CPTnet
27 January 2007
AT-TUWANI: Coming together in Susiya

By Art Gish

On Saturday, 13 January 2007, 200 Israelis along with 200 Palestinians
gathered in the Palestinian village of Susiya, in the South Hebron hills,
for a day of solidarity.

In 1985, the Israeli military demolished every dwelling in the old village
of Susiya, and evacuated its 1,000 inhabitants. Some of the people returned
and now live in tents on their land about a half-mile from the original
village. The Israeli military has not permitted the villagers to build any
permanent structures. They support themselves with their flocks of sheep.

The Israeli military now wants to demolish the villagers' tents and evict
the villagers who stand in the way of the expansion of the Israeli Susya
settlement. Organizers of the meeting wanted to build support for the the
people of Susiya, whose case the Israeli High Court will hear on 29 January

The assembly included speeches by both Israelis and Palestinians, covering
recent history of the area, the effects of the nearby Susya settlement on
the people of Susiya, and the court case. One Israeli speaker said he
dreams of a peace between Palestinians and Israelis that does not need to be
defended by weapons. "Beat those weapons of war into agricultural
implements," he said. A Palestinian speaker quoted the prophet Mohammad as
saying, "God did not create you to be enemies."

The day concluded with participants taking a walking tour of the area,
viewing the ancient Susiya village and seeing the ruins of demolished caves
and homes. The assembly also got a view of the village land confiscated by
the Susya settlement, and the settlement on the next hilltop to the south.