The occupation and all the restrictions certainly takes its toll on their faces. A man I thought was in his 80’s is not a lot older than me at 50. He is under constant threat of attack, a daily struggle to survive, yet their motto says it all, “To exist is to resist”. By being where they are IS the “struggle”.

A play area, situated on a spot with 3 military camps and 2 settlements over looking it, is going to have an additional use. By attaching sack cloth to a small roofed frame and securing the top with wire, the sacks becomes walls, and within these walls small chairs and a black board have been introduced. Fifteen under 6 year old from Hadidiya, will now attend school. This a tribute to the determination of the Bedouin community with the help, support and encouragement of JVS.

 

Sadly, there is always a down side for the Palestinians and getting there in rainy condition will be nigh impossible. The settlers have stolen the main road leaving the Bedouins with no option but to create a track across a military training ground. As this is mainly hardened mud, at the moment, you can imagine the quagmire when the rains come. As well as this, they even have to contend with settlers who entertain themselves by driving their quad bikes at high speeds through the Bedouin camps. They are menacing and mean and show no compassion whatsoever, as knowingly, they terrify the children.

 

 

 

We walked a short distance from the camp to view the  nearest settlement which lies just behind, Ro’i. This  settlement not only has the usual electricity, piped water,  lush tree lined avenues, etc. it also boasts a fish farm. In  contrast, we were shown two deep wells no longer any  use to Palestinians as in order to supply the settlement  the  water source had been diverted. These Bedouins  now  travel 13 km, 3 times a week, over what could best  be described as fields, but only if the IOF open access  gates. Stretching for miles at each side of the gate are  large dirt mounds, created by the IOF to insure there is  no  another route used barring the gate. To add insult to  injury Palestinians buy back their own water at grossly  inflated prices.

 

“Water water everywhere, but a not a drop to drink ! ”