Guardian letter

This is the original letter sent, and published in the Guardian newspaper on Friday 7th September 2007.

Useful links: Good article detailing the history of the wall in and around Beit Surik / About Bil'in, maps / Join us on our next trip (April 2008)

Gallery of Beit Surik / Gallery of Beit Shanna (the forgotten village they came from)

Bil'in Court victory?

It may be a victory of sorts, but the effect of the wall where ever it is remains appalling.

Looking on a map for example (maps of Beit Surik), the nearby village of Beit Surik near Jerusalem (twinned at grassroots level with the London Borough of Hackney) does not seem to be surrounded by the wall / fence. However a settler only road to the north effectively imprisons the people in this area, and is referred to locally as the wall of imprisonment (pdf file from the United Nations about this road).

Many British communities are twinning at grassroots level with Palestinian towns and educational establishments. Reciprocal visits help us develop our knowledge and understanding of the humanitarian plight of the Palestinians under occupation. The friendships formed highlight the injustices of this wall.

Beit Surik had its own victory, working with nearby Israeli's to get the wall moved away from their gardens to allow them use of their farming areas. Some lands remain on the Israeli side of the wall, and although the Israelis say they can farm it, restrictions on many days (such as only allowing old women to go through the gates) make this difficult. (The gate, waiting for the soldiers)

Previously the Israeli's would come to buy the wonderful organic fruit, vegetables and olives grown here, and the men would work in the nearby Israeli communities and factories. Now only the older men speak any Hebrew, and children never see an Israeli unless they are in uniform with a gun. The bridges that were being built (and there were friendships) have now been replaced with walls. There is simply no contact any more (photo of the last meeting between nearby Israelis and villagers, who were disappointed to be told that the wall had to be accepted).

The farm lands of the people of Beit Surik may be on their side of the wall, but its close proximity and nearby Zionist colonies means that villagers are simply too scared to venture close by, because of the presence of trigger happy Israeli soldiers. All but one of the eight wells villagers used, have dried up because of a deep well drilled at the bottom of the valley to serve the new settlements.

Now a trench (to be covered) is to built to link this "parcel" with a neighbouring one, to allow villagers (Arabs) to get to Ramallah without having any contact with Jewish settlers or the land that was theirs, but which has been seized for "security" reasons. No doubt if history repeats itself this military area will soon be a new Jewish only settlement. The motorway they use to use to get to Ramallah is now for the use of Israeli's only (Photo taken on last day Arabs could use it, and using the Palestinian only road alongside the next day). The desperation of the Israeli's to separate the races, even on motorways, sees beautiful biblical land scarred with new bulldozed roads for the Palestinians (photo).

To argue that this wall is for security when it is still possible to walk from Beit Surik into Jerusalem without passing a wall, fence or soldier (I did so personally in April), suggests this barrier is a simple land and resource grab. I gather we were being watched by cameras, although this did not seem to put off the desperate men hiding behind rocks nearby, trying to get into Israel for work. No one came to check on me and my clearly Arab friend. (Photo showing gap at Al Ram - the road on the left is for Israelis, the one on the right for Palestinians)

I end by simply begging readers to visit Palestine - only personal experience can demonstrate the manifestly racist nature of the Zionist State. There are links to the many organisations organising tours on the Twinning network web site.

Yours sincerely

David Ash

239 Stoke Newington Church Street, London. N16 9HP

Tel 0207 254 7772

Hackney Beit Surik Friendship Forum

www.beitsurik.net

www.twinningwithpalestine.net

Useful links: PDF file of West Bank and the Wall

Next visit to Beit Surik

We aim to visit Beit Surik in April 2008 after the next Twinning with Palestine Conference due to be held in Palestine.

The Twinning network has a tour planned for the end of October 2007.

Itinerary - After a three day tour of the West Bank organised by the Holy Land Trust, which anyone can join, which will include visits to important areas and Human Rights organisations, we will meet the other visitors and their Palestinian friends for a one day Conference, during which workshops will be held to discuss issues arising from our various campaigns.

Thereafter we will all leave for our villages to meet our friends and develop our campaigns.

In Beit Surik this will include a lesson in Palestinian cooking, walks around the village and visits to the schools and Women's committee's.

Palestinians never accept money from visitors although gifts, especially for children, are welcome. A charge will be made to cover the cost of your stay with local families and travel around the area, which will be donated to the campaigns we are supporting (Graduates Book Scheme, Women's Centre chairs, and the Internet cafe).

The cost will be around £400 for the organised part of the tour. Airfares extra, although Thomson are now flying to Tel Aviv and have good value fares on offer. Very little spending money is needed, as taxis are cheap and shared and there is little to buy in the village.