2) Report from battered Olive Harveser in Yanoun
Yanoun Village in Israeli-occupied Palestine, Sunday, October 27, 2002
At 8 o'clock on a sunny morning a small group of internationals from ISM and
other peace organizations accompanied members of a few local Palestinian
families as they went into the nearby fields to harvest their olives.
Because this village has been under continuous attack from residents of the
illegal Itamar Settlement, these farmers don't dare to harvest from any
trees except those closest to their village. Recently the entire population
of this simple village had fled after repeated nighttime attacks from the
armed settlers, and only because Internationals promised protection did a
few of the families gain courage to return.
On this peaceful Sunday morning as I was enjoyed the sun and the company of
about two dozen villagers who frequently made certain we were all supplied
with water and tea, our quiet labors were interrupted by gunfire close by.
As the villagers continued picking olives, a few internationals investigated
the shots and learned that IOF soldiers were shooting for reasons that were
unclear, except that apparently they knew there were settlers prowling the
area. The soldiers asked that we and the villagers move back even closer to
the village, which we immediately did. Perhaps thirty minutes later we
learned there had been a bombing at near Ariel settlement and it was decided
we should stop our harvesting and guide the villagers home.
Yanoun Village in Israeli-occupied Palestine, Sunday, October 27, 2002
At 8 o'clock on a sunny morning a small group of internationals from ISM and
other peace organizations accompanied members of a few local Palestinian
families as they went into the nearby fields to harvest their olives.
Because this village has been under continuous attack from residents of the
illegal Itamar Settlement, these farmers don't dare to harvest from any
trees except those closest to their village. Recently the entire population
of this simple village had fled after repeated nighttime attacks from the
armed settlers, and only because Internationals promised protection did a
few of the families gain courage to return.
On this peaceful Sunday morning as I was enjoyed the sun and the company of
about two dozen villagers who frequently made certain we were all supplied
with water and tea, our quiet labors were interrupted by gunfire close by.
As the villagers continued picking olives, a few internationals investigated
the shots and learned that IOF soldiers were shooting for reasons that were
unclear, except that apparently they knew there were settlers prowling the
area. The soldiers asked that we and the villagers move back even closer to
the village, which we immediately did. Perhaps thirty minutes later we
learned there had been a bombing at near Ariel settlement and it was decided
we should stop our harvesting and guide the villagers home.