policemen who promised they were on their way. But once again apparently police are weak in the area so the matter was passed on for the army to solve, and the army did NOT arrive, although they clearly know that the thieves have managed to pass the flock of 40 cows to Asa’el’s outpost. The owner of the flock arrived and we decided to drive to the outpost without waiting for the army, to see and identify the cows. B. drove fast, jumping over obstacles, and when we got to the slope leading to the outpost we stopped. We couldn’t see the cows and hesitated to enter the outpost without army accompaniment. Calling the army through the Palestinian Jordan Valley hotline didn’t help. We were answered that they were on their way…

However, sometimes there are good surprises. M. got a call from the police announcing that the cows were released. We drove up the road leading to Tyassir Checkpoint to see them with our own eyes. At some point we left the road and drove fast through the terrain. About 20 minutes later the cows were seen munching grass as if nothing had happened (see photo). The owner counted them and thought he was missing some. We decided he would bring the present ones back to the shed at Yarza, and we would solve the problem later.

It ended well. Apparently, the army decided not to register another event. Sabbath… The few soldiers also need some rest.

Saturday night, the Rotem colony’s security official came as usual to observe Al Farisiya from the hill, directing the vehicle’s headlights towards it (photo). This must be his meditation practice. We received another call for help from an Al Farisiya shepherd who was grazing his flock near Mekorot Israeli water firm, saying a colonist vehicle came close and shone its headlights on his flock. By the time we got there the event was over, no results.

This is what days without shooting and robbery and various harassments look like. Still the permanent component in the lives of shepherds here is this uncertainty, in the Wild West and East of the Palestinian Jordan Valley.