Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Fri 10.7.09, Morning
two guests: journalism students
Sansana:
CP is empty of workers. The woman-guard at the CP will not let us through because one of the students accompanying us has taken a photo of the CP. We explain to her, politely, that there's no reason not to photograph at the CPs and she gets annoyed. Finally, Shlomi, the CP's manager arrives and lets us leave.
Road 60
Empty as usual.
South Hebron Mount
We reach the village of Um il-Hir, where the herdsmen tell us that, a few days ago, they've walked with the herd next to the cattle-shed of the settlement Carmel. The settlement's security-head and a few soldiers begun chasing them with their vehicles. Their herd dispersed all over the place and they've almost been run over. The settlers claimed that they've tried to get into the cattle-shed with their herd. Needless to say, however, the sheds are fenced and the herdsmen certainly have nothing to do there.
Today, the herd is herded by two young boys. When they approached the cattle-shed they circumvented in fear. We accompanied them for some time, to make sure they are no harassed. When we had to leave, they, too, left the area immediately, not wanting to stay there without us.
In the village of Javis, one of the villagers told us that a few days ago, the security-manager of the "Metzoudat Yehuda" beat one of the locals. Ezra Nawwi and some of the "Combatants for Peace" activities turned to his rescue. That person fears filing a complaint with the police.
We asked them whether they have a Bezelem camera
(Bezelem – an Israeli human rights NGO which, inter alia, distributes cameras among the locals in order to help them document their maltreatment by either army or settlers) so as to document such events in the future. They say they've once possessed such a camera but it was since smashed by one of the settlers.
That person also told us that the Ma'on settlers have beat up a neighboring Jabrin family member a few days ago. He didn't know any more details.