Joel Gulledge, co-coordinator with Voices for Creative Nonviolence, is currently a member of a Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation in At-Tuwani, Palestine. Joel recently sent us updates of his experiences of the last week, a well as a press release.
Sept 19, 2006
Joel Gulledge
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
Occupied Palestinian Territories
At-Tuwani,South Hebron Hills:
12 Sept 2006
It can be surreal here in Tuwani, to be watching a shepherd boy tend to his flock, and then see an armoured humvee pull up.
I am sitting here holding in my hands, metal spikes that were used today by Israeli settlers to sabatoge a truck carrying water (supplied by international aid organization Oxfam) to nearby Palestinian village Susiya. This entire area has been affected by serious drought, and the water brought by Oxfam is a necessity.
Dozens of spikes were placed across the road before the time of the water truck’s regularly scheduled arrival. The truck was disabled, three tires punctured. One, two, three. After a delay, the driver was able to deliver the water.
Sept 15
Soldiers have been using flares during the middle of the night to search for something, thanks for the fireworks display.
Today I watched my neighbor kill two of his roosters. He pointed their heads towards Mecca and slit their throats. Not something I see daily, I shuddered, but this is survival.
Our team gets a call that their are Israeli soldiers up on the hill near a shepherd’s house. We go to check out the situation.
The soldiers tell us their was a problem in the Israeli settlement on the next hill over, but it’s been resolved. A soldier says to me, “You hate me don’t you”. I respond that I don’t hate him. I know that he has to serve in the military, and that he would probably rather be on the beach in Haifa. I tell him we are here to monitor the interactions between Palestinians and Israeli settlers and soldiers in the area, that there have been many problems. He tells me his name, and welcomes me to dinner with his family and I reply that he is welcome anytime to have dinner or tea with my family here, in Tuwani. I hope this day comes. He nods and the soldiers leave.
Sept 16
We have had visits from internationals interested in the situation - from Germany and Britain.
A new committee has formed in Tuwani, made up of a few village leaders who want to tackle not only the problems here but also in surrounding Palestinian villages that are not as developed as Tuwani. We held a meeting between the Committee, CPT, Operation Dove (our Italian partner group), and Ta’ayush (Israeli organization) to see how we could better assist them.
This afternoon we recieved a call that Israeli soldiers had stopped Palestinians down at the Tuwani road where it intersects with Israeli (must have Israeli permit to use this highway) Route 317. Our team responded. Walking down the hill, we see that a group of soldiers have detained our neighbor and his nephew. Matt Chandler and I witness one soldier deliver a kick to the side of the knee of our neighbor, and force him to the ground by the head and shoulders. As we get close up, our neighbor is asking us for water. The soldier who kicked him in the knee becomes upset when he sees us there filming, demanding we turn them off. “We are just doing a routine check”, he says. We saw what happened from the hill, we reply. “Well he didn’t sit down when I asked him too”, the soldier responded. The soldier puts his hands on me, and I ask him to please not touch me. He is becoming increasingly upset. This is a routine check for our team as well, we have broken no laws, and want to know what the Palestinian has done wrong. Soon, a woman from the village and a bunch of children come and sit and stand next to our neighbor. At this point, the soldiers can’t do a whole lot, so they decide to leave. No arrests were made.
Sept 18th
Man from Susiya attacked yesterday, below is the Release I have just written:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joel Gulledge, Christian Peacemaker Teams
Phone: 0546362577
Ezra Nawi, Ta’ayush
Phone: 0505515751
Israeli settlers attack Susiya elder while soldier stands by
19 September 2006
At-Tuwani, Monday, 18 September 2006 at 5:20 pm, Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and Operation Dove received a call that Israeli settlers attacked an elderly man from nearby Palestinian village Susiya.
The village lies between the Israeli settlement of Susya, an outpost (on the site of an ancient synagogue) and an Israeli military base. The Palestinian village has some remaining fifty residents scattered over several hills living in tents, and have been attacked frequently by the Israeli settlers.
CPTer Joel Gulledge traveled there with a translator and two members of Ta’ayush to take the testimony of the man attacked.
Khalil Nawaja, in his 70s, was not far from the tent, when a group of seven settlers with their faces covered attacked him with sticks and pipes. An Israeli soldier was escorting the settlers and did nothing to stop the attack. Villagers called the Israeli police, but could not get a response. They then called Ezra Nawi of Ta’ayush (Israeli peace group), who was able to get through to the police on their behalf and ask for an investigation.
The police were present and taking a report when Gulledge arrived at 6:00 pm. Israeli soldiers came thirty minutes later. The distance from the military point to this area is between 300-400 meters away.
Some of the soldiers were upset that Gulledge was filming, and talked amongst themselves about stopping him. Ezra asked the soldiers to open the gate to the old Palestinian road to allow a shorter route for the man to the hospital. The soldiers refused and Ezra took the responsibility to open the gate for the ambulance himself.
The Red Crescent arrived to check on the injured man. He suffered blows to his leg, arm, hand, and upper body. After wrapping his right forearm, wrist, and hand, health workers lifted and carried him by ambulance to Yatta for further examination.
#####
