Abed’s Land
By Eva van Sonderen
This afternoon I was visiting Yaffa in Nachlaot, when she received an emergency call about Abed, the Palestinian farmer on whose land (around 30 dunam) the people of the All Nations Cafe are usually gathering. We were told that Abed had been taken to a checkpoint by the Border Police and been presented with a demolition order and we were asked to come to support him, as a sign of solidarity. Even though this was the day of the “Jerusalem Hug” manifestation, where hundreds of peace activists would form a human circle around the walls of the |Old City, with music and prayer and dance, we decided that showing up at Abed’s land was more urgent.
We found Abed, thin and wiry as ever, perhaps somewhat more agitated and he told us the story.
He built a primitive stone structure, using part of a cave, one wall of loose stones, with wooden pallets as a roof- a temporary abode, with an iron bed inside. Around this hut there was a sweet little garden with plants and herbs. Beside it, he’d made an oven, of rocks and cement.He had erected a sort of awning, made of plastic sheets, for guests, with a round plateau of rocks and stones in the middle, and lots of flowering plants on top. All very charming, and built on his own land. He owns around 30 dunam, land that he remembers as a child, when he went there with his grandfather to pick olives. “I love this land” he says. The field where we are, lies straight above the checkpoint at Ein Yael, opposite the Zoo. The soldiers at that checkpoint all know Abed, and are mostly friendly “He’s a good guy” they say when you pass by with a car and tell them where you are going.
Abed told us that on June 21st (his birthday, by the way) he received a demolition order, on the grounds that he built illegally. He must go to the Committee dealing with illegal construction in Jerusalem, but it is a catch-22 situation: he does not have a permit to enter Jerusalem. The Border Police took him this morning to another checkpoint near Bethlehem; he had to wait there, did not get a drink of water and they told him that he was a member of Hamas. He answered that they were Hamas (Hamas in Hebrew means: violence). He finally got some water and was released, but was told that he could not return to his land, “otherwise we’ll throw you into jail”.
Abed: “the authorities just want land without people on it”. But he is not taking this lying down. He proudly tells that he has alerted Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and Al Jazeera tv station.
The background to this story:
The Jerusalem municipality, supported by the government, wants to build a large new neighbourhood on this Palestinian land with its olive trees and “terrace-like” slopes. This planned neighbourhood, to be called Givat Yael, with around 1300 homes, is meant to connect Gush Etzion and Jerusalem. It is about land that is Area B according to the Oslo Accords, territory that is administered mutually by Israel and the Pal. Authority. That is to say, the P.A. is responsible for civil administration and Israel is responsible for security issues. That means a military administration, with military jurisdiction.
According to a young Israeli activist Area B often consists of agricultural land of small farmers who do not have the power or knowledge to resist the State; it is easy to begin a new settlement in these areas. I understand that Palestinians from Beit Jala, where Abed lives, need a permit from the Israeli authorities to be in Area B. Abed does have such a permit, but after some more talking and many tiny cups of black coffee or sweet tea, we discover that the permit to be on his land was only issued for half a year and has expired by now. (always read the small print on such documents!!)
When we leave, Abed thanks us for having come: “The Israeli soldiers have an Uzi as their weapon, but my weapons are my Israeli friends”. Two Israelis will stay with him for the night, because demolition bulldozers are often sent at 7 in the morning.
p.s. This happened yesterday, June 24th., close to Malcha and the venue where the ICCI conference was held, on the day of the “Jerusalem Hug” , a peace manifestation around the walls of the Old City. On June 26 Abed is still staying on his land, no demolition team yet!
