Ta'aysh report: This week – November 15-22, 2020 – in the Occupied Territories.

Cases of explicit cooperation of the Civil Administration, Israeli army and police with incursions of settlers from their outposts into Palestinians’ lands and homes in the South Hebron Hills – while the pace of demolitions of Palestinian structures and property throughout Area C and East Jerusalem is steadily growing; a Palestinian activist was wounded on Friday by Israeli army fire during a violent dispersion of a protest demonstration against a new settler outpost in Samiya, in the West Bank hill range, and a paramedic was detained; activists from Palestine, Israel and abroad took part in tree planting in the lands of Sa’ir and Shuyukh, close to the settlement ‘Asfar’.

A settler of the outpost ‘Mitzpe Yair’ escorted by Israeli soldiers invades a Palestinian field that has been closed to Israelis by the regional commander, in the lands of Umm Al Ara’is South Hebron Hills

This week saw an increase of events attesting to full and open cooperation of ‘lawless’ settlers and the occupation authorities in charge of ‘law-keeping’ in the are:

On Monday, November 19, soldiers escorted settlers of the new outpost at Umm Zaitouna, who invaded the nearby Tha’ala community in order to terrorize and threaten the shepherds.

On Saturday, November 21, a landowner at Umm Al Ara’is discovered that settlers from the outpost ‘Mitzpe Yair’ invaded his land and plowed it. The entire field is close by writ of the regional commander, and the military force protecting the outpost could not have seen the work. A force of the Civil Administration and soldiers summoned to the site tried to prevent the owner and activists from photographing the invasion, enabled the settler from the outpost to re-enter the closed area and forbade activists to stay there outside the closed area.

Likewise on Saturday, four settlers of the outpost ‘Havat Maon’ violently invaded a home in Tawane village where a family with its children were present, and caused damage to the structure. Tawane villagers and activists were summoned to the site, as well as army and Civil Administration officials who enabled the settlers to remain and even searched – at the bidding of the invaders – signs of illegal construction there.

On Sunday, November 22, a shepherd from the settlement ‘Susya’ with his own flock invaded the olive grove of Palestinian Susya that is closed to Israelis by write of the regional commander, had his sheep/goats run havoc with the trees and caused significant damage. Police and Civil Administration officials summoned to the site were there for hours, and in the meantime numerous settlers invaded the closed area. When the Civil Administration finally arrived, its men tried to chase away the Palestinian inhabitants by pushing them and threatening them with arrests, instead of dealing with the settlers. The Palestinians of Susya did not leave until the settlers left their lands.

On Tuesday, November 17, the Civil Administration issued demolition orders and photographed structures throughout the Massafer Yatta region. Three orders were issued at Sarura, Rakiz and Mufaqara. Structures were photographed at Khalat A-Dab’a and a school at Majaz. A demolition order was issued against a water pipe at the Safai area. On Wednesday, police and Border Policemen came to Touba village to look for suspects of theft, who were not there. A neighbor trying to photograph the officials entering the place was arrested and his camera was confiscated, and two activists summoned to the site were detained without any legal grounds, and released afterwards.

On Saturday, activists accompanied shepherds at Umm Al Amad, took part in the olive harvest around Susya, and in the Humra Valley near Tawane village. Activists accompanied plowing at Umm Zaitouna, where two settlers approached the plowers with a dog, but when they noticed the activists and their cameras, they left.

To join Ta'ayush in The South Hebron Hills this Saturday call 055-2770168 Please make an effort to register no later than Thursday evening, so we can organize the transportation and the activity properly. Please bring an ID/passport, a hat, water and food for the day. It is advised to take into consideration cultural differences in the choice of clothing.

Palestinian Jordan Valley

At Auja, in the southern Palestinian Jordan Valley, activists accompanied shepherds on Sunday (November 15) and Tuesday, and in both cases were undisturbed. During the accompaniment they documented construction work of settlers from the nearby outpost – on lands that belong to the Palestinian Waqf (religious authority).

In the northern Palestinian Jordan Valley, a settler has begun building a new outpost near Hamra. An access road is being prepared and greenhouses raised. Activists visiting there on Friday were blocked by settlers and questioned. On Wednesday activists accompanied shepherds there unhampered, and thus too on Sunday when plowing was accompanied near Samara.

On Tuesday, November 17, occupation forces went on a demolition rampage in communities in the northern Palestinian Jordan Valley, confiscating a movable structure serving as a dwelling, an outhouse and a water tank at Farisiya, demolished a structure at Umm Jamal, one at Khirbet Atouf and another at Furush Beit Dajan.

To join activity in the Jordan Valley, please contact Arik: 050-5607034

Demolitions this week also took place at A-Nakhla south of Bethlehem, and at Deir Sharaf north of Nablus.

On Friday, November 20, at ‘En Samiya in the West Bank hill range, Israeli soldiers violently dispersed a protest action by local residents and Israeli and international activists against a settler outpost established there that prevents them from accessing their grazing grounds. To disperse the protesters, the soldiers used teargas, sun grenades and sponge ammunition. A Palestinian activist was wounded by a sponge projectile fired at closer range than allowed, and was taken to hospital. A paramedic who tried to help him was detained.

On Friday, Palestinian, international and Israeli activists held a tree-planting activity on lands of Shuyukh and Sa’ir near the settlment ‘Asfar;. When they arrived, they found that settlers have been grazing their flocks inside Palestinian olive groves.

This week activists accompanied an olive harvest near Deir Sam’an on the lands belonging to Kufr A-Deek and Deir Balout (Salfit district). Last September, Israeli occupation authorities announced their intention to confiscate lands around Deir Sam’an for archeological needs. For joining activity in the area, please contact Aviv – avivsky@gmail.com Jerusalem

On Monday, November 16, works began on lands belonging to Beit Safafa, where Israel intends to build 1,275 new dwellings for settlers. A delegation of diplomats from the European Union who arrived that day to tour the place, ran into a demonstration of right-wingers who prevented the tour from continuing.

On Monday, the occupation authorities demolished 3 shops in Anata, and another structure in the Jabal Mukabar neighborhood.

The weekly protest in Sheikh Jarrah continues to take place every Friday, adhering to emergency procedures. The residents of Sheikh Jarrah are protesting their violent evictions from their homes, the taking over of the neighborhood by the settlers, and the Judaization of East Jerusalem. They call upon each and every person who supports their struggle to join them

We will meet at the Sheikh Jarrah Garden, Nablus Road and Dahlmann St. at at 3 p.m