www.brightonpalestine.org

In the heart of the Jordon Valley, set on the hillside of Al Jiflik is a small Palestinian community. What was once a peaceful agricultural community is now a picture of devastation.

Since the occupation in 1967 the village has been caged in by settlements and their land stolen. Al Jiflik is situated in area C, which is a no build area and completely surrounded by checkpoints. The land which is still considered by the Israeli government as Palestinian is too dry to farm, as water supplies are minimal. Each individual is allowed only 72 cubic metres per day from the settlement supply; hardly enough to live on, with no hope of sustaining agricultural work. The people are forced to work in Israeli settlements, working long days for only 60 shekels (roughly £10) The complications which arise in being paid are incredible. Palestinians will only receive pay for 30 out of 46 days labour, sometimes without getting paid at all.
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We are now in Tubas which is a largish town in the north of the Jordan valley. We are staying with a delightful family, the father(quite young) is a journalist for the Palestinian news and writes all sorts of articles on what is happening here with the occupation etc. He told us that he met Tony Blair at a school in the Jordan valley which had just been set up bythe Palestinian authority. He was not very impressed. Tony was a bit surpised to realise that some of the children did not know who he was. He was surrounded by body guards. By all accounts he was told by the children about the awful hassle they experience every day going through the checkpoints.They explained that they are regularly made to raise their t -shirts to check they have no weapons-No reaction whatsoever. (more…)

A ten person delegation, organised by the Brighton - Tubas Friendship and Solidarity Group arrived in Palestine this week. Watch this space for their reports.