Kufr Qudum: Race against the permits

Harvesting a 300 year old tree at Kufr Qadum

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The farming family we picked with on Tuesday have been told that they must finish their harvesting today, as the permits will finish and they will not be allowed to return to this area of land. So five of us accompany the family to see whether we can get all their remaining trees in the so called military area harvested by the end of the day. The permit system is an intensely manipulative system that forces Palestinians and the village council into co-operating with an incomprehensible process with the Army  able to change the rules at will. For example, the previous week permits were arranged and then cancelled at will by the Army and neither the farmers or the village council have any form of redress. Kamal, the farmer we picked with today had taken a week off work to harvest his olives during the period of his permit, which was then cancelled and rearranged by the IDF on several occasions.

Soldiers; the thug variety

Today, about half an hour after we had all started picking, a reinforced army jeep arrived and 3 soliders stood watching us. Their manner was immediately arrogant and aggressive. Kamal was up one of his trees and suddenly one soldier approached him and shouted him,  - 'Down, down'. Kamal, who up until that point has come across to me as an authoritative, dignified and confident man, immediately complied and stood in front of this soldier, looking nervous and on edge. Another unbidden thought for me - it reminded me exactly of situations in South Africa and the way in which Black South Africans were treated under apartheid by their white bosses.

Kamal had to explain that he had a permit to pick for the day, but was then asked to explain who we were. He was then told that there was no permission for us to pick. This was yet another obstructive and unnecessary army tactic - and would mean that Kamal's family would not be able to finish all their trees. We tried saying that Captina Rafi had made no objection to us harvesting. The thug solider decided that Captain Rafi should be telephoned, but instead of using his own mobile he made Ann dial the number and then took her mobile off her to speak to the captain. After a moments conversation he gave Ann the phone back and walked off without a word. We took it that this meant we could stay - this young man's manners clearly didn't extend to giving information.

For the rest of the morning this trio exacted their revenge by keeping the engine of their jeep running and hovering right over another family who were picking nearby. They also took to racing their jeep from time to time up and down the track beside us all (this track is the designated route for the Wall in this area). At one point another army vehicle came up and so that they could pass one another thug group backed into the groves, partially demolishing a portion of terracing in the process.