Mohammad Abu Swai, who holds the deeds to this land, explains the situation in Artas village:
The Israeli army has already started to demolish some of the trees in the village of Artas to make way for a sewer system, leading from the Illegal Israeli Settlement of Efrat.
On May 15, 2007, Mohammad Abu Swai, the owner of the trees, was interviewed. Israeli and international solidarity activists were present on the land to prevent the demolition of the trees. The army, however, postponed the demolition, until the following day or possibly Sunday... We shall soon find out...
--------------------
A number of nonviolent protestors stop Israeli bulldozers in Artas village near Bethlehem
George Rishmawi - IMEMC News, Wednesday May 16, 2007
At least 30 Palestinian, International and Israeli peace activists and farmers are preventing the Israeli army from bulldozing land near the village of Artas south of Bethlehem on Wednesday morning.
At least 30 Palestinian, International and Israeli peace activists and farmers are preventing the Israeli army from bulldozing land near the village of Artas south of Bethlehem on Wednesday morning.
The Protestors arrived to the site after they received news about the bulldozers near the village.Israeli army is bulldozing the land near the Monastery in order to build the wall in that area.
Troops prevented the peace activists from reaching the bulldozers, and claimed the area as a closed military zone.
Hussam Jubran, one of the coordinators of the "Stop the Bleeding of Bethlehem" campaign told IMEMC that the soldiers did failed to provide any document proving that the construction area is a closed military zone.
The "Stop the Bleeding of Bethlehem" campaign aims at mobilizing more Palestinians to nonviolently resist the wall, settlements, land confiscation and other forms of the Israeli military occupation in Bethlehem.
On Tuesday, the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in Bethlehem organized a peaceful protest on a settler road to commemorate the 59 anniversary of the Nakba of 1948.
-------------------------------
Martinez, ISM, 16 May 2007
Artas is a beautiful village, as are her apricot trees and her people. As Israeli bulldozers ripped away the hilltop in the distance to make way for military roads, settler roads, and a place for the militarily-funded Bedouin security personnel to sleep at night and guard the construction site, farmers from Artas whipped up some delicious tea and thanked us all for coming to resist the demolition of their fields.
But the rain came and pushed all the soldiers away. Villagers from Artas believe they will be back in the morning.
Update to come.
We’ll be back there too.
------------------------
Please don’t sh*t on the apricots
Yifat Appelbaum, May 17th, 2007
Today I feel frustrated. I sat in a cute little apricot orchard in a village near Beit Lahem as the army watched us through binoculars from the hill, a menacing bulldozer in the background. They’re going to ‘doze this orchard to make way for sewage pipes from the Efrata settlement. New sections of Efrata are being built on the hill above the orchard.
I was imagining all the problems that are going to happen once the settlers move in; villagers will need special permits to access their land. These permits will be difficult to obtain. Even if they do get permits, they will still be subject to the whims of the army who can either let them work the land or not, depending on their mood or the mood of the settlers controlling them. It will become like a hell, like so much of the west bank is already becoming. This has happened hundreds of times already.
--------------------------
More footage from Artas village, May 16, 2007
Palestinians, Israelis, and internationals are trying to prevent the Israeli Occupation Force from uprooting the trees of local farmers.
Part 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9TjrvhHR20
Part 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9r9ylTGi-0
Part 3:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM1zNBn7Jbc
*************************************
17 May, 2006
The Segregation Wall threatens the lands of Artas Village, Southwest Bethlehem City
2 September,1999
Sacrilege in the Bethlehem District Villages of Artas and El Walajeh
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment