CPTnet
15 May 2007
AT-TUWANI BLOG: Soldier to Heidi: "You are right."

NOTE: The following blog entries by CPTer Heidi Schramm have been edited
for length. To see her original entries and accompanying photos go to
http://heidischramm.livejournal.com]

30th March 2007

Sixty Palestinians from Tuwani and nearby villages participated in the
area's first nonviolence training today. I sat in on the women's training.
I didn't understand all of it (it was in Arabic) but I was able to get the
general idea. Each woman had countless stories to share about facing
violence from Israelis and the difficulty of responding in a different way.
I talked with the trainers afterwards, and they were very pleased with the
questions the women asked and the commitments they made and/or renewed. The
trainers are Palestinians from Yatta and Hebron, so they can connect in a
way internationals never could.

7th April 2007

Today near Tuwani, there was a huge grazing action next to the Avigail
outpost, which hadn't been used since the establishment of the outpost in
2001. About twenty shepherds from all over brought their sheep.

The settlers came down into the valley, screaming, kicking the sheep and
shouting on their cell phones for the police to come. The police arrived and
said the Palestinians could stay. Most of the settlers furiously returned
to the outpost, but a few stayed, sitting amongst the herds, pouting and
making threats. One promised a Palestinian as he was leaving that if he
returns tomorrow without all his friends (the Israeli and international
activists), he will be killed. The shepherds all seem resolved to return
tomorrow anyway.

8th April 2007

We all went back to Avigail today, and, despite yesterday's threats, no one
was killed. Gedalia, the security guard from Ma'on, came out in the morning
with a soldier and told the Palestinians they had to leave. One Palestinian
shepherd called the DCO, who arrived with a map and told him the
Palestinians could be anywhere on the hill on the eastern side of the
valley, in the valley itself, and halfway up the hill to the west, where
Avigail is located.

Gedalia, enraged by the fact that the officer did not follow his orders,
instead started an argument with J. He said, "You are from Tuwani. Why are
you here?" J said, "Yes, I am from At-Tuwani, Palestine. I am now here,
also in Palestine. Why are you here, in Palestine, Gedalia?" Gedalia then
told him to move to Saudi Arabia and stormed away.

Also, on this Easter Sunday, a new lamb was born out in the fields. It
couldn't have been more perfect.

9th April 2007

In the morning, I saw Gedalia arrive at the outpost, and a few minutes
later, a jeep of soldiers arrived. Two soldiers came down to tell us we had
to leave. I explained that Hamoudi, from the DCO, was here yesterday and
told him about the map. He started talking on his phone and I could hear
the unmistakable voice of Gedalia on the other end. The soldier told me
that he was receiving orders to move the Palestinians off the land, as it
belongs to the settlers. I asked him if these orders were coming from
Gedalia, and he actually admitted that they were. I told him again about
the DCO visit and asked him to call Hamoudi.

When he got off the phone, he looked at me and said, "You are right. They
can stay." That may be the first time an Israeli soldier has spoken those
words to a CPTer. I was lost in a haze of bliss for at least an hour.