Welcome to Jayyous Society

Witnesses and officials in Jayyous, a farming village in the occupied West Bank, say a series of unprovoked tear-gas attacks by Israeli troops in recent weeks have taken a grave toll on residents' health. The attacks come with a further tightening of Israeli military control of the town.

Shareef Omar Khaled of the Jayyous Land Defense committee noted that even though Israel's "separation wall" has now completely cut off the town from its agricultural lands, the Israeli army has clamped a still tighter noose on Jayyous, imposing a checkpoint at the town's entrance, and controlling all traffic coming in and out. Shareef reports that soldiers frequently enter to the village and throw tear gas, and that many residents have developed respiratory problems.

Shareef Omar reports that pregnant women in the village are suffering miscarriages as a likely result of the gas. Animals are suffering unprecedented spontaneous abortions at a greater rate, with reports that 30 sheep recently aborted because of a gas canister dropped on a farmer's barn.
An international witness recently visiting Jayyous reports that two to three times a day in the week prior to his April 28 arrival, Israeli soldiers drove into town, shooting tear gas and harrassing residents. The witness reports that "soldiers had teargassed the town's school, forcing children to evacuate their classrooms and sending one female teacher to the hospital for a day." Villagers report that such incursions have worsened since the Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in Gaza one month earlier.
Another international volunteer reports on the effects of the gas on a developmentally disabled young man, named Loay, who was hospitalized, and lost ten kilos in 10 days. "It was through his blood tests that the doctors informed him that his difficulties stem from the effects of the tear gas. There is hope that Loay will fully recover, but not without physical therapy and time."
On March 28, the same international reported: "Two nights ago, they used more than 30 tear gas cannisters. It has been reported than an infant was badly affected and had to be taken to the emergency room. It was also reported that women had to go to the small clinic here in the village the morning after this attack due to having pain in their chests. It seems that the feeling in the village is that...this particular tear gas was stronger and more potent than recent times... I found myself coughing and my eyes tearing up more than 30 minutes after the soldiers shot off their tear gas bombs. This could have been due to either the high number of cannisters let off, or it could have been because the gas was of a different potency. We will never know."
On March 27, the Red Cross reportedly came to the village and interviewed several people who had suffered from the tear gas. The Red Cross continues to monitor the gas attacks, and is said to be preparing a report on the issue.
Related Links · BY TOPIC: Israel's Apartheid Wall

David Bloom is a co-editor of World War 3 Report (worldwar3report.com) and a member of New York City's Jews Against the Occupation.

The Separated Farmland of Jayyous West Bank Palestine A Report on Access to the Jayyous Farmland, cut off by the Separation Barrier in West Bank Palestine April 2004

The purpose of this report is to provide evidence about the relationship between the official opening times and the actual opening times of the gates in the separation barrier and the impact this has on the farmers in Jayyous.

Since October 2003 the farmers of Jayyous have been cut off from their farmland which is between the separation barrier and the Green Line. The Israeli government and the IDF insists that the gates are opened regularly to allow access to the fields, homes and schools. The picture described is one of delays, wasted time, income lost, general harassment of people going about their daily work and lack of access to their farmland.

A Profile of Jayyous

Jayyous is a village of just over 3,000 people situated in West Bank Palestine, near the town of Qalqilya, and about 30 km north-east of Tel Aviv. The village is set on an east-west ridge and surrounded by rich farmland, especially to the west, between the village and the UN recognised "Green Line" boundary with Israel. Much of this land is used to grow fruit and vegetables to supply the village and markets in other parts of the West Bank. Most of the village families rely on farming incomes.

Following the construction of the separation barrier access to the farmland has been controlled by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) via two gates, which are open for limited periods of time each day. The barrier, which is a fence at this location, follows a route, which takes it up to six kilometres from the Green Line, and close to the village. A Bedouin family use the South Gate to allow the children to attend school in Jayyous, their home being in the land that is separated from the village by the fence.

1. The construction of the Separation Barrier has taken about 50 hectares, or 5% of the village farmland.

2. To make the Separation Barrier some 2,500 olive trees were up rooted.

3. About 900 hectares, or 70% of the village farmland has been cut-off by the fence.

4. This land includes 120 green houses

15,000 olive trees

50,000 citrus trees of sixteen different varieties

and 6 out of 7 of Jayyous' ground water wells.

5. Only 40% of farmers are issued with permits to go to their land.

6. 300 families have lost their source of income

7. It is estimated that 65,000 working days will be lost due to the construction of the Separation Barrier.

The Mayor of Jayyous tells me only forty percent of the farmers in Jayyous have permits to go to their land. The other sixty percent are cut off from their work and income. For the forty percent with permits it still means waiting for the gate to be opened by the IDF to allow them access to enter their own land or return to their own homes. The official times for opening have been sent to the town hall (‘baladiya’) in Jayyous by the IDF and at times have been displayed at the gates on make-shift boards. The cutting off of the Jayyous farmland from the village, the result of restricting access to the “military zone” between the separation barrier and the Green Line, for a period of about twenty days in early October 2003. This closure caused the loss of over 80% of the guava crop and young cucumber plants. The closure period was after the construction of the fence and before the introduction of the permits to go to the land on the 16th October 2003.

The observers and recorders of the evidence used in this report were mostly Ecumenical Accompaniers (EAs) serving on the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) of the World Council of Churches from November 2003 to February 2004. EAs also co-operated with volunteers of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in collecting the evidence, especially in the early days of this period . There has been an EAPPI presence in Jayyous since March 2003. In July 2003, after the completion of the fence by Israel, Jayyous residents experienced harassment and violence at the hands of IDF. Farmers staying in their fields overnight were shot at and those passing through the gates were abused and their produce damaged, according to the various sources in the village. EAs spent a lot of time at the gates monitoring its operation, intervening with Israeli soldiers on behalf of the farmers and providing a presence to reduce the potential for human rights abuses. EAs were also able to contact Hamoked, the Israeli human rights organisation, to assist in getting the gates opened. The data in the report was collected over a period of 12 weeks from November 2003 to January 2004. There are a total of 62 morning observations and 48 evening observations within a period of 79 days from 14th November 2003 to 31st January 2004. The gaps, which exist in the data, are due either to the fact that EAs or other foreign volunteers were involved in other activities or due to poor logging of evidence in the early part of the period.

Three groups of data became the focus for analysis: the opening time of the gate, the closing time of the gate and the number of people passing through the gate. These pieces of data are shown on the diagrams that show the actual opening periods set against the official opening times. The diagrams give a graphic display of the discrepancies in timings. In these diagrams the times which the IDF had announced officially that it would open the gates (in the morning from 06.45 to 07.15 and in the evening 16.15 to 16.35) are shown in grey while the times when the gate was actually open is shown in black. When the gate did not open at all it is shown in dark grey. The diagrams also display the tally of people passing through the gate at each opening as a number. Column A shows the delay in opening the gate in minutes, column B shows the number of people who went through the gate and column C shows the average time it took each person to go through the gate in that session. The delay in opening the gate is calculated from the middle of the period of official opening to the time the gate actually opened. For example if the gate were supposed to open at 06.45 and close at 07.15 and it actually opened at 07.10 the delay time is 10 minutes. This method of calculation from the middle of the opening period does not reflect the fact that many farmers arrive before this time. Therefore the actual delay times for many are longer than those suggest by this method. An analysis of these data (see tables below) shows the average delay time for each 27 or 25 day period, the number of people passing through, the amount of time taken for each person to pass through the gate (checking time) have been made and shown in a separate table. The percentage of times the gate was opened in the official period has also been calculated. Estimates have also been made of the lost working time during the period records were kept.

Witness and Anecdotal Evidence The following evidence has been extracted from the original Gate Reports. It is a sample of the type of information collected in the field and a more detailed picture of a particular day at the North Gate when many farmers were unable to get across at the morning opening.

Wednesday 28 Jan 2004

Morning EA Maurice

MH Arr @ the gate 06.42. Humvee arrives @ 06.55 and the gate is open at 06.57. The gate flung open so it bounces back towards him. One of the Palestinians walks forward to open the inner gate. Five men go through before the inner gate is shut. They’re in a hurry this morning. Another man arrives and deftly rides his donkey around the end of the gate followed by a final walker. Seven have gone through when the gate is shut at 07.04. The Humvee goes to the top of the hill to the south and watches. More farmers start to arrive. At 07.47 a jeep comes slowly down the hill and stops too close to the gate and the engine switched off. A man is called over to the Jeep and told the gate will not open until 12.30.

At 07.58 Ahmed talks to Hamoked. Hamoked ring back at 08.30 to say that there is nothing they can do, and the gate will be open at 12.30. Most of the 18 men leave for the village with just 3 prepared to wait a little longer. Many jeeps go by but none of them stop. The men finally decide to go back to the village at 09.30 .

Afternoon

MH Arr @ the gate 11.58. There are 10 men waiting, having not been allowed out in the morning. Despite the promise to open @ 12.30 the gate is eventually opened @ 12.58 and closed @ 13.10 with 18 people having gone through.

Evening

MH Arr @ the gate 16.00. At 16.33 a jeep arrives and quickly opens the gate allowing 25 people through and the gate is closed @ 16.45.

There are many villages in the West Bank that are cut off from city life. Jayyous, a small village in the district of Qalkilya is one of them. The nearby cities of Qalkilya and Tulkarm are a mere 3 and 6 miles away, respectively. While village life provides many of the necessities for a comfortable existence, there is little medical care available. Jayyous has one doctor and one dentist. The doctor is, at times, working at his office outside of the village. As most of you know, movement can be severaely restricted in any part of the West Bank. In the event of a medical emergency, a person must travel to either Qakilya or Tulkarm to get to a hospital. To get to each of these cities, one must endure checkpoints and possible closures. Many of you have read stories of ambulances getting stopped or even turned back at these checkpoints. Jayyous has a solution. They want to renovate a service (large taxi cab, similar to a van) and turn it into an ambulance for the people. The members of the Jayyous Charitable Soceity have received a quote from ARABMED, Medical Services and Supplies. To fully equip the "ambulance" and to make it legal will cost $16,508.00. This includes a one year warranty on all items purchased.

We are searching for a donor for parts or all of what is needed to build this ambulance and to make this vision a reality. Please consider helping. If you know of any organizations that would be able to donate items from older ambulance, the village would equally welcome these offerings. You can contact us at samha100@yahoo.com or pnut119@riseup.net for any questions.

Pole Stretcher / Combined Stretcher / Roll in Ambulance stretcher / Scoop stretcher / Trauma Bag / Automatic Transport Ventilator set / Steel Oxygen Cylinders / Suction Pump / Pulse Oximeter / Defibrelator Monitor / …..

PLEASE DSITRIBUTE THESE TO ALL OF THE LISTS YOU HAVE SENT THEM ON TO....THANK YOU!

Greetings to all. First I want to thank you on behalf of this entire village. The word has spread fast (as it tends to do here) that many people from all over the world have made phone calls in response to our appeals for your support. Their gratitude runs deep! The 6 men are still not out of danger. As of today, we know that the 3 men are still in Keddumim and the other 3 in Petah Tikva. Yesterday, April 2, 2003, Hitham had a visit from a private lawyer. It was through this interview with the lawyer that we learned a little bit more. First, the men in Keddumim have been visited each by lawyers from The Prisoners Club. What is most frustrating about this, in my view, is the lack of communication from the lawyers to the family members. When I and two of the brothers went to the prisoners club one day after the arrests, they assured us the families would be informed of any new information. Sadly, the visits took place and no family member was given the information. We have since told the families. Hopefully, tomorrow each of them will be seen by the Red Crescent/Red Cross. They will deliver clothes and shoes to each of the men in Keddumim. It will not be until April 14th that the men in Petah Tikva are visited by the RC.

As far as Hitham is concerned: He has been deemed a "security threat" by the state of Israel. What does this mean? It means that they are possibly looking at Administrative Detention for Hitham. It also means that he has not been formally charged with anything. Simply put, the state of Israel feels that he is "against the occupation." Or maybe even "working against the occupation." It is similar to sedition (speaking, writing or action intended to cause disobedience or violence against a government). If this is true, then we are all in danger. As has been said before, Hitham is a simple man; a shopkeeper and the head of his household. He is not a security threat. A man replied to me in a message "can we call the prosecutor?" This is a great idea except in Hitham's case, there is none. He has not been charged with anything. There is no single person we can call to ask them to drop the charges. Tactics that might work in each of our home countries can not apply just now. He has a court date on 4-17-04. Two of the family members will go with the lawyer. We are hopeful that he will be released following his hearing, but we are equally fearful that they will give him Administrative Detention which means he will be stolen from his family for at least 6 months. As I said above, he is the head of his household. He works for the food and the items needed to keep the house running. I visit his family often and many things that used to dawn the home are not being replaced: burnt out light bulbs for the bathroom, toilet paper, tea, coffee, dish soap and other items. His family (brothers) needs him to come home.

What ran through my mind when given this news is the fate of the other 5 men. Especially for those in Petah Tikva. I also thought of all the men who have been taken before these 6 and those who will follow. What is happening here is criminal. Criminal on the part of the state of Israel. The men in Keddumim have been in this detention center since the 24^th of March and have STILL not been questioned. As for the men in Petah Tikva, we have no information. Imagine being a member of one of the family members. Waiting, waiting. While I greatly admire the patience of the Palestinian people, at times I wonder if the patience here is to a fault. Then, of course, I realize that the stakes here for resisting are much higher and the consequences are more difficult to endure than those I am familiar with back home.

We will continue to make visits to the family and to get and give as much information as we can. At one point, it is clear that we may have to surrender to the fact that these 6 men will be gone for longer periods of time than we imagine now. For now, there is a thread of hope. It is with your phone calls and emails that allow for this hope to stay alive. I cannot pretend to know what I am doing. This is like nothing I have ever experienced before. And, of course, I welcome any suggestions as to how we can respond.

At 2 am Wednesday morning as many as 50- 60 Israeli soldiers entered the West Bank village of Jayyous, where they raided homes, hit villagers with their weapons and arrested six men. Witnesses reported there were more than 50-60 soldiers in the village. They ransacked the homes of six families and stole all of the family members' cell phones, and in one case, papers and photographs. A family member of one of the arrested men said, “They came in and treated us like animals.” The Israeli soldiers claimed they were “looking for weapons.” NONE WERE FOUND.

At least 40 soldiers entered the Salim home. Family members were blindfolded and handcuffed. This home was searched three times by different groups of soldiers. One of the family members was hit with the end of an M16 rifle held by an IOF member and he was forced and held to

the ground for inquiring as to why they had entered his home. They then arrested the eldest brother, Haitham Saleem, after three and a half hours, taking their cell phones and that of a visiting cousin in the home.

Haitham is a 34 year old shopkeeper who is not involved in any political activity. He has a heart condition and it is vital that he take medication.

After entering this home, the soldiers went to the house directly next to the Salim family home, ransacking the home and forcing all the women and children out into the streets at 2:30 AM. No one was arrested from this home.

The soldiers (approximately 16) then went to the home of Wajdi Musleh. After breaking in and tearing through the house, the soldiers forced all of the women and children into one room, and pulled aside an elder in his 70's blindfolding and handcuffing him. They then forced him to kneel and hit him. At noe time did the IOF ever explain why they were coming into the homes. The parents bed was destroyed in this process.

They then forced 21 year old Wajdi into the courtyard and arrested him. Another group of soldiers then went to the home of Adam and Ziad Harami.

They used some sort of bomb to open the front door of the home of Adam and Ziad Harami. After ransacking this home, they told the whole family, “If you do not give us all of your phones we will damage your whole house.”

One of the doors leading into a room was broken open and is not inoperarable. They arrested Adam Harami, a 20 year old student at Al Najah University in Nablus and Ziad Harami, a 25 year old barber from the vilalge of Jayyous.

The soldiers then tore through the homes of Shadi Towfiq Mahmoud Saleem and Abdel Rahim, damaging many items in the homes. They arrested Shadi, a 21 year old computer student at the Arab American University in Jenin.

The soldiers damaged the front door when entering the home of Ahmed Mohammed Towfiq Yousef Khaled. They 'searched' the home and stole pictures of the family. They arrested Ahmed, a 21 year old Economics student at Al Najah University in Nablus.

(Within 48 hours we will know where these men have been taken....and will follow with additional phone numbers)

When you call, tell them WHERE you are calling from. We need to show them that THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING and they can not get away with this! For any questions, please contact Tracie De Angelis +972.66.416.132 or

:: Speech of Uri Avnery, on behalf of Gush Shalom, at joint Israeli-Palestinian mass demonstration against the Wall, Abu Dis, February 07, 2004 (Translated from Hebrew) ::

We stand here, in the shadow of the monster, and call to the Israeli public:

We stand in the shadow of the monster – the monster that kills peace, the monster that kills co-existence, the monster that kills security, the monster that kills Jerusalem and the whole country.

WE build a bridge between the two people, a bridge of peace, a bridge of togetherness.

YOU speak about security but think about war, a war without end, a war in which yet unborn Israelis and Palestinians will kill each other.

WE work for peace between the two people of this country, a peace that will give security to all of us, Israelis and Palestinians, to this generation and generations to come.

Here, in East Jerusalem, the capital of the future State of Palestine, we declare:

The government of the settlers, by the settlers and for the settlers, will fall!

Together, only together, Israelis and Palestinians, Palestinians and Israelis, we shall bring peace to the whole country and to the city of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel and the capital of Palestine!

Two states, two capitals, without walls, without fences – one common future for all of us!

The Palestinians like all people over the world get used to hear the Israeli announcements that justify all the military and economic actions inside Palestine for security reasons and to protect the life of the citizen of Israel. It becomes a habit that when Israel don not find convincing justifications even to its people, used to use such security reasons. So that, we began to hear such misleading causes when no proves are available, and when they do such strong violation to international law or humanitarian conventions and customs. Israel uses such security allegation in a try to hide the real intentions to build the wall.

After 1967 war and the occupation of West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israel, immediately, Israel declared a series of military orders as the occupier country. These military decisions actually aimed to control all aspects of life the Palestinians could do, and including the economical and civil issues. These decisions were never stopped during the past decades, and used to confiscate more land and resources. In fact, Israel Government (IG) does not treat with Palestinians as an occupier country, in opposite (IG) violated in most of actions Geneva Conventions. (IG) used free hand to utilize and move all natural resources from inside the West bank to inside Israel. In addition, (IG) confiscated personal properties, and seized public ownership. As example the building of the wall inside the West Bank.

Like all military decisions, those concerned with land confiscations, (IG) announced they would build this wall for security reasons, and as expected, all claims the Palestinians raised to protest against these orders; unfortunately, all were rejected without one plea. In similar way, (IG) was able to build hundreds of settlements and camps during the past decades inside the west Bank. What recognizes the wall from previous land confiscations that results in a new Nakba for more than 2 millions of the Palestinians. So that more than half million of the Palestinians will loose their source of living, and about 58% of the West Bank will end under the wall or isolated behind it. These figures are actually miserable at all levels particularly the economical and demographic ones. This will result in crippling of economy, and execution to all other vital sectors. The wall is going to isolate most of irrigated and fertile land; meanwhile, about 95% of water resources will end under Israel direct use or control. This means that about 80% of agricultural products from the West Bank will also be isolated. Moreover, 90% of the settlements will be annexed.

(IG) is destroying all possibilities to build an independent Palestinian State or economy, and or being able to live. (IG) is doing that because of:

1- To control over all natural resources and specially water resources. (IG) makes it self as absolute owner and governor over land and non-argued ruler. Palestinians were not allowed to use or develop their own resources, but very limited amounts of these resources and with a permit issued by the Israeli authorities. The previous land confiscations and the routs of the wall match with the map of water resources and irrigated agricultural areas. In such a way, (IG) is going to attack the main column of Palestinian economy. Agricultural sector creates annually millions of sustainable jobs at a time lacks one opportunity for more than 60% of the Palestinians. In this way, (IG) will make the Palestinian market dependent instead of being a competent. This will also let tenths of thousands of cheap laborers search for jobs inside the working market in Israel. The great loss in this is not only has economical impact but also this sector represents the historical relation between the Palestinian and his land. Then what will happen when this relation ends as looking to see the land from the windows of the house he lives in, or by the stories and sad breathes when he start talking on his land?!. No doubt, this is a dangerous change in the culture of the Palestinian society. On the long term, (IG) looks to add the problem of these people to the unsolved refugee problem. Actually, the last announcement in which (IG) aims to do separation from one side is no more than killing the last hope to create an independent state, and tries to change the whole issue of struggle to be on one side, and to change the Palestinian cause to a humanitarian case and (IG) out of that cause!.

2- (IG) is afraid for it self by the future color, because it made the past as red as blood, and the present as dark they could not see future. (IG) made it self through it military strategy, if not in war to be prepared for the coming war. This type of thinking makes (IG) feel all time that it is a target according to the understating “the one who is not supporting me is against me”. (IG) tried to win in all rounds, to keep controlling and ready to defeat any challenges. This point of action- has let (IG) to see all its neighbors’ as enemies and must defeat them and let them surrender and beg for reconciliation. Therefore, (IG) was kept as source of conflict and tension in the area. This situation let to market much false expressions on Arab and Islam, eventually, appeared the extremist radical groups to stop or defeat Israel. In fact, (IG) has been get use of all the regional and international circumstances and played will on the tones of anti-Semitic and especially on the last clip fighting terror.

(IG) succeed in making the balance of power to their side, and was able with support of backing forces to force many countries to ask for peace to avoid direct confrontation with the super power. This situation led to exhaust all the capabilities of the region, and crippled the socio-economic development these countries wish to have. These countries were pulled to build a massive weapon balance strategy, and on the account of people properties. In all cases, the Palestinian people were the first victims, and (IG) continued to confiscate more land and create new victims. However, this power and control by force never achieved security or stability for Israel. “The one who grows thorns never harvest flowers”. Instead of using the available power to build stable social policy and to focus on economical and cultural integration within the entire countries, (IG) replaced all that with war and conflict and separation between people. Israel had the opportunity as being a country respected by neighbors, and looking to make real peace with, unfortunately, (IG) replaced that with serious enmity and endless cycles of violence. Israel is afraid from future, (IG) is afraid to harvest more blood, therefore (IG) try to control future with its strong army, and in many occasions (IG) said, “The strong army will make peace and insure security”. These words are normally repeated as the only option to repress future, while security and terror are synonymous to fear and the unknown future. Israel is escaping from it self and afraid to face its people with this fact, what they achieved for the coming generations? And what they are leaving to them? They can make sure of one thing, such strategy can lead to more violence in future, and does that what they wish or does that mean success even? (IG) was able to win many wars battles, but, did that achieve security or peace? There is too much doubt of this type of inherit they leave to the coming generations. (IG) confiscates land, make hundreds of thousands of people hungry, destroys thousands of buildings, uprooted tress in millions creates new generations wounded, so it put self in the heart of war and less opportunity for peace and stability. This is exactly what this wall would result in. The mutual recognition of rights will make peace and with dialogue, communication, and coexistence we will build a future based on respect, and through the strengthening of humane values, we achieve security and safety.

3- To satisfy the ambitions of leaders for expanding and control and to be part of the countries who make the policy of the whole region in the Middle East. Israel was existed and living according to a complicated political formula. They are many countries of the Middle East will continue to be under the desires of the supper countries because of oil importance. The strategy is to make any political, social, or economical changes in the Middle East, must remain under control of these powers. However, this area is unstable in any of these directions, and most of its countries are passing the period after liberation of occupation. This particular view toward the area devoted more deterioration and let many countries primitive. This also allowed for many dictatorship regimes to control and role these countries, which fully subservient to the wishes of leading powers. Israel was existed and working under such policy, and is considered as the key to keep this formula functioning as planned. However, the powers that put this strategy do not concern actually to solve the real problem of Israel people, even this policy works in harmony with the policy of the governments of Israel.

Propel of Israel live the status of their government, and according to the development of the local and regional circumstances. The most prove is the dramatic changes between the right and left parties in the past three years. This actually reflects the unstable look the citizens of Israel have toward peace and stability causes, and where they should encourage to support or vote to whom. Therefore, it is not difficult for the government of Israel to pull the mainstream in Israel to agree with this policy under the pressure of threat and fear. This also proves the insisting of the existing government to continue to work toward instability, because these are the perfect times to achieve the maximum benefits. Unstable situation and the status of war are fit to grow the interests and business and win more support locally and from outside. Therefore, the Israeli people are actually victims of such policy, and have no other choices but to follow blindly their government. This is also a result of three decades of feeding people mentality and culture to be under threat and fear, and the only choice is to agglomerate around these governments and leadership. This actually in most of times is fabricated and misleading.

The government of Israel moves and tactics with green light and almost has free hand in the absence of local recognitions and by the unlimited external support. Nevertheless, (IG) in many cases goes beyond the limitation and work over the red lines because in that situation they achieve the maximum benefits, and later they can do convincing. (IG) is not worried on all violations it causes, and will add them to the long list of violations; however, this never paid or put on account. So all destruction the wall made, and those hundreds of thousands of the new refugees will be added to the long list of refugees. (IG) will try to convince the world that the wall is for security, and aims to end the conflict, and to make secure peace for both nations. Meanwhile (IG) knows that the objection to build the wall is similar to the case when they started building the settlements, and after a while, this question will become under negotiations and they fit to play negotiations. We are afraid this jock will be a de facto and the Palestinians have to sacrifice under pressure, and political isolation to accept the (IG) offer to make peace.

The Palestinian people are the victims of this policy and on the long run the Israeli people as well, unless they can wake up. Outside Israel and Palestine all the world is happy and feels sorry for us, this means, let us take out the thorns of our hands and make our common future. More than enough for retaliation, revenge and blood, more than enough stories and resolutions, more than enough of deceit and misleading. The Palestinian people have been struggling and sacrificing to liberate their land, and to achieve freedom and build democratic society and live in peace and never be initiating for violence or enmity for any country. The Israeli people are willing for security and quite life; this can only be achieved when the Palestinians build strong independent state and fully recognize Israel as a state and good neighbor, and this option is in the hands of (IG) and the backing countries

The other option is that, (IG) will continue to build more cantons and walls, but they are building it on themselves also. This wall is only part of long chain Israel tightening it around the region including it self. This wall is a physical implementation of the idea of separation, but the cultural separation was stated since the first moment of occupation. History and experience by other nations taught us the failure of such thought and policies, then why the Israeli government insists to repeat such fault. Why the Israeli people do not push back all these chains and restriction, and tear down walls and look free to see their neighbors also free. Why they make the enemy and work hard to defeat it? Why they do not see the Palestinians and the Arabs around have sacrificed with the maximum they can do for peace. We wish peace for all nations, but we hate to commit all these crimes on human rights, values, and principals and in the name to make peace and security for people of Israel.

Living Amongst Angels without Wings – angels without wings in the heart of sufferings

Collective punishment of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories is not new. In one form or another since the beginning of the first intifada, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have used means such as house demolitions, restriction on freedom of movement, restriction on movement of goods and the denial of the right to work, health and education. It seems yet another manifestation of the 55-year-old occupation is emerging: Clipping the wings of angels. Angels without wings cannot fly. People dream to fly, to travel and to see the world. This is natural. It is what is expected out of human nature because we are curious creatures The people of Palestine, in recent years, have further been oppressed by the denial of requests to leave Palestine. Requests to travel can be denied without any explanation. I would like to write this story in support of four of my friends who have recently been denied this right to travel and why I feel this is a good example of the use of collective punishment. You may want to know how I call these people my friends. I will tell you our story I have been living amongst the people in a small village in the West Bank. The village is called Jayyous. I have been here for 5 months and have experienced grace and beauty in ways that I was only previously able to imagine. Day by day, I become more and more enamored through my experiences in the village. I invite you to imagine. It is helpful to picture the children. Everyday as I walk from my home to the market, the Internet or to my work, I am greeted numerous times by smiling, delightful children, all ready to shake my hand and say hello. They have hope; their eyes carry light. In addition to the children of the village, I watch how the older generations relate to and care for their land. Jayyous is a farming village, hence, the land, with the citrus, olive trees and greenhouses are an extension of their families. And the land is treated as such; that is, when they can get to it. A newly imposed permit system by the Israeli Occupation Forces does not allow regular, guaranteed access for the farmers of Jayyous As I begin to build trust within this community, it us becoming more common for the villagers to share their sad stories with me. And, there are many. Every day my heart breaks th

Average Delay	Morning	Evening
14.11.03-10.12.03	29 mins	22 mins
11.12.03-6.1.04	38 mins	26 mins
7.1.04-31.1.04	47 mins	38 mins
Entire period (14.11.03-31.1.04)	36 mins	28 mins
Longest recorded delay	160 mins	180 mins

Checking time	Morning	Evening
Average for entire period/per person	40 seconds	46 seconds

Opening times	Morning	Evening
Gate not open during official opening time	71%	69%
Open for all the official opening times	0%	0%
Gate not open	once	once

Number of people*1	Morning	Evening
Average number going through gate	36	30
Aggregate waiting time (person waiting hrs) *2	21 hrs 36 mins per day	14 hours per day

A Profile of Jayyous

Average Delay

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Entire period (14.11.03-31.1.04)

Checking time

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Opening times

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Number of people*1

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Living Amongst Angels without Wings – angels without wings in the heart of sufferings