The Israeli government has accelerated the demolition of Palestinian homes and
confiscation of Palestinian land since the signing of the Wye Accords. CPT
iscalling on the North American churches to turn their spiritual resources
toward ending the ongoing devastation that will make true peace in the Middle
East impossible.

As part of CPT's "Tent for Lent" campaign, we will be posting articles,
litanies and reflection pieces regarding the demolitions on CPTnet through
Good Friday. Those interested in receiving a "Tent for Lent" worship packet
(designed as a series of bulletin inserts) SHOULD _NOT_ HIT "REPLY" TO THIS
POSTING. Rather, they should contact the Chicago office
[CPT [at] igc [dot] org/ CPT P. O. Box 6508 Chicago, IL 60680 tel:312-455-1199 FAX
312-666-2677 .]

PROTESTING LAND CONFISCATION
Art Gish and Michael Goode
March 4, l999

On the morning of March 4th we (CPTers Jamey Bouwmeester, Pierre Shantz, Mark
Frey, Michael Goode and Art Gish) went with Abed el Hadi Hantash of the Land
Defense Committee to land north of Hebron, just outside the settlement of
Karme Tzur.

Settlers recently bulldozed a road around the settlement. The new road is 500
to 800 feet below the existing boundary of the settlement. The settlers put
in electric poles along the new road. This is a first step in confiscating
the land.

We heard that the Palestinian farmers have been protesting this illegal
intrusion onto their land. We had also heard that the Israeli military had
promised them that the poles would be removed by today.

We went there this morning to accompany the farmers. When we arrived there
was a large group of about 30 Palestinians arguing with military authorities.
The soldiers said that they needed to get a ruling from the court to remove
the poles.

While the argument was going on, we realized that down the hill a group of
elderly Palestinian women and a few men had begun digging out and sawing off
the poles. We joined them. Soon the soldiers discovered what was happening.
They fired a warning shot over our heads. Pierre yelled to the soldiers,
asking them, "Are you going to shoot into an unarmed crowd?"

What follows are Michael Goode's and Art Gish's personal reactions to the
event.

GISH
Now I know. It took all afternoon to realize how scared I really was this
morning. I was concentrating so much on the first pole I became unaware of
what was going on around me. I will never forget the first shot. I knew
immediately it was a live round coming out of a machine gun. Panic and
confusion set in. Although I didn't see where the soldier aimed the gun, I
was sure he was aiming at us.

I whirled around to see if anyone was hit. It took a few seconds to get my
bearings, but I finally realized what had actually happened. I walked
alongside Pierre Shantz as he yelled at the soldier for firing the weapon.
He answered that he was going to do what he had to do. I saw the soldier
kneel down and take direct aim.

GOODE:
The action continued. Then the soldiers started firing tear gas
canisters at us. My eyes and lungs began to burn. We moved just a short
distance away from the tear gas.

GISH:
I don't remember seeing the soldier stand up or raise his weapon to the sky,
but I do remember the hollow thud of a tear gas canister being launched and
watching the canister slowly streak across the sky in a long arch with a
white
trail of smoke behind it. Believe it or not, I felt relief. It was only
tear gas.

They fired several canisters of tear gas. Then nothing happened. A window
opened that allowed several Palestinians to resume work on the pole. Pierre
and I joined them. Watching the pole topple to the ground exhilarated me.
The victory was short lived as I watched arcs of white smoke rain down over
our heads. The now familiar burning sensation in my eyes and lungs started.
I ran to get away to keep from choking.

GOODE:
The soldiers came to us and told us we had to leave the area. At first we
ignored them. The Palestinian women continued their resistance by rolling
rocks onto the settler road in order to block the way to any military
vehicles. They also started to saw off another pole.

GISH:
I confronted a number of the soldiers as they were trying to remove us. I
asked why they were trespassing on Palestinian land, and told them that I will
leave if the Palestinians ask me to. I asked why they are protecting the
settlers who have done the stealing.

In a very tense moment, one soldier angrily said "bullshit". I informed him
that I am an organic farmer, that I value bullshit very highly.

As about 10 soldiers nudged us on, we walked up the long road to our car as
slowly as possible. I told the soldiers about my work in the Civil Rights
Movement. We began to sing "We Shall Overcome," and improvised a new verse:
"We shall live in peace, Jews and Arabs together."