At-Tuwani is a village located in the south of the West Bank. It is several hundred years old and has been inhabited by Palestinians. The people who live there are mostly farmers and shepherds. They grow wheat and lentils, as well as fodder for animals. In addition to that, they take their sheep out to graze every morning. To a large extent, life goes on the same way it did for centuries. There are several houses, a store, a well, a school and a mosque. There are about 250 people who live there.
However, their entire village is under threat. In 1981, a group of Israeli settlers decided to build a build a community close to the village's farmland. It is called Havat Maon. Initially, one of the settlers would visit with the villagers, stopping by their house for tea and to ask questions about the people there. The settlers quickly learned that no one was armed or posed any threat to the newcomers.
The attacks began soon after. Settlers began assaulting Palestinians in the fields, chasing them away from their crops. During harvesting season, bundles of wheat that were left lying around were set on fire. Shepherds would be attacked, and sheep were often stolen. The settlers closed a road connecting At-Tuwani to other Palestinian villages. People were threatened with death if they tried to cross the road. Some were beaten up. Children have to pass by Havat Maon on the way to school. Often, rocks are thrown at them by the settlers. Soldiers who are supposed to be escorting them do not show up or only escort them a certain distance.
One day one of the settlers, Dov, attacked a group of Palestinian shepherds. This time they fought back, and he was killed. The Israeli army later came into the village and shot dead the person who killed him.
Four years later after Dov's passing, a group of settlers built an outpost on the site where Dov was "martyred". It is called Maon. It is in a patch of woods by the village. Both settlements are very an approximate 10 to 15 minutes of walking from the village. They are located in the hills sorrounding the village.
Juma, one of the village leaders, spoke to us about his village. It is under constant harrassment and attack from the settlers. Last month, 30 settlers entered his house with knives and baseball bats and proceeded to break out the windows and assault the children and women. Sheep have been poisoned. A few months ago, a donkey was stolen and had its throat slit. Since it belonged to the Palestinians, it had to be killed, too.
The village is in Area A, a section of the West Bank controlled completely by the Israeli army. Some of the soldiers are sympathetic to the Palestinians and are angry at the settlers but they are not allowed to touch them. Others actively take part in harrassing the community.
Juma's 5 year old son was wounded when a bullet grazed his head. He was once kidnapped by a group of soldiers who blindfolded him, handcuffed him, and beat him for several hours. He was thrown out of a moving vehicle on a road and left to find his own way home. He was blindfolded and handcuffed.
Israeli and international activists have come to support the villagers. They have escorted shepherds and farmers to their fields. Some have been beaten up. Yet their presence sometimes deters attacks and having cameras on the scene can ensure that the attacks are less brutal if they do occur.
Juma believes in non-violent resistance. He described holding back the arms of the young men in the village who were tempted to throw rocks to defend themselves. For Juma, resistance is very simple. Survive. By not allowing themselves to be driven off their land, the people of At-Tuwani are standing firm.
I asked Juma what kind of solution he wants for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He simply smiled. This is what he said.
"No to Israel. No to Palestine. Just let us live our lives".
Pictures from At-Tuwani
Shepherd grazing his flock
