On 24th January 2013 a Machsom Watch activist visited the community of Al Maleh. Below is her report fo what she found.

House demolitions: we received a phone call informing us of demolitions that just took place in the Jiftlik village and at Hamam Al Maleh. In the Jiftlik 3 residences were destroyed and one animal shelter (according to OCHA reports).

At Hamam Al Maleh we met an elderly couple whom we have known for years now, standing helpless amidst torn plastic sheets, and aluminum rods bent out of shape and use, next to an empty square space that was obviously a dwelling, its earthen floor right and neat. Now it’s empty. A week ago, on January 17th, there were massive home demolitions, among which the tent-dwelling of the couple was destroyed. Their children have long since left the area, two of them – a son and daughter – now live in Israel. Two days later, on Saturday, January 19th, the Occupation authorities imposed a closed military zone order for several days. After the order was rescinded, the Red Cross brought some tents to the site. Today, before we arrived, the army simply crushed and took the Red Cross tent and all of its contents – the scant possession of this elderly couple. So they wouldn’t be able to recover their lives, God forbid. It’s been hours, the couple stand next to the wreckage – no tent, no house things, and apparently no one left to help them. The woman has visibly aged years in this recent week. Her arm is fractured (she fell) and very swollen. No money for medical care, nor for medication. How will they get through the freezing night without a roof over their heads or a mattress under their bodies?

ruins of the Daraghme compound 24.1.13 2Five months ago I was stuck next to this encampment – my car wouldn’t start, and I waited for two hours in the scalding heat of midday to be towed away. The whole time this same woman ran back and forth from and the family oven with a tea pot, begging me to drink so as not to get dehydrated. Now, I had no way of helping her in this predicament.

The typical sights of torn plastic and bent rods, piles of personal effects and papers are repeated time and again. But the bent back, the lost gaze, the tear in the corner of the eye are unbearable. You look for words of consolation, something encouraging, and find none, for you do not know what it’s like to suddenly find yourself exposed in the world, in summer heat or the frost of winter, aged or a child – the world stops and no one is there to help.

Next to the debris of this encampment, east of the stone house at Hamam Al Maleh is a new encampment. About10 tents and new sheep stalls. We inquire – there are some of those who were expelled from a higher site nearly in early January (see report of Jordan Valley of January 3rd, 2013) for a single night during a military maneuver, and decided to remain here where they camped, even after they were allowed to go back. Luckily, perhaps, because most of the encampments in the area of the maneuvers were destroyed by the army on January 17th.

On our way home we see numerous soldiers arriving at the area, disembarking from buses.