Trees and threats in Umm Salamona

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After a week in Egypt, I`ve been back to Umm Salamona (see the blog "The hills are alive" for background). A lot has happened since last time! As much as 450 trees have been planted, almond and olive trees, as well as pines, which have strong roots that will protect the soil. Still the trees are only children, tender little plants hard to spot unless you come close. In spite of this they will be a strong defense for the land they are planted in, hopefully.


People removing weed. One of the planted trees in front.

450 trees. 2550 to go. It seems like a tremendous task as we tear away the weed, plant by plant. But Awad is working to enlarge support and resources. Next week he will have a meeting with the Palestinian minister of agriculture to ask him to provide a bulldozer. UN has promised to pay workers to help out, and the authorities of Bethlehem are also involved.

Others are not so happy about tree planting in Umm Salamone. Israeli authorities seem to be especially upset by all the internationals involved. The land owner, Ra'ed Taqatqa, has been threatened on several occasions. The civil administration manager of the settlement Azyon has warned him that the internationals are not good for him. He has a permit to travel to Israel in connection with his work which will now perhaps be withdrawn. A soldier told him that he would be kidnapped and that he would make Ra'ed press the thorns of the weed into his hand.

How can a hilltop be so important? Of course it is part of a bigger picture. The settlements are a way of making the West Bank part of Israel, by claiming Israeli sovereignty on Palestinian land (as the settlers are still Israeli citizens and protected by Israeli soldiers), taking nature resources from Palestinians and justifying the military presence deep into Palestinian territories, with the check points and closures that go with it.

It is part of a bigger picture, but still it is also just this: A man who is not allowed to do whatever he wants with his land, who is not allowed to take whoever he wants there. Someone who tries to steal something, steal it by way of law (as they use the old Ottoman law about uncultivated land), steal it by way of power (as they can withdraw the permit), steal it by way of brutality and threats, steal it by whatever means they have. It is the ways of the strong, but maybe, maybe the child trees in Umm Salamona will be stronger still.