Living Stones: 7/25/10

Settler tour

Just an hour after the protest, the settlers had their own march. Every Saturday they go on a tour of the Old City and invite friends and supporters to go with them and point out Palestinian homes that are claimed to have belonged to Jews before 1929.

The tours are always escorted by a force of soldiers and sometimes Palestinian shops have been vandalized and people attacked. We trailed the tour and hung around stores that the settlers walked past by. The store owners looked very relieved we were there. No violence happened, although some of the settlers glared at us as they were walking by. At one point their tour guide mentioned the name "CPT" and we got a lot of dirty looks but nothing happened.

Settler tour starting

Hanging around shop, getting ready for the procession to pass us.

More pics of the tour

Protester response

The protest leader ordered people in the front to sit down. This did much to defuse the situation.

Israeli protesters sitting in the crowd.

Taking pictures can be exciting and I guess the soldiers didn't want us to have all of the fun.

Everyone began leaving. The soldiers watched us go and then went back to their base. The protest was over.

second encounter

The second time the protesters and soldiers met, some Palestinian kids climbed on the fence to the base. They jumped off, but the army rushed out and began shoving people back. No one yelled back at them or pushed them back. The protesters were very well disciplined.

Kids on the fence

Troops come out.

The following pictures below show people being pushed back.

First encounter with soldiers

Crowd gets near to army

Soldiers standing in a line and looking at us. Some of them started laughing after seeing the "settler".

More Israeli soldiers. Many of them did not look happy to be here. Many I have spoken to have told me they are unhappy to be occupying Hebron.

Soldier looking down at us from rooftop.

Hebron protest (3)

The march gets started.

The soldiers were out in full force and kept a close eye on us.

Marching through the Old City.

More pictures taken from the back.

Hebron protest (2)

Some of our delegation members.

This sign may be seen by some as very harsh. I think it represents the anger felt by many people. Given the level of repression people have been facing in this city, it is hardly surprising.

Comparisons with South Africa.

The French.

Hebron protest

Almost every Saturday, international, Israeli and Palestinian activists hold a protest against the settlers. The protesters call for Shuhada Street to be opened, and for the settlers to leave Hebron. Most of the protesters are Israeli and international, they face far shorted prison sentences than Palestinians if they get arrested. The protest was peaceful and involved around 400 people according to my estimate.

We marched through the Old City, chanting "1-2-3-4 occupation no more" and "5-6-7-8 end the killing end the hate". Some people yelled that Israel is guilty of racism and "fascism". I think that fascism may be too strong of a word but racism, definitely. We twice came into contact with the soldiers. The first time they just looked at us as people were chanting. We were standing very close to each other. The second time the crowd approached the military base and got too close, so the soldiers ran out and began shoving people in the front. Everyone sat down until people on both sides calmed down. No one got arrested and the only people to use force were the soldiers. The Palestinian organizers called on people to leave and everyone did.

Two CPT members and John's friend.

Protest leader dressed as Israeli settler. At first I thought he was mocking Jewish or Israeli people so I went over to talk to him to ask him who was he dressed at. He said "settlers". I pushed him a bit and asked him if it was settlers or jews or Israelis. He said settlers.
I asked other people in the crowd what they thought and everyone said he was dressed as a settler. I found 2 Israeli Jewish activists and asked them who they thought he was representing, they said "settlers".

I asked these questions because I am not against Israelis or Jews and I would never take part in an action that demonizes or mocks Jewish or Israeli people. Most Palestinians I have spoken to make the distinction between Jews and Israelis and what the Israeli government is doing.

Back of the "settler's" shirt, showing the countries where many settlers do come from.

Donkey representing the Israeli army. The "settler" was riding it.

More pictures of people in Hebron

CPT guys crammed into car. Look out.

A group of settler teens. We were watching Palestinian kids going home from school, and one of the settler kids stopped, looked me in the face, called me a "nazi", and kept walking. I was caught off guard and didn't really know what to say, am not sure if there was anything to say to an accusation like that. So I just took this picture of them walking away.

Israeli soldier on Shuhada Street.

Palestinian police officers in the PA administered area of Hebron. In spite of the kalashnikovs they carry they have very limited power.

Some people I met in Hebron

Layla, a woman who works at the market selling clothing. Her son was arrested by the Israeli military and held for 2 months without charge. This has been 4 years ago and he still has nightmares and is afraid to go out by himself. He was 11 when he was arrested, and is now 15. Layla said that she wants peace with Israel within pre-1967 borders, but the settlements and occupation of the West Bank has to stop before any peace talks can take place. I have to say I agree with her.

Sarah, one of our full-time CPTers.

Guy selling nectar drinks and flowers.

Two women from Machsom Watch, an Israeli group that monitors IDF soldiers at checkpoints.

Nahal Brigade

There is a group of soldiers patrolling the Old City of Hebron that I need to make mention of. They are the Nahal Brigade. I do not know of the history of Nahal or of their actions elsewhere in Israel or Palestine or what all of them are like.

But I would like to mention this group of soldiers because they are known for having a conscience. They have been in the area for a few months and are part of the occupation. They follow orders that include randomly detaining young men at checkpoints, guarding the settlers, making night raids on people who are sleeping, and arresting people who break the rules like walking down Shuhada Street if you are Palestinian.

However, unlike other soldiers, they do not seem to take any particular delight in carrying out their job and they are not known to show cruelty that goes beyond their orders. The occupation itself is an act of cruelty, as are the orders they carry out. However, they do not go any farther than they "need to".

They will say hi to kids walking to school. Some of the soldiers have told CPTers that they chose to be here because they know what other brigades are like. I have had a conversation with one of the soldiers today while we were doing a school patrol. He was very friendly, and told me he doesn't want to be here. He called the settlers "a bunch of bums" and said that if it was up to him he would arrest them all. He said hello to some kids walking by and chatted with his parents. I have heard both CPTers and Palestinians say that these soldiers are different from others who have been in this city.

I am against the occupation and my role here kind of ensures there will always be some tension between us and the soldiers. Whenever possible though I say "shalom" to them and they often say "shalom" back. I have seen Palestinians greet them too.

They are not the enemy. I feel bad for the soldiers. They are being dehumanized by their work, as are the people they are ordered to rule over. Last year, 4 soldiers who have served in Hebron have committed suicide. I pray for their physical and mental safety, as well as the same for the Palestinians and activists they run into.