CPTnet
11 March 2005

AT-TUWANI: Israeli military commander threatens At Tuwani shepherds

by Kim Lamberty

While accompanying Palestinian shepherds from At Tuwani grazing their sheep
near the Israeli outpost settlement of Avigail, Christian Peacemaker Team
member Kim Lamberty and two members of Operation Dove witnessed an Israeli
military Humvee drive up to the shepherds. The soldiers in the vehicle wore
scarves over their faces and goggles. Upon getting out, all the soldiers
uncovered their faces, except for the commander. He remained unidentifiable
and told the shepherds that if they grazed their sheep near the Israeli
settlements of Ma'on or Avigail that he would come into their village in the
middle of the night and shoot them and their sheep.

Now that internationals are available to accompany Palestinian shepherds
from At-Tuwani and the surrounding villages, they have begun grazing their
flocks in this area. They had not used the land near the settlements for
the last four years because of repeated threats by Israeli settlers. The
shepherds have chosen to nonviolently oppose these settler and military
threats by herding their sheep as a group. They are slowly, day by day,
reclaiming their traditional grazing lands.

After threatening the shepherds, the Israeli soldiers returned to their
vehicle and drove off across the hills. A few moments later the Humvee
crashed into some rocks. Operation Dove volunteers hiked to the scene of
the accident to offer assistance. Two of the soldiers were taken away in
an ambulance with what appeared to be minor injuries.