Horror stories from the West Bank too
Published
by
Leah Levane
JVL Introduction
Below we publish a letter to their supporters from Erella on behalf of the Villages Group with some examples of what they have been witnessing since October 7th. The Villages Group is an Israeli Palestinian partnership that has, for more than 20 years, supported Palestinian communities, especially in the South Hebron Hills, to remain steadfast. They provide practical support such as raising funds for cars and drivers to get children to school without risking attacks by settlers, medical treatment for disabled people, some of whom have become disabled after being shot by Israeli forces and such necessities as solar panels and wind turbines; more recently it has been getting food to villages when they get cut off. Settler attacks have increased dramatically and their former weekly visits have become more numerous since October 7th both for solidarity and for more practical help when possible and when this would not further endanger people.
In addition, at the end is a video from Channel 4 News also focused on the South Hebron Hills, where filming started long before October 7th and again shows how much more severe and relentless are the attacks by settlers since that date.
This is not an area known for violence, despite the endless provocations but an area where Non Violent Resistance Committees abound. Hafez Hureini, who features in the Channel 4 Video has led one of these.
Report on South Mount Hebron from the Villages Group
February 2024
Hello to all our friends,
Because the blindness, hatred, revenge and evil actions are growing everywhere, including in the south of Mount Hebron, I find myself having trouble writing. Sometimes a cloud of helplessness blocks my way to the surge of my strength, and I’m too exhausted to argue with it. That’s why I haven’t written anything in two weeks. But an exemption for nothing is impossible, and so I will tell about a few meetings:
On Monday 12.2.2024 we visited Ta’alea. “Three days ago, we took out the common herd that belong to me and my cousins to pasture. We moved them 200, 250 meters from the house in the direction of the Wadi whose land is registered with all official authorities, including the army, as private land of people in the village. Immediately about 30 settlers appeared, and above the herd their drone floated for an hour to scare the sheep. The sheep were frightened and the damage was: 30 heads were hurt. Most of them died: Pregnant mothers miscarried and died, and their mothers, and other sheep were injured and are no longer functioning. My heart aches for the animals. And the financial damage is also large – 50,000 shekels. “
That’s how “I” says in his monotonic voice that doesn’t show fury; neither does he cry or be angry. He simply describes, in detail, accurately, trying to be faithful, what happened and not relating what he feels. And when I ask how he feels, he says what he said is also what he feels. I also told him (like many other people in recent weeks), that he is a hero.
On Sunday 18.2.2024, at twilight, “L” called me and said that “M” her husband and “N” her son were kidnapped right near the house. The next morning we stopped by them. The story we heard from “L” was described in detail: “M” took out his ten sheep near the house so they could eat a little and breathe a little. Right next to the house, because when he takes them out a few meters farther away, the settlers of Abigail come and keep us away from the pasture. :
“But they came also so close to home,” says “L” with emphasis. “two. One in the ATV one in the Tostus. They were not wearing uniforms. And they started threatening “M” and there was also a drone that dispersed the herd. “M” immediately called the police but there was no answer. Our big boys set out to him throwing stones in the direction of the sheep to collect the scared and scattered flock. All the while there was a drone that kept circling above them. And then more settlers came but with uniforms and weapons and seized “M” and his son “N” (21), and they closed their eyes and took them from there and we did not know where they were.
“Then ten of them entered the house and I was so scared.” They did a search and left. Israeli volunteers were on their way to us to stay with us, so we didn’t let them in again and in the end everyone left and the volunteers arrived.
When we were on the way there Monday morning, we learned from the lawyer that they were in the police station. At noon “M” returned (luckily they had 1,000 NIS in his hands that were required as bail for his release), but “N” and his brothers remained detained. Only after eight days in detention, without the possibility to meet a lawyer (this is the method now in the occupied territories), a discussion will be held on their matters. They are accused of throwing stones on the ATV. There is also footage on the drone of how settlers enter private space and threaten and prevent and hit and kidnap. But this is what the settlers did not show to the police when they rushed to file a complaint before those who really need to complain could file their complaint.
On Wednesday 21.2.2024 we visited Majaz. A week before that, there was a raid there that, in our opinion (and we have been in the field for over 20 years), there was never one of its kind yet. First we met our friend Mapachit. He said that when he was on his way home with his family from a visit to a doctor, in the province city and was stopped by a well-known settler from the area, who received authority from a military commander, who was also in the car, and told him: “I will kill you.”
“This settler arrived around 16:00 with his jeep,” our friend continues to tell, “and yes, a silver Silverado vehicle with settlers got there. When they are at ten feet, likewise a military helicopter loaded with soldiers arrived and drops them there. All the soldiers are wearing masks. The soldiers are walking in the direction of Jazz. The helicopter brought in two more troops as it lands them so they surround Majaz from all sides and inside. The jeep and the other vehicle are also already at the jazz. And a drone of their own kind is already filming everything. “
At this stage of the story we have already arrived at the jazz and continued to hear what happened from the residents of the place. “The soldiers arrived at Khalat El-Omar, a house that is a little far from the village, and took Sheikh Khalid El-Omar and his son Abad. Handcuffed them, blindfolded their eyes, and led them to the fence far from them, a fair distance away, and from there by car to the military camp. An investigating officer who was there ordered the military settler to immediately return the old man and his son to their home.
“Earlier, while they were being tightened, the soldiers-settlers broke in the house almost everything that could be broken was broken; they spilled food, cut with a knife mixed bags, and killed several sheep. At 20:00 they left jazz and at 22:00 they came back again, also this time via helicopter. They arrived at the mosque. A neighbor who lived next to the mosque and had the key to the mosque in his hands, told them that he would give them the key, but they answered him: “We will open by our own methods,” and broke the mosque door. Inside the mosque, more things were broken – windows, electricity and more. And then they started singing through the mosque’s announcement system: “Bring sugar, bring candy, and come fix the broken things.”
While some of the settlers were in the mosque, there were others who took the tractor licence from the neighbour and destroyed the tractor. They cut the tarp of his tent with a knife and then went to all the neighbours at all corners of the village. They collected their phones and IDs one by one from all the residents and threw them at the end of the village. No man could utter a word. They took money, tools, firewood, a tent from the school, put everything in a bag and took the bag away. The soldiers from the helicopter behaved differently from the settlers, and not everyone was wearing masks. At 02:00 at night all the settlers who were in the village got into cars and went to Mitzpe Yair.
The things were said consecutively and there were no hate speech in accuracy. There were no expressions of revenge. Only great pain and tears gushed from their eyes and vibration rose from the voices of those who told. We said our good byes. We’ll go back there. These are just some of the things that have been happening in the field in the last couple of weeks.
Erella in the name of the villages group
Below is a piece from Channel 4 News focusing mainly on the Hureini family from At Tuwani in Massafer Yatta, South Hebron Hills, which is very much the area within which the Villages Group works. Filming started long before October 7th and life was very difficult then; a year on the attacks and the pressure has become more severe and more relentless.
My heart breaks for all you wonderful, brave people. I cannot understand our world or my country. I wish I could help more and feel helpless that I can’t but I will keep sharing and protesting.