Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Too quiet

Tonight is quiet in the neighborhood of 28 houses' in Sheikh Jarrah - the 28 houses that the Zionists need to connect the major illegal settlements of East Jerusalem, thereby annexing the old city from the West Bank. Just one of the settlers came out to ask us if we love Jews and then he went inside the house again that they occupy from the Al-Kurd family. It is not always like this. We run through the journal of the last two months nightshifts in the tent outside the house of Al-Kurd's:

21 October
The occupants threw water at us 8 times, spat us in the face and threw stones in our direction. Most was documented by our video camera.

22 October
Verbal insults.



25 October
The threw water with soap many times. Threw a bottle with wax oil. A neighbor called the police. The police came and did nothing. But they stopped.

26 October
Jewish celebration all over the place, hundreds of orthodox Jews and really loud music. Lots of settlers in and out of the house, but also Israeli activists coming to join us.

27-28 October
Also settler party today. Lots of settlers in the street and outside of the tomb. A neighbor told us that settlers went up on his roof from the tomb, but then he made leave. At 2 am the settlers threw dish water at us - and later chlorine, but luckily they didn't aim that well.

30 October
Two orthodox Jewish boys who we did not recognize came by and threw stones at us, came in and out of the tent, and harassed us on the sidewalk and the street for about an hour. They also kicked our chairs and jolted about setting the tent on fire with their lighter.

1 November
At 1 am they came and waved the Israeli flag, called us bitches and were annoying.

4 November
Quiet, cold and wet. One guy came out and tried to make same contact for a few minutes, called us bitches and went back in.

11 November
The settlers were drunk and were dancing in front of us.

15 November
One of the settlers threatened to call the police. When we said he could do so he went inside and stayed there.

21 November
Nothing much to report except that a middle-aged settler took a photo of us in our tent.

4 December
Techno settler party. The settlers came to our tent. A "debate" about Israel and Palestine. Wanted a cigarette. Pushed us and tried to take our cameras away.

We notice that the settlers are more and more quiet, especially after the family's trial. That it's quiet is not a good thing. Every time the plans take form to evict a family, the neighborhood turns silent. The police stops bothering the Palestinians and the settlers are almost friendly. The silence in Sheikh Jarrah does not mean that we can relax and go home.

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