Hassan and his wife Suha* both studied in Lebanon – he is a religious lawyer and she a chemist. Hassan´s family is still living in Deir Istia, where he was raised. Suha´s family left Deir Istia in 1948, and ended up in a refugee camp in Lebanon, where Suha was born and her family still lives. Her parents are not able to come to visit because they are both old. Suha is afraid, that if she goes to Lebanon to see her parents before they die, she will not be allowed to enter again at the Israeli border.
In Deir Istia the young family bought a small house in the picturesque old city, keeping animals and maintaining a little garden within the ancient walls. They live a modest life with their three children – two teenagers and a five year old.
Since they came back to Palestine, five years ago, the situation and the living conditions have been getting worse and worse and it seems as if there is no future on the horizon. Suha is very worried about her children, who become more and more frustrated, especially because they tasted another life, a free life with rights in Yemen.
Since they came back to Palestine, five years ago, the situation and the living conditions have been getting worse and worse and it seems as if there is no future on the horizon. Suha is very worried about her children, who become more and more frustrated, especially because they tasted another life, a free life with rights in Yemen.
What remains to them now is their olive trees, which are not only a symbol of their heritage and roots in the country, but also their only income.
They told us sadly that two years ago, the Israeli army imposed curfew on the little village for two days in order to cut and uproot olive trees around Revava. Other families were also affected, but Hassan´s family alone had a loss of around 200 trees on a land of about 50 dunams. Only 25 trees were left and so they asked us to accompany them to the area to pick their olives, because they were afraid that the security guard from the settlement would not allow them to access their land.
They told us sadly that two years ago, the Israeli army imposed curfew on the little village for two days in order to cut and uproot olive trees around Revava. Other families were also affected, but Hassan´s family alone had a loss of around 200 trees on a land of about 50 dunams. Only 25 trees were left and so they asked us to accompany them to the area to pick their olives, because they were afraid that the security guard from the settlement would not allow them to access their land.