Palestinians who advocate nonviolence have “revived” Ein Hijleh, a village near Jericho, in the Jordan Valley, in the so-called Area C. With this, they have sought to claim the Palestinians roots that has the area, protesting against its Israeli annexation. The action is framed in the Melh Al-Ard (The Salt of the Earth) campaign.
For about a week, the village Ein Hijleh was repopulated by 500 Palestinians under a campaign driven by the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee, composed of Palestinian activists who advocate for nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation. The land of this ancient Palestinian-Canaanite village belongs to the Orthodox Church and monastery St.Gerassimos, but “the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem gave his blessing to the activists,” according to the journalist Ana Alba.
The Jordan Valley is Palestinian, according to international law, but it is in the hands of 10,000 settlers in 37 settlements. “The railroad military occupation that Israel imposes extremely difficult daily life of indigenous Palestinian population. For example, the Jordan Valley has one of the largest underground water reserves in the area. The exploition of these aquifers by the Jewish state reduces the amount of water that can be provided to Palestinian residents. Thus settlers receive a volume of water much greater than the amount that their Palestinian neighbors” says the journalist Pau Fabregat.
The resurrecting of Ein Hijleh was well planned. Activists, youth, women,… were organized making different rehabilitation activities on the village: to fix and rebuild abandoned houses, to repair roofs, to plant trees and to clean the area, among others. In addition, it was planned a week of cultural activities related to awareness on the Palestinian situation, and also diplomatic visits. All went under the watchful eye of the Israeli army, which soon came to the area and block the entry of food and water for the activists. “Even some checkpoints were established on the main highway 90, running from the Dead Sea to Bisan, to prevent people from entering the village”, add the activist Laila S.
The taking of the village located on the banks of the Jordan River was soon strongly repressed. At dawn on Friday, 7th February, hundreds of israeli forces raided the village to evict violently about 200 activists who resisted in the village. 35 Palestinians were injured and taken to hospital in Jericho, after the eviction. At the time of the raid, Israeli forces fired large amounts of sound bombs to scatter the crowd, while expelling women and children from the houses and tents where they slept. “Israeli forces have attacked the residents of Ein Hijleh by beating them up, kicking them and pushing them to the ground and into the fire. They were transferred with Israeli occupation military buses while being humiliated and mocked by the soldiers on the bus”, describe the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee.
The reoccupation as nonviolent strategy
“The action of Ein Hijleh follows the strategy of Bab el Shams and Ahfad Yunis, two similar camps set up a year ago by Palestinian militants in the area called E1, a portion of strategic land in East Jerusalem, where Israel plans to build state illegal settlements that divide the West Bank into two and so would preclude the creation of a Palestinian state”, explains the journalist Pau Fabregat and adds that “as in the previous two camps, this time, the choice of location has not been arbitrary. Ein Hijleh is located in Area C of the West Bank, which means it is under Israeli civil and military full control”.
The activist from Popular Struggle Coordination Committee in Al Masara, Mahmoud Zawahreh, said that “the activists have managed to revive the village and although they were evicted from Ein Hijleh but the Israeli occupation failed to evict the village and the great work achieved from the hearts and minds of Ein Hijleh residents”. By her side, the activist from Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem, Monther Amira, said that “the eviction will not end the work of the activists in the Jordan Valley” and she added: “We will continue with our campaign Melh Al-Ard (Salt of the Earth). The revival of the village was only the start to our work in the Jordan Valley, we will continue our work and we will remain to be the salt to this earth working against Israeli policies in all of Palestinian lands especially against the Judaization and annexation of the Jordan Valley”.
Currently, about 9 activists from Ein Hijleh have been evicted again after their return to the village on 12th February. The popular resistance activists have returned to check up on their village and stay, when Israeli forces raided the village and showed a military order declaring the village a closed military zone for 1 month.
* The name ‘Salt of the Earth’ is inspired by the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus tells his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth”, as recorded by the Bible (Matthew 5 13-16). Nearby, in the Jordan River, Jesus was baptized.
Here you can find some pictures of the past 4 days: http://www.activestills.org/advance-search.php
Here different informations about Melh Al-Ard campaign in Media:
- Al-Arabyia: U.N. slams Israel destroying Jordan valley homes
- Al Jazeera: Hundreds protest against Israeli settlements
- Maan News: Activists construct second protest village in Jordan Valley
- Alternative Information Center: Salt of the Earth: Palestinians hold onto the land
- +972Mag: Palestinians establish new protest village in Jordan Valley
