"Picking" in Huwwara

Last night on Skype Nancy says, "So you will not be at a demonstration this Friday?" And I explained that the harvest was starting (or so we had be told) in Huwwara, MPT's home village. That was our plan. We left the house early to meet up with Essam, the village coordinator. Within an hour there were at least six internationals and some local college students all picking with him. It felt like he had worked the system to gain some help rather than coordinating to make sure our offer of protective accompaniment was spread out in the most effective manner. Four of us left to tour the groves and look for others in need. Hiking about a mile through the groves, we found that almost every tree had already been picked. Gaby (my teammate who appears in all of these pictures) and I walked back to our house, reorganized and left for Bi'lin. Background info about this long term demonstration will appear on the team blog, www.mptinpalestine.blogspot.com

Bi'lin has accomplished some success in reclaiming their land. The second picture shows the spot where we demonstrated in 2009. You can probably find a picture in one of my older blogs showing this area full of barbed wire and soldiers with weapons. Now we walked right through. Even in 2009 they had an Israeli court decision that the wall should be moved but it stayed. Finally, it moved. Hundreds of acres went back to the rightful owners. The weekly demonstration continues. Today's was small with many internationals and press present. Rocks and tear gas were exchanged. No one was injured to our knowledge. Life in Bi'lin continues to be stressful.

So, Nancy, I did not intentionally mislead you. Such is life in the occupied territories. Things can change quickly.

We have no plans yet for tomorrow but that is normal. Calls are made in the evening and we find out who needs help.

We have heard of a demonstration on Sunday in Al Auja, a village north of Jericho. Their water was diverted to a settlement and they have decided to take action. We plan to go and then take a day to be tourists in Jericho, the oldest city in the world - or so we hear.

with hopes for peace, Fred