Another two nights in Susya

I just came back from Susya, where we spent the last two nights. The village is still under threat of demolition, but people continue living their lives as normal... although the situation is anything but.

There have been some positive developments.

Media and visitors keep coming, and the story is getting out. On Friday this week, some five hundred Palestinians, Israelis and internationals protested on the road leading into the village, against the planned demolition. There has also been a lack of settler violence during the past few weeks, although some speculate this may be due to an effort by the settlers to avoid negative attention in the run-up to the planned demolition.

The Army will be having a meeting with some of the villagers today in the evening.

Earlier, they tried making a "deal" with them, offering that if the villagers completely move out of the area they will be allowed to come daily, to graze their flocks and harvest their vegetables. The villagers turned it down. They were forced out of their homes, on their own land, several times already in the past. Now, under this new "deal", they would leave it altogether. The settlers in Susya are using political pressure of their own, to have the Army move the Palestinian villagers off the land completely. A settler non-governmental organization, the Regavim, is doing everything possible to have the village destroyed. Given that on the remaining land that the villagers have left there are olive trees, many people fear that the settlers would take it over completely. If this were to happen, it wouldn't set a precedent.

There are more and more people who are starting to feel that with the massive international pressure, the attack may be averted.

However, there is no way to know for sure. Amidst the uncertainty, life goes on.

A view of the landscape on the road to Susya, through the front window of Mahmud's car.

Some of the farm animals in Susya.

A small boy near a tent.

Muhammad (who also goes by Mahmudi) gathering straw for the goats and sheep.

He then shows us how it's possible to hold a turkey.

Israeli Jewish activists in Susya village, showing yet another group of delegates around, to continue the awareness raising and resulting pressure on the Israeli government.

The day these activists came (July 26) is also a special time in the Jewish calendar: Tish'A B'Av. On July 25 and 26, many Jewish people commemorate the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Many fast on this day.

Rabbis for Human Rights, in addition to fasting, decided to spend these days by visiting and raising awareness about the situation of Palestinian villages which are facing demolition across the West Bank.

A Palestinian family in Susya.

Some members of the youth wing of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, who came to visit Susya and other parts of the West Bank, in order to get a better understanding of the situation. They will aso be calling on their government back in Sweden to pressure the government of Israel to not go through with the demolition.

Some of the kids from Susya, playing on the play structure near the entrance to the village.

Rabih (wearing the orange hat) and her daughter Nagam, a mother-daughter shepherding team. In Susya, both men and women, as well as children, herd sheep and goats.

Attacks by settlers are nothing new in Susya. Rabih faced such violence herself, when one day an Israeli settler hit her in the face with a club and knocked out one of her teeth.

Nagam, Rabih's daughter.

A sheepdog, on duty.

Cody, a very good friend, who is in CPT. He works full-time in Hebron, and has a sense of humour, coupled with colourful language, that makes it fun to work with him in all situations.

A snapshot of Yatta.