From Robert B.

Al Jab’a, a village of 700 people, sits in the path of a section of the apartheid wall which Israel has scheduled for construction at a future stage. It lies south west of Bethlehem, just one kilometre from the 1967 Green Line – inside the Palestinian West Bank.
From the hillsideone can see, not too far distant, the colony/settlements of Bat Ayn, Betar Ellit, Nahal Gavot and the monstrous Gush Etzion, all built on Palestinian land. It is no wonder that the people feel that their future is precarious.

Present-day life is hard enough. For anything but the most basic necessities villagers rely on shops … Continue reading

Last Wednesday, May 12, 500 settlers from the Karmei Zur settlement, which is located south of Beit Ummar, blocked the Route 60, which links Jerusalem to Hebron. Settlers walked all the way to Gush Etzion settlement with the help and protection of the Israeli army and police, causing a roadblock for five hours. They also blocked the access to Beit Ummar and Al Aroub Refugee camp for two hours.

At the settlers’ request, Israeli army and police ensured that no Palestinian would disturb their protest, which is against the police and army mandate. They were more concerned about the march than about all the traffic blocked and commotion it … Continue reading

14 Israelis were arrested in the weekly demonstration in Sheikh Jarrah Friday as they attempted to march to the neighborhood and were prevented by police who used extreme force, leading to the hospitalization of 3 demonstrators just 2 days after hundreds of right-wing settlers were allowed to march through the neighborhood with a police escort. A number of the arrestees were held overnight in jail awaiting court hearings.

In An Nabi Saleh 50 Palestinian, international and Israeli demonstrators attempted to march to the land taken over by settlers from the nearby Halamish settlement. They were met with large amounts of tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and attack dogs. After being chased back into the village, 2 Israeli activists … Continue reading

On Sunday, May 9, residents of Beit Jala were joined by the mayor of Betlehem and the Palestinian Authority’s Minister for the Wall in their weekly demonstration against the construction of the Annexation Barrier which began in a new section of Beit Jala last month. Israeli and international activists, as well as residents of nearby villages joined in the demonstration which used the opportunity to announce the expulsion of products made in Israeli settlements. Boxes of these products were set on the barbed wire that blocked the procession from accessing their agricultural land and were set on fire.

The small village of Al Libban (Libban al Sharquia) sits in rolling hills planted with olive trees, approximately half way between Ramallah and Nablus. The villagers are simple fellahin – farmers – growing wheat and fruit in addition to their olive trees. The pride of the village is the central mosque, an impressive, large structure, built in 1977 and the only mosque currently in operation.

That was, until the night of Tuesday 4th May when fire gutted the mosque’s interior, destroying carpets, furniture, numerous Korans and the building’s fixtures and fittings. The visitor now witnesses a scene of total devastation. The blackened walls, floor and ceiling have a nighmarish quality and it is hard to imagine that this was once a … Continue reading