CPTnet
29 May 2009
AT-TUWANI BLOG: Running for their lives

by Sam Nichols

[Note: the following blog entry by Sam Nichols has been edited for length.  People wishing to see the original may go to http://samuelnichols.blogspot.com/2009/04/running-for-your-lives.html]

A panting child arrives at our door, trying to explain what has happened.  Because of the language barrier, I struggle to gather the gist of the story.  I understand the settlers have done something to the sheep, so we grab our cameras and head out the door.  While walking, I continue to get the details of what has happened.

It's not a new story—something similar happens every week in this village—but it still grips you with the force of something novel.  Masked settlers had come charging out of the bushes.  Running towards the Palestinian shepherds and sheep, they smacked the sheep with large sticks and threw large stones at the sheep.  The Palestinians, two brothers in elementary school, literally ran for their lives.

A few weeks ago, settlers captured these two boys, took them into the confines of the settlement, and beat them with fists and sticks.  (See http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2009/04/05/tuwani-masked-settlers-beat-three-palestinian-children-shoot-palestinian-shepherds.)

As I continued to stand with the boys, getting the details of the current events, they pointed towards the settlement and exclaimed, “Look, the settlers are in the trees, it's the same settlers.”  As I turned with my camera and zoomed to get the faces of the settlers, they moved behind a tree.  This scenario played out another six times.  The young Palestinian, Ahmed, said, “They think this is a game; those settlers are dogs.”

As the sheep started to meander towards greener grass, Ahmed stopped dead in his tracks and his expression became one of utmost fear.  I turned and saw two settlers coming out of the settlement, running towards us.  Ahmed began screaming at the sheep, slapping them on their backsides, urging the sheep to run away.  My heart pounded as I struggled to focus the camera while staying between the settlers and the sheep and also backpedaling to distance myself from the settlers projected path.

Then I notice they are wearing shorts.  That strikes me as unusual for Orthodox Jews.  But they are still running.  My heart is still pounding.  And Ahmed is still screaming.

As the settlers approach the main road, they turn, away from us, and continue along the paved road.  
In fact, they are just out for a late afternoon jog, some cardiovascular exercise.  They aren't even aware that we are here.

I hate this.  I hate that I end up videotaping people going out for a jog.

Yet, because of the daily violence, fear, and intimidation, these Palestinians are afraid of anyone who comes out of that settlement.  They are afraid of anyone jogging.  They are afraid of anyone with seemingly Jewish religious dress.  They are afraid of anyone who appears to be Anglo.

And they have every right to be afraid of people who fit this description.