MIFTAH
Thursday, 28 March. 2024
 
Your Key to Palestine
The Palestinian Initiatives for The Promotoion of Global Dialogue and Democracy
 
 
 

The Israeli settlement of Givon Ha’hadasha is built alarmingly close to the Palestinian village of Bet Ijza. The settlement is built practically on top of this village because the Jews believe that biblically, this is the site where the sun stood still for Joshua while his enemies were defeated. In this land, too often the beliefs of the past trump the realities of the present.

The Ghrayeb family, who refused to leave their home in order for the settlement to be built, even after threats of eviction and demolition, live amidst the Jewish enclave. However, they are separated from it on three sides by a seven meter high metal fence. In the one entry that they have, there are two surveillance cameras—one on the house and the other facing the opposite direction observing anyone coming toward the house. With only one gate, the family is at the mercy of the Israeli army who can close it at any time, for any reason. At one point, they were prisoners inside their home for an entire month.

Initially, the closure around the Ghrayeb house was supposed to be concrete, much like the separation barrier. The settlers decided, however, that this would block air and sunlight from their homes so they opted for the metal fence instead.

When we entered the Ghrayeb home, the family patriarch Abu Samir was lying in bed wrapped in a blanket even though the rest of us were sweating from the heat. His wife came out of the kitchen to greet us and talk to us, and eventually Abu Samir gathered enough strength to sit up and answer our questions. He had farmed and worked on this land for decades and now his precious land sits beneath the uniform red-roofed houses of his neighbors, unable to yield the olives, figs and grapes like in days past. In the last 30 years, he has been arrested or detained at least 25 times for resisting the theft of his property. His children and grandchildren have suffered similar consequences.

Abu Samir never smiles. It is obvious that a part of him has been taken away along with his land.

When discussing the conflict, many people try to differentiate between the different “types” of settlers – those who are just “regular people” trying to go about their lives and maybe living in settlements for cheap housing, and the “other”, ideological, violent settlers. Regardless, all settlements are illegal under international law. When I see the Ghrayeb family being suffocated by this aggressive colony, trying to force them to leave each day, there is no longer any differentiation to be made between the different “types”. Anyone who is complicit in this situation and is okay with looking out their window and seeing this family living in a cage is not innocent, no matter what their motivation is for residing there.

In recent years, the rate of settler growth in the West Bank has been 5%, which is close to three times the rate in Israel. Even when a settlement “freeze” is in place, such as during 2010 when it stemmed from US pressure, the loopholes abound and the bulldozers never fall completely silent. The policies of the Israeli government are not based on population needs, judging from the many settlements that still sit unpopulated, but on pure domination through architecture. The presence of these structures on the hilltops, inhabited or not, seem to be an end in themselves.

There is perhaps no greater setback to the peace process than the issue of settlements. With no real consequences, and the success that they have had in severing and controlling the West Bank through settlement infrastructure, including checkpoints and bypass roads, the Israeli government has no incentive to enter negotiations in which concessions will inevitably have to be made.

Abu Samir and his family like so many others, simply want to live in peace on their land. While Abu Samir told us many things -- the familiar incidents of harassment and the constant fear that his house will be demolished or overtaken, his main message remains clear in my head. As he wrapped himself up in his blanket once more and laid back down to rest, he told us that no matter what happens, he will never leave. This is the land he loves and on which he will one day die.

Meg Walsh is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

 
 
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