live & direct from Nablus
a human shield | 09.01.2003 12:15
live & direct from Nablus
I'm spending all my time in Yanoun (Nablus, Palestine)a
village existing since Roman times due to its natural
springs. The current residents are 16 different
families, they are all related in one way or another,
and all descended from just three men. They farm
sheep, olives and wheat. Six years ago, Russian
orthodox Jews moved onto the hill tops surrouding the
village. They are within a stone's throw distance.
Since the Russians arrived they have claimed the land as theirs in the name of God. Mimicing what Moses did in old Testament times. But does what they're doing have God's blessing???????
Their low-intensity warfare methods of trying to drive out the local population include putting faeces in the water supply, destroying the electricity generator and general harrasment. They have killed several villagers and injured others. I've seen bullet wounds and x-rays, they even snatched a 2 yr old baby from its mothers arms and smashed it against a rock. They normally attack in groups of 10/20, they attack people collecting olives or sheperding when they are alone or in small groups. The Nablus villages believe it is important to repopulate the village. International volunteers have been here for a few months now, they act as human shields, i.e. their presence is enough to stop the colonizers attacking so the village can carry on with its normal life. So far after 2 weeks here the only intrusion into the village has been the army
questioning me, searchlights passing over the vilage
every night, colonizers spying on us from thier watch
towers or vans parked on top of the hills (very
close).
Recently there have been F-16 jets flying overhead toward Jordan. There has also been constant machine gun fire coming from that direction (US and Israeli war games preparing for Iraq). When the war with iraq starts everybody here believes the Israelis will remove the Palestinian population through force to Jordan, without the world really noticing or caring. This would be the first step in Israels expansion.
The Nablus Palestinians are tremendously appreciative and hospitable.
village existing since Roman times due to its natural
springs. The current residents are 16 different
families, they are all related in one way or another,
and all descended from just three men. They farm
sheep, olives and wheat. Six years ago, Russian
orthodox Jews moved onto the hill tops surrouding the
village. They are within a stone's throw distance.
Since the Russians arrived they have claimed the land as theirs in the name of God. Mimicing what Moses did in old Testament times. But does what they're doing have God's blessing???????
Their low-intensity warfare methods of trying to drive out the local population include putting faeces in the water supply, destroying the electricity generator and general harrasment. They have killed several villagers and injured others. I've seen bullet wounds and x-rays, they even snatched a 2 yr old baby from its mothers arms and smashed it against a rock. They normally attack in groups of 10/20, they attack people collecting olives or sheperding when they are alone or in small groups. The Nablus villages believe it is important to repopulate the village. International volunteers have been here for a few months now, they act as human shields, i.e. their presence is enough to stop the colonizers attacking so the village can carry on with its normal life. So far after 2 weeks here the only intrusion into the village has been the army
questioning me, searchlights passing over the vilage
every night, colonizers spying on us from thier watch
towers or vans parked on top of the hills (very
close).
Recently there have been F-16 jets flying overhead toward Jordan. There has also been constant machine gun fire coming from that direction (US and Israeli war games preparing for Iraq). When the war with iraq starts everybody here believes the Israelis will remove the Palestinian population through force to Jordan, without the world really noticing or caring. This would be the first step in Israels expansion.
The Nablus Palestinians are tremendously appreciative and hospitable.
a human shield
