CPTnet
3 February 2005
AT-TUWANI REFLECTION: Bulldozers and bumpy roads
by Art Gish
On 31 January, the bulldozer left the village of At-Tuwani in the South
Hebron Hills. It had been sitting there since 1 January. With a grant from
the British group, Environmental Resource Management, local leaders had
hired the bulldozer to improve the almost impassible road to Jinba, a
village about four miles south of At-Tuwani.
On New Year's Day, Israeli soldiers and police ordered the work to stop,
even though the villagers had a letter from the military approving the
roadwork. The police temporarily arrested the owner of the bulldozer.
The bulldozer's departure indicates that, at least temporarily, the people
of At-Tuwani have given up hope for improving their road at this time.
A week ago, I went with some Palestinian friends to visit their extended
family. After spending time with one family, my Palestinian friends and I
wanted to go to another house about a half mile away. But the Israeli
military had closed that road, so we drove about five miles, a long way
around the area on bumpy roads to get there.
The road back to At-Tuwani was even worse. What could have been a five
minute drive on the Israeli settler road was instead a half hour drive on
bumpy, rocky, pot-holed roads. We were going no more than five miles an
hour.
At every road along the way that could lead to the good Israeli road, I
joked with my friends, telling them to turn left. They kept telling me,
"No, that road is mamnuah (forbidden)." When we finally got to a better
section of the road, I insisted that they stop, "because Palestinians are
not permitted to drive on good roads." They laughed as we continued on our
way.
Palestinians giving up hope for better roads was another victory for racism.
They will continue to use the rocky road to Jinba. But the
story is not finished: God also feels each painful bump along the way.
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