This week UK Customs and Excise have at last taken the first step in challenging the Israeli's illegal settlements by (a) recognising that they are mislabelling their produce to avoid paying tax to any European countries they export to and (b) proposing that the EU act to stop this practice. The news reports in the UK and Israeli press have spoken about illegal Israeli settlements, but have failed to explain the impact that these settlements have on the everyday lives of Palestinians and their hopes of establishing a viable state.

Those of you who have been following the work of the Brighton Tubas group for a while might remember a place called Al Mazra’a Al Qibliya. The people there are living under constant threat from the growing settlement Talmon B, which surrounds, and eats into, the village land.

Makhool is situated just higher in the Valley than Al Hadidiya and like them their land is also surrounded by Israeli Military bases and very close to this small community is a training ground and firing range. The road, just 100m away from the homes, is Israeli controlled and busy with settler and military traffic. As a community who rely on grazing sheep, they face many problems from Israeli’s if their sheep wander onto the nearby road. ‘It causes us problems’, said Josef, who explained ‘if they are on the road, they are taken’.

Abu Sakker's family home in Al hadidiya 27 Oct 08For the last six years the people of Al Hadidiya have faced constant intimidation and threats from the IDF to leave their homes and farmland in the Jordan Valley. They have had homes demolished, farm machinery confiscated and to date have demolition orders on all of their remaining homes and animal shelters. There are eight families left living in tents with no water or electricity.