CPTnet
1 April 2014
SOUTH HEBRON HILLS: Settlers force shepherds off grazing land near Qawawis;
break solar panels in Bir al ‘Idd
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| Settlers direct soldiers to chase Palestinian shepherds away from livestock well near Qawawis. |
On 23 March in the South Hebron Hills,
settlers from Mitzpe Yair outpost forced shepherds off grazing land near the
village of Qawawis. The settlers
came out above where the shepherds were grazing their flock, below the
settlement of Mitzpe Yair, then called soldiers who came down and
forced the shepherds to leave a livestock well, saying that the area was
closed to both Palestinians and settlers.
After the soldiers left, the same
settlers chased the shepherds and their flock down the valley, shouting at the
sheep and goats. They continued to
chase the shepherds from valley to valley for the rest of the day, following
them almost all the way back to the village of Qawawis.
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| A settler chases sheep and a Palestinian shepherd down the valley below the livestock well. |
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| Solar panels — the only source of electricity for the village broken by settlers on the night of March 26 |
Three days later, during the night of
26 March 2014, settlers came into the village of Bir al ‘Idd and broke the
solar panels that provide the village with light and electricity. A
resident of the village heard his dog barking and loud crashing. He
arrived outside in time to see settlers leaving, some in a car and some on
foot.
Bir al Idd is extremely vulnerable to
settler violence due to its location between the outposts of Mitzpe Yair and
Nof Nesher. Residents of the village and shepherds grazing near it have
experienced violence and personal injury from settlers, as well as intimidation
and property destruction. The village lies on the road near the western
entrance to Firing Zone 918. Local residents believe
that settlers are attempting to intimidate the remaining residents of Bir al
‘Idd into leaving, in hopes of taking control of the road, the village of Bir
al ‘Idd, and the surrounding agricultural land.
