Chronicle of a Bil'in Demonstration

Friday May 15th an MPTer went to Bil’in to meet Brenna, MPTer fall 2008. Brenna came with a one-week Catholic Worker Peace Team – mostly people from the eastern USA. This team had tried unsuccessfully to bring badly needed medical supplies into Gaza. They were given the runaround by Egyptian border guards. The US Consulate in Cairo was also not helpful.

Every Friday for four years, Bil’in has demonstrated against the illegal apartheid wall that separates them from sixty-five percent of their land, which was confiscated for several illegal Israeli settlements. In the fall of 2007, the Israel High Court ordered that part of the confiscated land be returned to the village. To date, none has been returned.

It is important that Palestinians protest, that they continue to say no to the illegal Israeli occupation of more than forty years. The courage of the villagers of Bil’in is remarkable. Despite arrests, injuries, deaths and ongoing nightly home invasions and harassment in the village, this village has faithfully protested every Friday. Because of Bil’in, other villages in the north and south of Palestine protest against the illegal oppressive occupation. They are given confidence by the faithfulness of the small village of Bil’in.

The demonstration usually begins near the mosque after mid-day prayer. A crowd of Bil’in men and boys join the Israeli peace activists and the internationals who have been waiting for them. About 25 internationals and Israelis were part of this demonstration. The Nakba [the 1948 ethnic cleansing of the part of Palestine that is now the land of Israel – the catastrophe] is remembered this week in Palestine. Many Palestinians who were forced out of their homes then, still have the keys to these homes that are now occupied by Israelis.

Since there is a creative theme each week, this week it was the keys of the Nakba. A huge key was carried to the gate of the illegal apartheid wall [3 rows of electric fence]. The crowd usually moves toward the gate. The Israeli occupation army is on the hill beyond the electric fences. Volleys of tear gas and sound bombs are fired to disperse the crowd. The crowd moves back and then again assembles. The gathering and dispersing go on for about half an hour to an hour. Most of the action is near the gate, but Israeli soldiers are positioned along the road on the other side of the apartheid fence. At the western apartheid fence, a soldier on top of a jeep fires tear gas canisters at the people in the olive grove a distance down the hill from the gate. People suffered minor injuries and from the tear gas inhalation.

One thinks of the young Israeli soldiers who know that a Palestinian man was killed by a tear gas canister a month ago and an American man severely brain damaged a few weeks before that. What is in their hearts and minds of soldiers as week after week they shoot these canisters into a crowd?

Traveling to Bil’in the MPTer shared a van with a young man from Hong Kong and shared the return with a man from Oregon. The world is continuing to learn of the illegal apartheid occupation in Palestine. At the recent America-Israel Public Affairs Committee AIPAC [powerful US-Israeli lobby group] meeting in the USA, the director of AIPAC warned the conference of the danger of the worldwide boycott and divestment movement against Israel. http://aipac.org/about_AIPAC/Learn_About_AIPAC/2841_24635.asp

Following are several pictures, which chronicle the demonstration.

This week in Palestine is a remembrance of the 1948 Nakba, the ethnic cleansing of what is now Israel. Iyad, one of the demonstration organizers, wears a key, a symbol of the Palestinian homes that were emptied out for their Israeli occupants.

This sign is a symbol of the keys to Palestinian homes [still kept by the owners] taken by Israelis in 1948. These Palestinians went to refugee camps in the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan and Lebanon, and then scattered across the world.

Israelis and international peace activists wait for the Palestinians to begin the demonstration against the illegal Israeli annexation of Palestinian land.

Catholic Worker Peace Team lines up to walk to the illegal apartheid wall.

The Wagie [Palestinian white beard] easily acquiesces to the request of the Israeli peace activist [white bag] to chant in Hebrew. The two of them belt out a few chants in Hebrew.
Strange to say there is much about a picnic in walking in this demonstration. There is a liberating feeling.

Brenna, MPTer fall 08, today with Catholic Workers, was MPTer's buddy [affinity teams] for the demonstration.

The demonstrators move up the hill toward the gate.

With tear gas at the top of the hill, demonstrators move downhill and try to breathe again.

Volleys of tear gas are sent to the left of the demonstrators.

The gas fills the air and when the wind moves the gas eastward, everyone moves downhill.

The Catholic Worker Peace Team tries to recup from the tear gas.

Demonstrators move up away from the tear gas on the lower hill.

Tear gas makes one feel that breathing is impossible. Lemons, onions and alcohol on a piece of gauze eventually help restore a sense of being able to breathe and stop the eyes from watering.

Tear gas is everywhere at the top and sides of the hill.

A cloud of tear gas fills the air.


The Israeli occupation army is to the left of the gate on the road behind the 3 rows of electric fence. All soldiers shoot tear gas, but the most comes from those at the top of the hill in the distance behind cement slabs.

These soldiers are on the top hill behind the 3 rows of electric fence. Gauze dipped in alcohol can save one from the worse immediate effects of the tear gas.

Israeli soldiers are present on the road that leads up to the gate. Note the soldier on the jeep who is firing tear gas canasters and sound bombs in the olive groves.

The press tries to protect itself as much as possible.

Reuters Press was present at this demonstration.

Iyad may have scrapnel in his eye.

Einabus: Loss of Land and Livelihood

The visit of the MPTer and Zakiraya, MPT’s Palestinian contact, to the village of Einabus was brief. This village of between two and 3 thousand people is about 8 miles south of Nablus. Einabus lies to the west of Huwwara, but it is difficult to know when one begins and one ends. This is a farming community whose main crops are olives and figs.

Einabus lies just west of Huwwara and south and east of Urif. [It is not labled on this map.

http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/burin-v-burin.JPG

Fauzi Abu Eyad is a member of the Einabus Village Council. His family has lost land to Yitzhar, the illegal Israeli settlement.

Fauzi Abu Eyad, a member of the Einabus Village Council, invited the MPTer and Zakiraya into his home with a refreshing glass of soda. Fauzi briefly explained the situation of Einabus. The illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzar [established in 1984] began once again to extend its area in 2000, taking more land from the farmers of Einabus. The land that was taken became an extension of the settlement, “idle land” which would be “security zone” around the hilltop settlement. In 2003 and 2004, the settlers burned and cut olives trees in this extension. This was a means of further declaring the land theirs or further appropriating it. The settlement increased and the land and livelihood of the village decreased.

The Israeli Court has stated that Palestinian farmers can work these lands, but the Israeli occupying army’s District Coordinating Office [DCO] will not allow the villagers to work these lands. The plowing season extends from after the harvest in October into April, the rainy season. The Palestinian District Liaison Office [DCL] has worked with the DCO since November to get the permission for the villagers of Einabus to plow their lands. The last decision is that after mid-May the plowing can be done. This is very late in the season.

The villagers experience settler attacks. Then the Israel army enters the scene to “protect” the settlers. Olive groves and wheat fields have been burned. The olive tree has always been a target of Israeli aggression on Palestinian land. Destruction of the olive groves is a means of land expropriation and destruction of the livelihood of the Palestinian farmer. Fauzi said his family has land taken by the settlement that he has never been able to go to or to farm. The settlement recently has been bulldozing some of the land in the extension for housing construction. On some of the land, settlers are planting olive trees. There are Israeli occupation army jeeps driving in and out of the village at least fifteen times daily.

Einabus farmer looks at his burned olive grove.[2003]


Rabbis for Human Rights, one of the peace activist groups with whom MPT coordinates, has worked in Einabus. For a vivid account by John Ross, a British journalist, of his experience during the olive harvest in 2003 go to www.theava.com/03/1203-children.html This incident in which both he and Rabbi Arik Ascherman were injured was included in The London International Model United Nations 2009 Human Right Council report. www.limun.org.uk/HRC.pdf

Fauzi said that MPT presence is needed during the olive harvest and during plowing times when attacks by settlers are particularly fierce.

Urif: Live Ammunition

The Palestinian village of Urif.
The school is a three-story structure located on the top of the hill.

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For this picture and more of the village of Urif go to:

http://www.palestineremembered.com/GeoPoints/_Urif_6075/Picture_18405.html

Leaving Burin, an MPTer and Zakirayia, Palestinian contact, drove to the village of Urif, perhaps a distance of 15 miles. Urif is located south of Burin on the other side of the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar. The United Nations map demonstrates much better the land sizes of the Israeli settlements and the Palestinian villages than the map located below, but it was impossible to copy to the blog. [For the UN map of the same area see:

http://www.ochaopt.org/?module=displaysection&section_id=108&static=0&edition_id=&format=html

-->

http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=1917

Fauzi, the head of the Village Council of Urif, warmly welcomed MPT.

Fauzi, the head of the Urif Village Council, welcomed the MPTer and Zakirayia into his office saying that he welcomed all human rights and peace groups who could witness the attacks the villagers of Urif suffer at the hands of the Israelis. Deployed Israeli ammunition was displayed on a table. This had been collected after an attack two weeks ago by Israeli settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzar. Sixteen villagers were injured in this attack. [Notice that live bullets were used, in the midst of a civilian population, including women and children.]

An array of ammunition, clearly marked in Hebrew as Israeli. Several of these are tear gas canisters which have killed on impact. Others are sound bombs. There is also live ammunition.

A close up of bullet shells and live bullets found after the attack.
Not included here are the bullets left in doors and walls inside homes and elsewhere in the village.

-->An office assistant showed the visitors a CD of the attack of April 24^th. About thirty settlers came into the edge of the village where the school is located. Fauzi was particularly concerned that settlers attacked near a school. The settlers appeared to be youth, some of whom were armed. The council head said that the village was united in standing against the settlers. The Israeli occupation army was called in to stop the incursion of the settlers, but instead protected the settlers. The array of used ammunition was from the Israeli army. In an attack that lasted about three hours, widows, walls and doors were broken or damaged in homes. One could view bullet holes in the interior walls of homes. Olive trees branches were broken. Sixteen villagers were injured.

The village of Urif has had more than 420 acres of land stolen by the illegal Israeli settlement, Yitzar. Some of the confiscated land is used for settlement housing, but the extension of land outside the actual settlement is left “idle,” for the sake of settler “security.” This “idle land” between the settlement and the village is village land, as is the settlement, but villages are not allowed to farm this “idle land.” The Israeli Court has stated that the Palestinians have a right to work these lands, but the Israeli settlers will not allow Palestinians on the land and do so with impunity.

Fauzi stated that Yitzar was established in 1984. but has now grown to a population of 600. Yitzar has no wall or fence around it since it intends to expand, according to Fauzi. [The UN map indicates that there are outposts – extensions of the original settlement.]

In the past settlers have attacked Urif villagers in their fields, stolen their goats and sheep, broken into their homes, stopped them from harvesting their olives and destroyed their olive trees. Settlers have burned about 300 acres of crops and olive groves and stolen farm equipment, According to Fauzi, two hundred and fifty Urif villagers have been injured by settlers - beaten and shot at - since 2002.

Farmers must work in the fields at given times. If villagers are not allowed in their fields to harvest or to pick their olives when they are ripe, the harvest is lost. Settlers stop Urif villagers from planting, plowing and harvesting on their lands. The village of Urif, as well as the village of Burin would welcome MPTers to be present during the olive harvest.

Burin: A Beleaguered Village

A task of the MPT spring team was to gather information about the areas where the future teams will be working. This week an MPTer and Zakiraya, our Palestinian contact here, visited three villages near Huwwara that have ongoing problems from the illegal Israeli settlements and consequently the Israeli occupation army.

The map below is helpful in understanding the situation. The map covers a small area, e.g. from Huwwara to Nablus is about 5 miles. Although there is no scale, the map appears to cover an area of 15 -30 miles. The illegal Israeli settlement of Barakha, (UN map Barcha) (established in 1987) is southwest of Nablus and northwest of Huwwara. A bit south of Barakha is Yitzhar settlement (established in 1984). The Palestinian village of Burin, sandwiched between these two settlements, has suffered numerous attacks by residents of the settlements. Villagers have been shot at by settlers, been beaten, had their animals stolen, had olive groves and wheat crops burned.

http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=1917

Israeli peace activists and internationals came to assist the Burin villagers in the fall 2008 during the olive harvest. Yet, in October 2008, acres of olive groves were burned in what appeared to be arson by Israeli settlers. In one case, tarps, buckets, and ladders were burned. In the past eight months, thousands of olive and citrus trees have been burned in Burin. The Israeli army blocked the Palestinians fire trucks, supporting the settlement actions. [For further detail on settler attacks visit:
http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=1442http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=1917

Ali Eid - Head of the Burin Village Council

The head of the Burin Village Council Ali Eid told the MPTer of the past problems with settlers. He said that the village had demonstrations every Friday during April 2009 to protest the settlers plowing on land confiscated from the village and ongoing attacks by Israeli settlers and soldiers in their village. Ali Eid stated that the head of the DCO (Israeli army District Coordinating Office] threatened to arrest and kill him. The Israeli army has thrown gas bombs behind Ali Eid’s home.

Ali Eid stated that although the Burin villagers have documents dating back to the Ottoman Empire – more than 117 years old - the confiscation and destruction of village land by Israeli settlers, and the terrorizing of villagers continues. The DCO and the Israeli court have told settlers to stop construction on the settlement. As of now, no construction has stopped.

A Burin land document dating from the Ottoman Empire

Looking south from Burin

Ali Eid mentioned that someone from the American Consulate visited Burin in 2008 after Israeli settlers burned ancient olive trees and stoned villagers. The Consulate also sent someone in April 2009 when there were further problems with settlers. This seems to indicate that the US State Department does know what is going on in settlements and does nothing.

This village council head closed his remarks about Burin and then said clearly in English, “Gaza. No one helped with Gaza. No one said anything.”

Can we look on and do nothing?

The village of Al Walaja with the illegal Israeli settlement, Har Gilo, to the north.

Ata is proud of the many fruit trees he has planted and nourished on his land.

MPT have visited Ata, Fatima, and their four children in Al Walaja regularly over the past two years. Their village was occupied and ethnically cleansed by Israel in 1948. The area is now a park and an Israeli village. Many Al Walaja villagers went to Bethlehem and Jordanian refugee camps; others were forced across the valley to form a smaller village, the new Al Walaja. With less arable land to farm, unemployment is a considerable problem in this village 6 miles from Jerusalem’s center.

[See http://www.palestineremembered.com/Jerusalem/index.html for a map and description of the 38 Palestinian villages that were ethnically cleansed to form West Jerusalem in 1948 and 1967.]

Jerusalem can be seen in the distance on this cloudy evening.

After the 1967 War, the new Al Walaja was annexed to Jerusalem, unbeknown to the villagers. In the late 1980s, the Israel occupation forces began using various means, including home demolitions and arrests, to drive out the more than 2000 villagers. Since then more than 25 homes, several with animal sheds have been demolished. [For photos visit: http://www.caabu.org/pdf/Al-Walaje-appeal.pdf ] The Israeli occupying army’s justification is that villagers have only West Bank IDs [of course given them by the Israelis in 1967], and not Jerusalem IDs, so are therefore living illegally in Jerusalem. In 2006 and 2007 there was strong village support for their demonstrations against the annexation of land and illegal apartheid wall that will soon surround Al Walaja.

This steel gate leads to an addition to the illegal settlement of Har Gilo,

was built in 2008.


First the barbed wire fence, then the wall. All built in 2008.
Illegal Israeli settlements are increasing despite international protests.

A continuance of Har Gilo along the eastern side of Al Walaja.

Since 1990, 55 more homes have been under an order of demolition. Furthermore, these homeowners have been fined about $300 a month for not having an-impossible-to-get permit. Some who resisted paying the fine spent time in prison. August 2009 ends the three-year moratorium on home demolitions in Al Walaja.

This demolished home was rebuilt without a permit
so it may be demolished again.

Working with a paid lawyer the village tried to get the documents required to stop the demolitions. Any family who proves that they were living on the land and getting services from Jerusalem after 1967 will not have their home demolished. There are old aerial photos showing homes in the new Al Walaja, but who is to say who was living in these homes, and there are no signs of the many people who sought refuge in nearby caves during this period. Jerusalem did not provide any services to the villagers after 1967 so where would people get such proofs as electric bills? The demand of Israel is such that the people have no way to give proof.

In the village’s Jerusalem municipality court case, the village was allowed to hire an Israeli planner, a man of French-Jewish ancestry, who for $6000 developed a plan so this Palestinian village could continue as part of Jerusalem. The plan is well done, but it does not yet met the demands of the Jerusalem municipal court or the Israeli district planning committee. Will it ever?

Our friend Ata has been active in organizing the village resistance, helping villagers to rebuild demolished homes and to begin to construct a new, adequate school for the children. [The village cannot receive a permit to build the school.] Ata, a very intelligent man who speaks fluent English, Hebrew and Arabic, has a twinkle in his eye that hints of his shrewd sense of humor. In 2007, he was given 96 months [8 years] of house arrest because of his “agitating.” He got the court order rescinded, but lost his full time job. Now he has to renew continuously his work visa to work in Jerusalem, not knowing when it could be revoked.

The residents of Al Walaja had been active in protesting the demolitions, the confiscation of much of their land for Har Gilo, the illegal Israeli settlement at the north, and the encirclement of the illegal apartheid wall around their village. Ata has been unhappy about the interference of outside Palestinian, Israeli and international groups trying to direct the way the village resists. He states that the village must direct the resistance and tell the outside groups how to assist. Now instead of demonstrations every Friday, the village has fruit and vegetable markets. Villagers say, “All is well” because they have a market where both Palestinians and Israelis, even Israeli soldiers, can come buy. Ata feels this is denying the reality that future demolitions are scheduled for 2009. One of Ata’s favorite quotes is “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” [Albert Einstein.]

Ata works in a convent in Ain Karem, a lovely Mediterranean type village that was also ethnically cleansed in 1948. Israelis now live in the homes of those expelled Palestinians. Before the illegal apartheid wall was built in the early 2000s Ata walked to Ain Karem in 40 minutes. With the wall and the checkpoint, which demands a work permit, it is now usually more than two hours and paid transportation. Before the house arrest order and more than two months without a work permit, Ata was the full time maintenance and grounds director. He lost his full time job, but works there now only two or three days a week. Sometimes he finds work for another day elsewhere. He is only able to get short term – 2-3 month work permits, which hopefully will continue to be renewed. In the near future all Palestinians who work in Jerusalem must enter and return through figure printing checkpoints. Lines will be longer, so arriving to work on time will be a problem.

Ata embroidered this during the Gaza invasion.
He saw the invasion and lack of international response
as a destruction of his dreams.

Ata was informed of MPT’s effort to enter Gaza and the invasion of Gaza was discussed. Ata said that Hamas gained power because of the terrible oppressive conditions in Gaza and the West Bank. For Ata and his family the invasion was totally devastating. They saw the world turn its back on Palestinian anguish. Palestinians suffer the invasion and the oppressive occupation and no one cares. Usually a visit with Ata is serious and realistic, but nonetheless hopeful and fun. This time the experience was one of much less hope. The twinkle is no longer in Ata’s eye. His face has changed. His hope now is in his bright children, all four are excellent students and two are exceptional. Their future may be in European educations.

Ata and Fatima's youngest son is an exceptional student and a great actor.
Their children are their hope for the future.

MPT this spring has heard more criticism of the USA than ever before. People here are not as hopeful as they once were. There is a sadness and an anger.

Huwwara - Area C runs through it

The village of Huwwara lies south of Nablus and north of Ramallah.

Two other villages are so near they appear to be part of Huwwara. *

Michigan Peace Team has settled into the village/town of Huwwara, which is located about five miles south of Nablus city. The population of about 5,800 people works mainly in agriculture and commerce. Olive, almond and fig trees are cultivated, but people have also fruit trees near their homes. Huwwara’s location on the main Nablus-Ramallah-Jerusalem road keeps the almost 100 stores busy. There was more than double that number before the construction of Israeli settler roads. One of the main industries is both mechanical and body car repair. One sign near an illegal Israeli settlement forbids settlers to take their cars to these shops which are less expensive.

Huwwara’s location has also been disadvantageous. The Israeli occupation army frequently imposes road closures or flying checkpoints in Huwwara, which stop or delay traffic from one direction or both north and south. The village of Huwwara has experienced army invasions resulting in the blocking off of streets, detrimental to the residents, but also to Palestinians trying to use the highway. MPTers see Israeli military and police jeeps daily in the street and experienced one flying checkpoint in the past week.

Israeli army and border police jeeps are seen daily on the main street of Huwwara.*

Israeli soldiers patrolling in Huwwara near the mosque.*

Residents have suffered from the burning of olive trees and crops by Israel settlers with the intent of annexing land to Yitzhar, the nearby illegal Israeli settlement. In one burning 1000 olive trees and 200 almond trees were destroyed. Yitzahr with over 400 people is particularly harsh in its harassment of nearby Palestinian villagers. Israeli building of roads for easier access to settlements has furthered devastation and confiscation of the agricultural land.

["Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, are illegal and an obstacle to peace and to economic and social development [... and] have been established in breach of international law." International Court of Justice Ruling, July 9, 2004 All settlements and outposts are illegal under international law and have been condemned by numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions. http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article7]

[For more information on settlements go to the Foundation for Middle East Peace website – www.fmep.org

For an excellent map of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestine from FMEP http://www.fmep.org/maps/settlements-population/settlements-established-evacuated-1967-2008-feb-2008/fmep_v18_map_settlements.gif/image_view_fullscreen ]

Just north of Huwwara is the notorious Huwwara checkpoint where Palestinians have been made to wait for hours. Some people have died there because they were denied needed medical assistance. Women have delivered their babies at this checkpoint. To the east of the checkpoint is the Israeli occupying army base and the prison dreaded by Palestinians.

This beautiful hospital is left empty because of a lack of funding for staff.*

One of the major problems for the residents of Huwwara is their inability to have control of the highway that runs through the center of their village/town. According to the Oslo Accords, all Palestine was divided up into three designated areas – Area A – Palestinian Authority (PA) control, Area B – PA and Israeli occupation army control and Area C – Israeli occupation army control. In reality, the Israeli army has control of all of it and goes wherever and whenever it pleases. This highway through the town center is Area C, while the part west of the highway is A and east is B. The Israeli army wants free access to the highway to facilitate the movement of troops and military equipment north and south. So, the town cannot control the speed traveled on their main street/the highway, cannot put in stop signs or stoplights or speed bumps, can not build overpasses for pedestrians, and can not put in sidewalks. The town mayor and council each year seek changes, but none is allowed despite the fact that a number of people in the town or traveling through are killed each year. A settler was involved in one accident. The town is seeking USAID money for work on the highway, but USAID will not help Palestinians with aid in Area C.

Heavy commercial trucks speed through Huwwara. It is difficult to cross
the highway at almost any time of the day.

If cars are parked on the side of the highway, people have to walk on the highway.

In some places there is space to walk, in others not. Safety of Palestinians, particularly children, does not seem to be a concern of the Israeli occupying army.

[Pictures marked with stars* are from
http://www.palestineremembered.com/GeoPoints/Huwwara_1181/Picture_42456.html]

The trauma of a beating while griping barbed wire

The wounds from the barred wire are beginning to heal after two days.

"May we all live our daily lives with ease." This Buddhist phrase, sometimes used in meditation, suggests that our daily lives not be just a struggle to survive. The daily struggle to earn a living is often seen on the faces of Palestinians who have lost farmland and jobs due to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Monday, May 4, 2009, an MPTer visited the hospital in Nablus in order to meet Saed D., a 28 year- old man from ‘Awarta village. Saed comes from a large family with many brothers and sisters, so finding work was an imperative. Palestinians work illegally in Israel. “Illegally” according to Israeli laws, but actually on land that was Palestine before 1948. It is a precarious work because the workers must find a trust worthy employer who will pay them, live in makeshift housing and hide from the view of antagonistic people, particularly the Israeli military. Yet, it is well known in Israel that there are Palestinian people working low-paying, unsafe, and insecure jobs in Israel.

Saed with seventeen other men was able to cross into Israel through the illegal apartheid fence inside the green line, the Palestine/Israel border, near Nil’in early Saturday night, May 2. However, they had only walked a short distance when the group was apprehended by two well-armed Israeli soldiers with a jeep. All the Palestinians were ordered to sit on the rocky dusty ground. Saed refused to sit because the rocky, dusty ground made sitting very difficult. For his refusal to sit, he was singled out for punishment. He was forced to grip the barbwire fence while the soldiers beat him in the chest, back and legs.

The soldiers then placed the men in front of the jeep and forced them to run or to be rammed into by the jeep. The soldiers took the group to the Nil’in checkpoint inside Palestine, where they did an offensive body check on Saed and cursed him, using insulting language against his mother and family. They ma de him run again in front of the jeep, pretending to hit him and then the Israeli soldiers beat him again. Something about humiliation is worse than physical punishment. Another man of about 60 years old was also beaten and cursed, using the same crude language against his family.

The group was kept all night near the Nil’in checkpoint. Saed was forced to sit with his back to the soldiers who then threw stones at him. He was not allowed any phone calls. Saed's eye was so painful, that he feared he had a very serious injury, but when he complained to the soldiers about pain and possible damage to his eye, they threatened to damage his other eye. At 5:00 a.m., they gave him his ID and told him and the others to go.

Saed's eye is red and painful, but the trauma may be greater than any physical injuries.

Two days later, MPTer and their Palestinian contact met Saed in the hospital in Nablus, where he had gone for treatment because of the pain in his eye and to report his injuries. His doctor wrote on the report that soldiers had beaten him.

Doctor's report states that Saed was hit by soldiers.

Prescription for eye problem.

Saed appeared to be traumatized by the incident and although the incident was reported, there will be no repercussions for the Israeli soldiers who will probably continue to act inhumanely to other Palestinians. What trauma was experienced by the Palestinian men who are forced to witness the torment/torture inflicted on Saed? To live in an occupied country is to be subjected to suffering with little or no recourse, but it also produces an occupying nation that becomes more and more insensitive in their actions to a people they have dehumanized. When there is true peace here, how will these inhumane actions be dealt with on both sides?

This plaque on the wall of the hospital entrance informs all of the US AID contribution to the construction of parts of this Nablus hospital. Where is the plaque enlightening all to the United States’ huge financial contributions to the Israeli military that perpetuate the kind of treatment that Sahd received?

USAID Plaque. Do USAID contributions to Palestine offset the military aid to Israel?

Saed has to find work. Will he and the others try to go back into Israel? Will they make it in safely and find work? Or will he and the others be apprehended and mistreated again?

What is the future for Saed?