The Role of Accompaniment

Village of at-Tuwani

Sunday morning the head of the Israeli Civil (Military) Administration for the entire southern West Bank came to Tuwani and met for an hour with village leaders. Such a high-level visit is unheard of, and villagers believe the attention is a result of the efforts of CPT and its supporters.

The high-ranking visitor asked village leaders to, "tell me your needs." The village leaders listed these concerns:

*Water: Villagers draw by bucket from a small spring that only provides enough for drinking and cooking. Water of poor quality from rainwater cisterns is used for washing. A large water supply line for Ma'on settlement passes only sixty meters from the village. The village wants water from this supply line.

*Clinic: The village wants to complete the construction of their clinic, currently under a stop-work order from Israeli authorities.

*Safe passage to the Tuwani primary school for the children of Tuba: The children are currently using a circuitous five-mile mountain path. They are afraid to use the direct one-mile path because settlers from Ma'on attacked them and the accompanying internationals.

*Electricity: Though grid power extends to Ma'on settlement, Tuwani only has power from a diesel generator for a few hours each evening.

*Road access to Kirmil: The Israeli military maintains three dirt barricades blocking the only road from Tuwani to Kirmil, Yatta and Hebron. These barricades prevent the villagers from access to a hospital, secondary schools and stores.

*Improvement of the road to Al Mufakra and villages to the south: Several small villages south of Tuwani have access to Tuwani only through a rough path. They travel through Tuwani to reach schools, stores, and medical care. Five years ago, when the villagers of Tuwani tried to improve this road, Israeli authorities forbade it.

"These are humanitarian needs; under occupation, the Israelis are responsible for these," said one village leader. He continued, "The civil administrator responded to all these concerns. He asked us to provide engineering drawings for connecting our village to water and electricity. He told us to go ahead and build the clinic, and he promised to come for the opening celebration, but we still don't have a permit in writing. He said he would look into the questions about the roads, and that he would send Israeli soldiers to accompany the school children. He did not refuse on any of the concerns."

"This meeting today didn't just happen. We have had these problems, and many attacks by settlers for years, but no one outside knew. Thank you for being here, you have brought us attention. Please thank all the people who have helped us, the media, the US government and consular officials who visited, and the Israeli and international peace groups. Your help made this visit happen."

Of course, today the army did not show up in the afternoon to walk the children home from school, so they had to go the long way again. In the morning, they showed up late, so the CPTers there walked them on the short road. When the army finally showed up, they again called the police and threatened the CPTers with arrest for doing so. So we will see what really comes of all this. But the high-level interest is a good sign.