CPT Update: The demolition of Um Fugarah and arrests

Greetings, friends.  It is the first Sunday in Advent, and we are still waiting with pregnant hope for peace in this blessed place.  I want to share the latest information from our last couple of days.  Friday night, we left Hebron because school is not in session on Friday, Muslim holy day, and Saturday, which was the Islamic New Year.  So, we hiked into the hills south of Hebron (This is the Judean wilderness in scripture).  We walked through the desert hills to the cave of Omar and his seven children.  Here, in the village of Touba, Omar's family and his neighbors live in caves.  The entrance to Omar's cave and their stone ovenThey live in caves because, although their families have owned the land for centuries, the Israeli army does not allow them to build permanent structures on their land.  Four of us from the CPT team spent the night in his cave, and received hospitality of the kind that insists all passersby received a drink, a meal and a night stay.  To bed with sunset, and rising at sunrise over the hills of the wilderness. 

Demolished home and cave entranceOnly, we rose to very bad news.  In the night, the Israeli military had visited the neighboring village of Fugarah.  There, they live in caves and tents as well because of the constant threat of home demolition.  In the night, the military arrived with bulldozers.  They demolished the village mosque, one family's tent, and destroyed the entrance to the cave of another family of nine.  In the midst of the action, the Israeli soldiers broke the leg of one mother, and arrested two of her daughters. 

Demolished mosque in Um FugarahWhen we woke to the news, we hiked through the desert valleys to see what we could do.  Other press and internationals were present.  Several of the children appeared shocked, and were eager to show us the demolition and share their story.  The elders had already gathered, and were gathering information.  Our team leader met with the mother, with a broken leg, and pieced together the story to write the press release, which is included below.  The men had gathered at the edge of the village, and had begun to do the only thing that they can do.  They began to dig the footings to a new mosque.

Immediately building a new mosque is the creative, non-violent action that they can engage in the face of an occupation of Palestinian land.  It is a sign of hope.  But, I felt, it is also a sign of resignation.  In the face of an oppressive occupation that defies international law, comes in the middle of the night with rifles and bulldozers to destroy property and arrest youth in order to demoralize a community so that they will give up and emigrate their own land...rebuilding is the only thing they can do.   

So there, on that hill in the wilderness, we drank tea.  We sat with the elders in quiet grief.  Then we did the only thing that we could do.  We picked up picks and shovels and helped them dig the footings to their new mosque.  Since the writing of the press release (below), we have learned the location of the prison to which the girls were taken.  Team members will be visiting tonight to advocate for their return.

Palestinian child in front of demolished home and mosqueIn the meantime, it is the last day of our delegation, and I am preparing to leave this blessed place.  On my return, I will write a final reflection and organize my images for you, my circle of support.  And as we Christians begin this season of anticipation, we hold on to our Advent hope that the peace and justice, that was born into the world in the person of Jesus Christ, might be realized in this place of his birth.

Peace to you all, Chad

*********************

ISRAELI MILITARY ARRESTS TWO YOUNG WOMEN AFTER DEMOLISHING HOUSES AND MOSQUE IN THE VILLAGE OF UM FAGARAH

On November 24, at 9 am, the Israeli army, with more than five Israeli army jeeps and two bulldozers, drove into the small village of Um Fagarah and demolished two houses and the village mosque. During the demolition, one woman, age 21, and one girl, age 17. They left one hour later.

One home belonged to a widow and her family; the other housed a family of 20, between the parents, children, and grandchildren. The soldiers did not have demolition orders or give any explanation, instead calling the village women 'whores' and entering at a time of day when most of the men were away at work.

The second family's 21-year-old daughter confronted the Israeli soldiers when they marched into their home and began throwing the bedding outside. When she asked what they were doing, one soldier said, “Get out of my sight.” The daughter refused; in response, the soldier threatened, “If you don't move, we will do even more,” and sprayed her in the face with tear gas. The other solders began kicking her as she fell to the ground. Her mother and her neighbours then tried to pull her out of the way, but another soldier pushed the girl's mother away and she fell, breaking her leg.

The 21-year-old's cousin, who is 17, tried to bring her water to soothe her eyes. The soldiers arrested them both, and as of November 26th, they are still in prison.

While the families are afraid for the safety of their daughters, the village has already organized a direct action to begin rebuilding the mosque this Saturday, the first day of the Islamic New Year. This is despite the fact that Israeli soldiers can return at any point to bulldoze it again. People from many surrounding villages came to support this action, including two people from the International Solidarity Movement and members of CPT.

Home demolitions and discriminatory laws continue to threaten Palestinian families and their right to the land. According to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, Israel has already demolished over 170 homes in 2011, displacing roughly 880 people.