Ten Reasons that Havot Ma'on Outpost and Ma'on Settlement Have Got to Go

I've been trying to figure out what to say about the last ten days in Tuwani. It's hard to summarize what's been going on over here. There's just too much to say. It's springtime which means that Palestinians are working their land more and more and the weather's pleasant, so Israeli settlers don't mind coming out to harass them. Every day it's a struggle. Grazing sheep is risky. Harvesting crops is risking. Walking home through the hills is risky. Palestinians are even attacked in their own homes.

And this is intolerable. This situation is immoral, and it's illegal too. But the law isn't really the point here. The point is a simple one. We, as human beings, all of us deserve to live in safety and security and we should have the ability to shape our future. There is only one way that Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills are going to have that freedom - Havot Ma'on and Ma'on must be dismantled.

So, over the next few days, I'm going to give you ten reasons why Ma'on and Havot Ma'on have got to go, and should have gone yesterday. In no particular order, here's your first reason:

Reason one: As long as Havot Ma'on and Ma'on remain, school children from Tuba and Mayger Al Abeed can't get to school in a safe and timely fashion.

A Palestinian child injured by Israeli settlers last year (CPT photo)

Adult settlers continue to harass, attack and beat 6-12 year old Palestinian children going to and from school in Tuwani. The Israeli army has proven, time and time again, that they are not willing to ensure the safety of these children. The army is supposed to escort these children to and from school, but for the last year, they haven't been abandoning the children for a third of the appointed escort. These leaves the children alone while they are still in danger. And the children are still being attacked in this area.

IMEMC (say that five times fast) published a great article about the way that the Israeli army has been failing to ensure the safety the school kids military escort. Read it. And I challenge you to post on your blog or send email to your friends or write to your newspaper and political reps and tell them that you know that this is happening. And that you know the only way that's it's ever going to stop if the Israeli government demolished Ma'on and Havot Ma'on.

And while you're at it, write the Israeli Army and tell them that they've got to escort these children properly. That's a band-aid, for sure, but it's a very important one.

There's reason number one. Nine more coming at you.

Full account of the incident: Israeli settlers attack Palestinian shepherds, kill donkey, injure internationals




On 15 November 2008, around 9:00 a.m., approximately fifteen masked Israeli settlers from the illegal outpost of Havat Ma'on attacked three Palestinian shepherds who were grazing their flocks in a valley south of the outpost. The settlers came running down from a ridge above the shepherds, hurling rocks. The shepherds were able to get their flocks away before the rocks injured them.

During the incident, the settlers were able to steal two of the shepherds' donkeys. The settlers killed one donkey with a knife wound in the chest area. They slashed another across the throat, but the donkey survived.

Settlers also hit two internationals from Christian Peacemaker Teams—who were accompanying the shepherds—with large rocks. One CPTer sustained minor injuries.

The Israeli police were called four times before responding to the incident. They did not initially respond to reports of settlers attacking Palestinian shepherds and internationals, but only responded when they learned of the attack on the donkeys.

The assault occurred on land the shepherds graze daily and which the settlers hope to take for the expansion of Havat Ma’on. Replacing the donkey will cost around 1000 NIS, or $265. The Israeli occupation has impoverished the shepherds of the area, and they are currently dependent on outside food aid.

For additional photos, see http://cpt.org/gallery/Settlers-Kill-Donkey.