Schoolchildren on the long way to Tuba
I bambini sulla strada lunga per Tuba

On February 6, the Israeli military escort failed to accompany Palestinian school children in the South Hebron Hills on the gravel road from At Tuwani to the village of Tuba. The children arrived at the designated escort meeting place at 11.59 am, but the army wasn’t there. The children waited in the winter morning for the army until 1.07 pm, and when the soldiers failed to appear volunteers from Operation Dove accompanied the children via a longer path.  However, when the group arrived near the illegal outpost of Havat Ma’on two settlers went out from the outpost and one of them arrived about 50 meters close it. The children ran because were frightened of the settlers and felt very unsafe, and OD volunteers accompanied them until Tuba.

The children arrived in Tuba at 1.45 pm instead of 12.50 am, if the military escort had arrived on time.

Since the beginning of the school year, the children were forced to walk via the long way without a military escort 12 times.

For further information on the military escort and how it was carried out in the past years, the report “The Dangerous Road to Education . Palestinian Students Suffer Under settler Violence and Military Negligence” is available at: http://goo.gl/CXfi9

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Lunedì 6 febbraio la scorta militare dell’esercito israeliano non ha accompagnato gli studenti di Tuba che frequentano la scuola di At Tuwani, sulla via del ritorno verso casa. I bambini sono arrivati nel luogo concordato alle 11.59 ma i soldati non si sono presentati. I bambini hanno aspettato i militari fino alle 13.07 ma la scorta non si è presentata. Data la situazione, gli studenti hanno deciso di intraprendere una strada più lunga, accompagnati dai volontari di Operazione Colomba. Tuttavia, quando il gruppo è arrivato nei pressi dell’estremità meridionale di Havat Ma’on due coloni sono usciti dall’avamposto e uno di essi è arrivato a circa cinquanta metri dai bambini. Questi ultimi si sono messi a correre spaventati. I volontari di Operazione Colomba li hanno accompagnati fino a Tuba.

Gli studenti sono arrivati a Tuba alle 13.45, ma se la scorta militare si fosse presentata in orario i bambini avrebbero potuto essere a casa alle 12.50.

Dall’inizio dell’anno scolastico i bambini hanno percorso una via molto più lunga e senza scorta militare per ben 12 volte.

Per ulteriori informazioni sulla suddetta scorta e sul suo andamento negli anni passati è disponibile il rapporto “The Dangerous Road to Education. Palestinian Students Suffer Under Settler Violence and Military Negligence” all’indirizzo: http://goo.gl/CXfi9

The settler who chased the schoolchildren
Il colono incappucciato che ha inseguito i bambini

On January 7, at 9.05 am twelve residents of At Tuwani began working their fields in the Meshaha valley with three tractors. Because of the proximity of the their land to the Havat Ma’on outpost, the Palestinians gave advance notice of their work to the District Coordination Office (DCO). Accordingly, two DCO cars and five officers were already present in the area between the Palestinian-owned fields and Havat Ma’on when the Palestinians arrived in the Meshaha valley.

At 9.33 am a settler child began to throw stones at the Palestinians and OD volunteers from afar, although the stones reached anyone. The DCO officers attempted to stop the child settler several times. Additional settlers – two children, one teenager and one adult – were also present in the area. At 9.47 am the Palestinians completed their work and slowly left the place. The settlers followed the Palestinians along the Humra valley until reaching the At Tuwani village. They watched the Palestinians from a distance for some fifteen minutes.

Palestinians and DCO informed the police about the settler child’s attempt to disrupt the field plowing in the Meshaha valley.

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Martedì 7 gennaio alle 9.05 dodici residenti del villaggio di At Tuwani hanno iniziato ad arare e seminare la terra di loro proprietà nella valle di Meshaha. A causa della vicinanza di questi campi all’avamposto illegale di Havat Ma’on, i palestinesi hanno avvisato la DCO (District Coordination Office) della loro presenza. Questa, infatti, era sul posto sin dall’inizio dei lavori con due mezzi e cinque agenti che osservavano la scena dalla strada sterrata che separa i campi palestinesi dall’avamposto.

Alle 9.33 un bambino colono ha iniziato a tirare pietre nella direzione dei palestinesi e dei volontari di Operazione Colomba. Tuttavia le pietre non hanno mai raggiunto nessuno. Un agente della DCO ha provato a fermare più volte il bambino che tuttavia è riuscito a tirare qualche altra pietra. Sulla scena erano presenti anche altri coloni: due bambini, un adolescente e un adulto. Alle 9.47 i palestinesi hanno completato i lavori e lentamente si sono incamminati verso casa. L’intero gruppo di coloni ha seguito i lavoratori lungo tutta la valle di Humra, fino a un centinaio di metri da At Tuwani. Lì si sono fermati a osservare il villaggio per circa un quarto d’ora.

Sia i Palestinesi che la DCO hanno informato la polizia sul tentativo del giovane colono di disturbare l’attività di aratura nella valle di Meshaha.

At-Tuwani – On November 10, the South Hebron Hills Popular Committee (SHHPC) and the At  Tuwani school built a tent near the village of At Tuwani.  This tent was funded by the Consulate General of France in Jerusalem; in it the schoolchildren from Tuba and Maghayir Al Abeed will be able to wait the Israeli army escort during the winter and the rainy days. Indeed, children from these South Hebron Hills villages, aged 6 to 16 years, need a military escort to protect them from the several attacks that they have suffered since 2001 by settlers of Havat Ma’on on the route to the school. The army escort was established in November 2004 by “Children Rights Committee” of the Israeli Knesset. 

This is the third time that the SHHPC built the tent: first time was on March 16, the second on March 17. In these two times, Israeli police and army stopped the works and dismantled the tent. On March 17 they dismantled it and confiscated the construction materials, also (see more: http://www.operationdove.org/?p=944).

The tent is a real need for the children from Maghayir al Abeed and Tuba. Indeed, from the beginning of the school year (August 25), the children waited for the escort to come back home on the 67% of the school days, for a total of about 20 hours.

On October 23, Palestinians children from Tuba and Maghayir Al Abeed, with the solidarity of their schoolmates, teachers, the SHHPC, the Freedom Bus artists, Palestinian, Israeli and international activists, protest against the settler violence and the negligence of the Israeli army escort.  In contravention of the protective mandate of the escort, since the beginning of this school year, soldiers didn’t walk with the children during the escort, failed to complete the path on 94 % of the cases, leaving the children exposed.

This situation of exposure to violence and lack of security compromises children’s fundamental right to education. The Palestinian communities in the South Hebron Hills proved yet again to be strongly involved in claiming their rights (included the right to education for their children) and resisting the Israeli occupation, choosing the nonviolent way.

On October 25, at 7:40 a.m. gathered on the entrance of the At Tuwani village a group of about 70 people, among which some settlers from Ma’on and from other nearby settlements and outposts, accompanied by three Israeli military jeeps and Border Police. Around 8:00 a.m. they moved into the village.  Several of them were armed with M-16s and handguns. The group stopped in different places in the village also entering in old Palestinian stone houses and caves infringing the private properties. Subsequently they invaded the archeological site located between several Palestinian homes, in the middle of the village. The whole group stood there for at least one hour, while some of them were provoking the Palestinian inhabitants. One young settler harassed a girl from At Tuwani threatening to throw her a stone. 

In this area some archeologists, escorted by Israeli army, excavated in 2011. In December of the same year, during a meeting in the settlement of Susiya, some Israeli archeologists explained that in the site there is an ancient synagogue. In the meeting was also explained how to reach the site. Others experts that came in the village affirmed that the evidences are dating from the Byzantine period. However these results have never been officially confirmed.

At Tuwani inhabitants asked to Border Police officers and soldiers explanations, and told them that some of the settlers present in the village, had attacked and threatened them and their families on the graze lands or field. They were completely unheard and one Palestinian was even identified by the Border Police. In response to this, the women of the village of At Tuwani arrived on the scene, preventing an unjustified but likely arrest.

Later, the entire group moved to the village of Ar Rakeez and stopped again in front of a Palestinian home. Despite the fear, the owner of the house offered some bread to the settlers. After this, they all went toward the bypass road 317.

The people of the caravan did not give details on the escorted tour, or even on the private property infringement. They just said they visited the synagogue in the Jewish village “Khirbet At- Tuwani”. During the whole tour some settlers, even armed, tried repeatedly to prevent the internationals from taping the events and insulted them.

This is just the last of several ongoing provocations carried out by the Israeli army and settlers to which the South Hebron Hills palestinian communities keep responding in a nonviolent way.

Pictures of the incident: http://snipurl.com/2825ydr

Press Release of the incident: http://snipurl.com/280gnp9

On September 22, three masked settlers from Havat Ma’on outpost (Hill 833) chased away internationals and then damaged two olive trees in Humra valley.

Twenty-two are the Palestinian olive trees destroyed and damaged in Humra valley since August 2013.

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Il 22 settembre tre coloni mascherati dall’avamposto di Havat Ma’on (Hill 833), hanno prima inseguito alcuni internazionali e poi hanno danneggiato due alberi di ulivo nella valle di Humra.

Sono 22 gli ulivi palestinesi distrutti e danneggiati in questa valle da agosto 2013.

One of the ten olive trees destroyed in Humra valley

On September 8 a Palestinian noticed some olive trees cut in Humra valley, that is located beside Havat Ma’on (Hill 833) Israeli outpost. Later Operation Dove volunteers and a Bt’selem operator went on the place to document the incident. They found 10 olive trees destroyed during the night, belonging to Ibrahim Rabai.

During the afternoon the Israeli Police came on the place of the incident and At Tuwani inhabitants filed a complain.

In the last 30 days a total of 18 olive trees have been seriously damaged in that valley.

The number of Palestinian-owned trees uprooted and damaged in the South Hebron Hills area since January 2012 now rises to 177, the majority of which are located in the Humra valley.

Olive trees are an essential resource for the Palestinian community in the South Hebron Hills area, and their damage results in substantial economic losses for local residents.

Pictures: http://snipurl.com/27rv9r4

Altri dieci ulivi distrutti in Humra valley, At Tuwani

L’8 di settembre un palestinese ha notato alcuni ulivi tagliati nella valle di Humra, situata accanto all’avamposto israeliano di Havat Ma’on (Hill 833). In seguito i volontari di Operazione Colomba e un operatore di Bt’selem sono giunti sul posto per documentare l’incidente e hanno trovato 10 alberi di ulivo distrutti durante la notte, appartenenti a Ibrahim Rabai.

Nel pomeriggio la polizia israeliana è giunta sul luogo dell’incidente e gli abitanti di At Tuwani hanno sporto denuncia.

Negli ultimi 30 giorni un totale di 18 ulivi sono stati seriamente danneggiati in quella stessa valle.

Sale a 177 il numero di alberi d’ulivo palestinesi sradicati e danneggiati nell’area delle colline a sud di Hebron da gennaio 2012, la maggior parte dei quali si trova nella valle di Humra.

Gli alberi d’ulivo sono una risorsa essenziale per le comunità palestinesi delle colline a sud di Hebron, e il loro danneggiamento provoca una notevole perdita economica per gli abitanti locali.

Foto: http://snipurl.com/27rv9r4

On September 4, at the entrance of At Tuwani village, Israeli police stopped and confiscated a tank truck just filled at the water pomp located nearby.

Since last week there has been often presence of Israeli police at the entrance of At-Tuwani village. This road has an heavy traffic of water tanks from the whole South Hebron Hills area. This because At Tuwani is, for most of the villages located in the area, the nearest point for the water supply .

La polizia israeliana confisca un’autobotte palestinese piena d’acqua

All’ingresso del villaggio di At Tuwani, il 4 settembre, la polizia israeliana ha fermato e confiscato un autobotte appena riempita dalla pompa dell’acqua situata nelle vicinanze.

Dalla scorsa settimana la polizia israeliana è stata spesso presente all’entrata del villaggio. Questa strada è molto trafficata da serbatoi d’acqua provenienti da tutta l’area delle colline a sud di Hebron, poiché At Tuwani, per la maggior parte dei villaggi dell’area, è il punto più vicino per la fornitura di acqua.

2nd of September. On the left Palestinian family at the well, on the background Havat Ma’on.

On the early morning of the 2nd and the 3rd of September, Operation Dove volunteers with Palestinians from At Tuwani village found two damaged olive trees in Humra valley, that is located beside Havat Ma’on Israeli outpost.

The olive trees were located near a Palestinian well that last summer was targeted by the settlers violence. On the 3rd of July 2012 threateing writings were found on the well. The writings say: “Mavet laaravim – Kahane tsadak”, which mean “Death to the Arabs, Kahane was right”.

Almost two weeks ago (August 14th) 6 olive trees were found damaged in Humra valley, near the same well. On the 10th of May 62 olive trees had already been cut during the night in a field next to the Bypass road 317, near At Tuwani village. On a small wall nearby the olive field the sentence “price tag for those who steal” has been found.

The olive trees are an essential resource for the Palestinian community in South Hebron Hills area and their damaging causes a serious economic loss.

Humra valley is considered by the Israeli administration as a closed military area to Israelis.

[Note: According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, the Hague Regulations, the International Court of Justice, and several United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements and outposts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal. Most settlement outposts, including Havat Ma’on (Hill 833), are considered illegal also under Israeli law.]

Due ulivi danneggiati durante le scorse due notti nella valle di Humra, At Tuwani

Nelle mattinate del 2 e 3 settembre 2013 i volontari di Operazione Colomba e alcuni Palestinesi del villaggio di At Tuwani hanno trovato due ulivi danneggiati nella valle di Humra, situata accanto all’avamposto israeliano di Havat Ma’on.

Gli ulivi si trovavano accanto ad un pozzo palestinese già stato preso di mira la scorsa estate dalla violenza dei coloni. Il 3 luglio 2012 infatti alcune minacce erano state scritte sul pozzo. Tali scritte dicevano: “Mavet laaravim – Kahane tsadak” che significa: “Morte agli arabi, Kahane aveva ragione”.

Circa due settimane fa (il 14 agosto) altri 6 ulivi erano stati danneggiati nella valle di Humra, a fianco allo stesso pozzo. Inoltre il 10 maggio 62 ulivi erano già stati tagliati nella notte in un campo vicino alla Bypass road 317, nei pressi del villaggio di At Tuwani. Su un muretto nelle vicinanze del campo era stata trovata la scritta : “prezzo da pagare per coloro che rubano”.

Gli alberi di ulivo sono una risorsa fondamentale per i palestinesi delle Colline a sud di Hebron ed il loro danneggiamento costituisce una grave perdita economica.

La valle di Humra è considerata dall’amministrazione israeliana area militare chiusa agli Israeliani.

[Note: secondo la IV Convenzione di Ginevra, la II Convenzione dell’Aja, la Corte Internazionale di Giustizia e numerose risoluzioni ONU, tutti gli insediamenti israeliani nei Territori Palestinesi Occupati sono illegali. Gli avamposti sono considerati illegali anche secondo la legge israeliana.]

In the morning of August 15, Palestinian shepherds were attacked by Israeli settlers and subsequently harassed by the Israeli army in the South Hebron Hills. Three Palestinians from the village of At Tuwani were grazing their sheep and working the land in Humra valley around 6:30 am, when three settlers came from the nearby Israeli outpost of Havat Ma’on and threw stones to chase them away. One of the Palestinians has a camera provided by the Israeli human rights organization B’tselem but as the settlers attacked, the man walked away but remained in the valley.

The settlers then returned to the outpost and Israeli soldiers arrived to the area. One settler talked to soldiers and accused one of the Palestinian shepherds of having gotten too close to the outpost and pushing his sheep amongst the outpost trees.  Palestinians and Operation Dove volunteers showed the soldiers the six damaged olive trees discovered in the Humra valley the previous day. Soldiers responded  that this was probably a “price tag” attack since the settlers claim a Palestinian stole sheep from the outpost some days before. Around 8:30 am the army left the area. No Palestinians or Israeli settlers were detained.

La mattina del 15 agosto 2013 tre palestinesi del villaggio di At Tuwani stavano pascolando le pecore e lavorando la terra nella vicina valle di Humra quando, intorno alle 6:30, tre coloni sono usciti dall’avamposto di Havat Ma’on tirando pietre contro i pastori nel tentativo di farli fuggire. Uno di questi ultimi portava con sé la telecamera fornita dall’organizzazione per la difesa dei diritti umani B’tselem ma, a causa dell’attacco improvviso, non è riuscito a riprendere.

Successivamente i coloni sono tornati indietro verso l’avamposto e i palestinesi sono rimasti in valle. Poco dopo sono arrivati i soldati che, dopo aver parlato con uno dei coloni presenti, hanno accusato i pastori di aver portato le pecore all’interno del bosco dell’avamposto. A quel punto i palestinesi e i volontari di Operazione Colomba hanno mostrato ai soldati i sei ulivi tagliati il giorno precedente nella medesima valle. I militari hanno risposto che, probabilmente, il taglio di ulivi è stato frutto di una azione di “price tag”* ad opera dei coloni. Questi ultimi, infatti, nei giorni precedenti, avrebbero denunciato il presunto furto di una pecora da parte dei palestinesi. Intorno alle 8:30 l’esercito è andato via, senza prendere misure nei confronti di nessuno.

* Il così detto “price tag” è un’azione di vandalizzazione volta a punire la vittima per una presunta violazione precedente, di solito usata come scusa pretestuosa. Soltanto tre mesi fa i coloni hanno tagliato 62 alberi di ulivo in un campo situato nelle vicinanze del villaggio di At Tuwani (http://tuwaniresiste.operazionecolomba.it/?p=2259).

Settler while talking with soldiers

Palestinian shepherd while talking with soldiers and showing the cut trees in Humra valley