Mohammad: Mohammad Visits the Nabi Saleh Spring

Mohammad Tamimi, the young journalist, visits the water spring near his village of Nabi Saleh. He looks back on his childhood memories of the playing around the spring, and talks about the conflict that has been generated by a dispute over possession of the spring. In 2009, settlers from the settlement of Halamish took control of the spring (according to the verified accounts of the residents of Nabi Saleh), sparking resistance from Nabi Saleh, most notably in weekly demonstrations that often lead toward the spring, which is typically blocked by the Israeli military.

TRANSCRIPT

Expanding like cancer
I remember that… and our land was up there, we had olives there. They burned our olives, and the settlers cut everything up, then they made a fence and started expanding like cancer, they started expanding little by little. Until they reached here and took control of the water spring.

Scorpions
It was full of scorpions that were yellow and black. As a young kid I remember that we used to come, all of us, the young from Nabi Saleh would come here to collect scorpions. So it’s clear that the settlers replaced scorpions. [laughing] But we can’t collect them.

Organized demonstrations
On January 1st, 2010, we had our first organized rally. We came here to send the message that this is our land., and until it is returned we will continue to hold demonstrations on a weekly basis, even daily. More and more people joined us and the media started to focus on Nabi Saleh. And the people became very committed and continued their efforts. The people’s hopes were high. They started thinking about more than just this area. The people started to call for all of their rights, which have been denied ever since 1967. Because the settlements started in 1967. After that, we started to say “The people want the end of occupation.”

Occupation is the settlements
Occupation is the settlements, it is the wall, it is the imprisonments, it’s in everything. Occupation comes in many forms, but even if we do regain this we would still be deprived an important right, the right to live our lives normally. And we’ve been trying through all means. We’ve gone to the courts, they ruled that this land must return to us, but it’s clear that the law of rule is stronger than the rule of law.

 

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  • Categories
    Interviews, Nabi Saleh, Palestinian

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