by Joshua Brollier
10 December 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, Besieged Gaza
Today, Gazan farmers from Kuzaa, a small village near Khan Younis, worked on their
land in defiance of Israeli military harassment. Farmers ploughed
approximately seven dunams and then sowed wheat in a plot that they had
previously been denied access to before the November 21st, 2012
ceasefire. The farmers successfully worked up to 100 meters from the
separation fence. The Israeli military arbitrarily designates this area
as a restricted military buffer zone, otherwise known as the “kill
zone.” According to the workers, they have not been able to farm on this
specific plot of land for the past ten years. Formerly an orchard,
Israeli forces bulldozed the field multiple times during military
incursions and regularly shoots at farmers who attempt to work there.
At approximately 8:00 AM, the Palestinian farmers began their
morning‘s activities when two Israeli tanks, one military jeep and five
bulldozers lined up across from the farmers on the Israeli side of the
fence, threatening to fire. Around 9:30 AM,
the farmers were joined by a group of 14 solidarity activists from
Gaza, Catalonia, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany and
the United States. The Israeli forces left after half an hour and were
quickly replaced by two more military jeeps.The Palestinians and
internationals stood their ground approximately 100 meters from the
fence despite multiple Israeli warnings to leave the area. One of the
international activists accompanied a Gazan driver aboard his tractor to
act as a deterrent to Israeli fire. Other farmers sowed wheat by hand.
The work concluded around 12:30 PM without any fire from Israeli
forces.
This was a small,yet very important victory for the farmers, especially as Israel has frequently and unapologetically breached the ceasefire’s stipulations to “refrain from targeting residents in the border areas” and to “stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip land, sea and air including incursions and targeting of individuals.”
Updated on December 14, 2012
10 December 2012 | International Solidarity Movement, Besieged Gaza
Today, Gazan farmers from Kuzaa, a small village near Khan Younis, worked on their
land in defiance of Israeli military harassment. Farmers ploughed
approximately seven dunams and then sowed wheat in a plot that they had
previously been denied access to before the November 21st, 2012
ceasefire. The farmers successfully worked up to 100 meters from the
separation fence. The Israeli military arbitrarily designates this area
as a restricted military buffer zone, otherwise known as the “kill
zone.” According to the workers, they have not been able to farm on this
specific plot of land for the past ten years. Formerly an orchard,
Israeli forces bulldozed the field multiple times during military
incursions and regularly shoots at farmers who attempt to work there.At approximately 8:00 AM, the Palestinian farmers began their
morning‘s activities when two Israeli tanks, one military jeep and five
bulldozers lined up across from the farmers on the Israeli side of the
fence, threatening to fire. Around 9:30 AM,
the farmers were joined by a group of 14 solidarity activists from
Gaza, Catalonia, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany and
the United States. The Israeli forces left after half an hour and were
quickly replaced by two more military jeeps.The Palestinians and
internationals stood their ground approximately 100 meters from the
fence despite multiple Israeli warnings to leave the area. One of the
international activists accompanied a Gazan driver aboard his tractor to
act as a deterrent to Israeli fire. Other farmers sowed wheat by hand.
The work concluded around 12:30 PM without any fire from Israeli
forces.This was a small,yet very important victory for the farmers, especially as Israel has frequently and unapologetically breached the ceasefire’s stipulations to “refrain from targeting residents in the border areas” and to “stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip land, sea and air including incursions and targeting of individuals.”
