***image1***For the past weeks, the village of Jayyus has been subjected to daily military raids. In response to residentsâ ongoing resistance to the Wall, soldiers have threatened individuals, destroyed property, set curfews and engaged in shooting on a near daily basis. Collective punishment has feature strongly into this campaign, with Occupation forces targeting house owners, youth and farmers.
Things began several weeks ago, when the military entered the village on the morning of November 9th and put the village under curfew on the pretext that the Wall had been burned. Youth confronted soldiers in the streets, and clashes began. Soldiers later broke into several homes and destroyed property so as to put pressure on the youth. The same scenes played out the next day as well.
On the 13th, a large contingent of jeeps, fitted with a special siren that emits a high pitched sound that is intended to cause terror and disorientation, attempted to enter and impose a curfew. Some 75 youth went to the entrance of the village and prevented Occupation forces from entering for several hours.
During these raids, soldiers targeted the municipal offices of the village. The roof of the office rises higher than other buildings and provides an excellent view of the village, and as such is frequently occupied. Soldiers threatened to establish a permanent position the roof if resistance continued and also demanded a copy of the building keys, stating they would otherwise break down the door. The head of the municipality refused, and as such soldiers continue to harass those employed in the building.
Homeowners have faced the same type of collective punishment. Radi Abu Saâda owns a house near the southwest section of the Wall, and during the raids solders temporarily occupied his home. They threatened to expel him and his family and turn his home into a military position if youth continued to set fire to the Wall.
Occupation forces have not spared students either. On the 16th military forces entered the main yard of the boys school in Jayyus and began attempted to provoke those present. In response youth left their classrooms and confronted soldiers. When news of this reached the village, mothers and fathers rushed to the area to check on their children. Soldiers barred them from approaching the school, leading to more confrontations outside of the school.
Farmers have been seriously affected by these incursions, and have been prohibited from entering their lands beyond the Wall on numerous occasions. On the 10th, as a result of the invasion, farmers were not allowed on their land. Later in the week they were locked on the other side of the Wall for the same reason, and had to wait until into the evening to be let back in.
Young farmers, however, suffer the most; they are routinely insulted and provoked at the gates, and are often summoned to the Zufim military base for interrogation. Furthermore, they often see their permits revoked without reason. During this period Maâath âAdnan Salim, Manar Mustafa Khalid, and Mohammed Balal Latfi Khalid were all brought in for hours of interrogation. They were eventually released, but lost their permits.