eye witness report from palestine

national | miscellaneous | news report Thursday November 21, 2002 09:02 by tracey - gluaiseacht bobssista at yahoo dot co dot uk

eye witness report from palestine

i've been in palestine for 2 weeks now and i have so much to report that i could write a book.but i'll try to give a brief report.
i spent the last 6 days living in a village called yanoun with 7 other internationals. yanoun was deserted by all its palestinian inhabitants due to severe attacks from the very nearby jewish settlement of itamar. 2 men were shot dead during last months olive harvest including a 23 year man from the nearby town of aqraba. a 70 year old man lost an eye after he was beaten by a rifle butt. during the night settlers came to the village and burned the generator, destroyed water tanks, they smashed windows and doors terrifying the villagers. other cowardly attacks included poisoning almost 150 sheep and bathing themselves and their dogs in the villages water source. however due to the presence of internationals 7 families have moved back. we patrolled the village at night time and harvested olives during the day. these settlers are so dangerous that we must call the army when they try to approach the village. internationals have also been attacked during the olive harvest here including an elderly american coulpe and a young irish man. the reason for these attacks....god has given this land to them so they are justified to beat up elderly people, kill young men and terrify children. it is hoped to have a permenant presence in this village, the villagers have told us that as soon as internationals leave then they must also leave.
the town of jayyous will loose 70% of its land due to the building of the 'wall'. the israeli gov. say this is for security reasons but this is a complete lie because it differs from the original "green line". most of the population of jayyous are dependant on the land. last thursday 50 internationals and almost all the villagers broke curfew to form a human chain protecting olive trees due to be bulldozed to make way for this huge wall. after a very short time the army and the bulldozers turned away and we celebrated a symbollic victory. a palestinian, israeli peace activist and an american planted an olive tree. we paraded through the streets singing and chanting. things were very different the next day. the non violent protest was met with tear gas rubber bullets and arrests. one spanish woman was tortured, after been teargased a solider held her down and poured water all over her face. internationals have been deported including one irish and one from northern ireland. another protest is planned this friday.
i could write forever about all the things i've seen and heard. every day the palestinians are humiliated and tortured in every possible way. checkpoints, curfews, shootings. houses been demolished or occupied by soliders. although i utterly oppose suicide bombings i understand what can drive a person to do such a thing. i understand why boys throw stones at soliders and tanks. its the only way they see to resist what is happening to themselves and their families.
today i'm travelling to gaza where i'm sure to witness more devastation. but at least we can help in some small way by just being here and witnessing. our presence often reminds the soliders to monitor their behaviour. the rest of my stay will be spent in jenin refugee camp.
i urge you to write to the israeli embassy, chain yourself to the doors, anything to highlight the injusticies that are happening in palestine on a daily basis. the palestinian people feel alone in this, its like the whole world has their eyes closed or are blinded by propaganda. i'm returning on the 30th november and i would like to do eye witnes reports and show photos. if you could organise this in your area please contact me. i'm also returning in febuary if your interested in seeing the situation wih your own eyes contact me or ireland palestine solida\rity.
peace,
tracey