CPTnet
21 December 2005

HEBRON: Say it with a home invasion

by Rich Meyer

On the evening of 11 December there was a loud banging on our door. Six
Israeli soldiers in full battle gear, flak jackets and field radios demanded
to come in to search our home. John Lynes held the door half-shut, and told
the soldiers that they could come in if they left their guns outside. I told
them that it is our organization's policy not to allow guns into our houses.

At the top of the stairs, the soldiers said they wanted us all in one room,
and one of us to come with them to search. We did not comply, and one
soldier began a cursory search. I asked, "What are you searching for?"

"Guns."

I said, "We've been here ten years, completely committed to nonviolence, we
have no guns and you know it. Where is your order for this search?"

"We don't need an order; we are the army."

I responded, "That's not right, in a disciplined army there is
accountability for actions, you need an order."

"You disturbed us in that house yesterday."

Oh. Rewind.

Yesterday morning at 8:45 a Palestinian child came to our door, and told us
that there were Israeli soldiers in a neighbor's home.

Kristin Anderson and Diane Janzen went over, and walked in with the video
camera running. They found Israeli soldiers lying around the living room,
eating candy bars, helmets off. The Palestinian family was confined to one
room. Clothes had been pulled out of cupboards.

"Why are you in these people's house?" asked Kristin. "Why are you keeping
them in that room? Why are you pulling their things out of the cupboard?

"We don't have to explain it to you."

Four minutes after Kristin and Diane walked in, the soldiers left. As the
last soldier left, he returned the ID of the fifteen-year-old son.

Oh. Rewind.

Sixteen days ago we were at a stand-off at the checkpoint where the Israeli
soldiers are now trying to force students and teachers to go through a
trailer with metal detectors on their way to school. During the pushing and
shoving the Israeli soldiers pulled two boys out and arrested them. One was
our neighbor's son. He was held in an Israeli military jail until two days
ago, when his father paid 5,000 shekels (US$ 1100).

What message were the Israeli soldiers trying to send the neighbor boy and
his family yesterday morning? What message were the Israeli soldiers trying
to send us this evening?

Say it with a home invasion.

(Update 12 December: 6:50 a.m. to 7:50 a.m. the same group of Israeli
soldiers occupied the home of another Palestinian family in the old city,
the family again confined to one room. For that hour, the soldiers hung an
Israeli flag from the awning of the adjacent shop and told the shop owner
they would seal his shop if he removed the flag. The soldiers took the flag
with them when they left.)