Popular Protection Program: Protecting Palestinian Communities from settler attacks
Call for international support

Over the last two weeks Jordan Valley Solidarity has intensified it’s work with local communities, building networks to resist the ongoing settler attacks.

Countless families have been driven from the Jordan Valley as settler attacks have made everyday life impossible to sustain. Most recently 14 families were forcibly deported from Khirbet Umm Jamal and Khirbet Al-Farisiya, having experienced physical assault plus theft of their sheep and tents by settlers.

We, as Palestinian activists in the Jordan Valley, took the initiative to arrange a meeting of community representatives, Tubas Governorate, political parties and NGOs. A committee was formed to stand in solidarity with communities threatened by displacement, so that Palestinian and international volunteers could work together, and coordinate the activities of solidarity activists.

We are working in co-operation with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and Faz3a, distributing solidarity workers to stay with families in Palestinian villages. The activists are providing an essential international presence, monitoring settlers, and learning about the life of Bedouins and farmers.

Over several days last week, we were able to prevent the settlers from any further thefts or demolition of tents, and there were no attacks.

This program is essential to enable Palestinians to remain in the Jordan Valley and we are calling on international volunteers to come and join us. We can provide accommodation, information on how to reach the Jordan Valley, advice on how you can best support the families you are staying with, and a warm welcome.

Whilst you are here you will also have the opportunity to:

  • work with the farmers in planting crops and picking olives
  • manufacture mud bricks, which we will use to build houses for farmers or Bedouins
  • learn about life, the natural environment and history of the Jordan Valley.

Anyone interested in volunteering can email info@jordanvalleysolidarity.org or phone/message Rashid on +972 59-717-7518.

If you want to support this project but can’t come yourself, you can make a donation at: jordanvalleysolidarity.org/donate. Communities in the Jordan Valley are spread out with no public transport, so funds to cover our transport costs are also essential.

We urgently need solidarity over the coming months and value the support of everyone who joins us.

Rashid Khudairi, on behalf of Jordan Valley Solidarity