Plowing Accompaniment

Michigan Peace Team [MPT] and International Women's Peace Service [IWPS] responded to a Deir Istiya farmer's request for accompaniment during plowing on a hillside near the illegal Israeli settlement of Yaqir.

Yaqir: Illegal Israeli hilltop settlement [photo, click to enlarge]

Two days previous the Israeli Occupation Forces [IOF] ordered this Palestinian farmer our of this hillside olive grove and he was unable to finish plowing. The day of the accompaniment this farmer completed the plowing by horse in 2 hours.

Horses are easier than tractors on small hillside plots. [below]

No Israeli settler or IOF appeared the morning of the accompaniment.

This military road runs along the separation fence between the settlement and Palestinian farm land, taking more land from the Palestinian farmers. [below]

In walking into the grove, MPT and IWPS marveled at the beauty of the land and the quiet pastoral scene - a Palestinian shepherding his animals.

 

Beautiful wild plants adorn the seemingly peaceful countryside.

 






  

The rains bring forth verdant plants.

It seems a goal of the occupation is to destroy the environment and the livelihood of the Palestinians.