Burin: Construction Site Threatened by Settlers

An outpost to the illegal Israeli settlement of Har Bracha
[Click pictures to enlarge.]

Burin has illegal Israel settlements nearby on the northeast and south.
Yizhar lies to the south.

The village of Burin, located 3 miles west of Nablus, is situated between the two illegal Israel settlements of Har Bracha and Yizhar. This small village has suffered constant harassment by settlers who come into the village with rocks and guns. Often there are stone throwing exchanges between settler youth and village youth. At times the Israeli Occupation Forces come. Frequently they too harass the Palestinians and even arrest them when they are trying to defend their village against the settler invaders from up the hill.

International and Palestinians in olive grove over the construction site.

Internationals were requested to help protect a Palestinian home under construction.

Roof of the house under construction.

The two previous nights, the settlers burned the wooden forms for concrete around the building and the roof supports were blackened before fire trucks came to put out the fire. Three MPTers and three other internationals responded to the request and went to the olive grove above the construction site. After sundown they moved to a gravel area near the construction site and spent a cold night intermittenly sleeping and rising in response to loud noises or cries of "Settlers are coming!"

Some 18 to 20 young Palestinian men [shabab] gathered at the site in support of their friend, the owner. The built a bonfire, played loud music, danced the dubka [traditional dance] and enjoyed spirited conversation.

Pruning from olive trees provide a fire.

Dubka Dance

[No one that night had anything to drink except coffee and water, according to Muslim tradition.]
Their obvious presence alerted settlers that there was "security" for the construction site. Twice during the night, the shabab ran up the hill as they thought settlers were coming. None were found. At sun rise MPTers returned home.

This rocky site made an uncomfortable bed!

The owner of the house and the villagers know that the new house going up on the edge of the village will continue to be a target for settlers, but is the land where the owner, who is the father of five, must build.

Construction site.

So night after night, at least until the house is partly finished, young Palestinians will spend the night guarding the house. With forty percent unemployment they have no jobs.

Night raids will continue from the illegal Israeli settlers who have the protection of the Israeli army. Palestinians have little or no recourse to police or military protection. They creatively continue to try to protect their land and their livelihoods. The presence of internationals is an act of solidarity with the Palestinians and encouragement to them to continue their resistance in nonviolent ways.

During this same night, in the nearby village of Einabus 12 sheep in a farmer's pasture were killed and he was shot in the leg by the settlers when he tried to defend his sheep, his livelihood.