Day 12 - A Peaceful Day Near Nahalin

Today, we went to a farm nestled between two hilltop outposts, makeshift settlements of trailers and small buildings placed on Palestinian land, where extreme Israeli settlers hope to further their expansion of other major settlements in the area around the small Palestinian villages of Jaba' and Nahalin. Once these settlers move in, however, the Israeli government runs roads, water, and power to these outposts, and then helps protect them with the military. Once these "facts on the ground" change, it is easier for politicians to include such areas within the Separation Wall that will run through this area. The farmer told us that the wall is planned to go around his village, separating him from two of his three fields, and the wall will go right through Jaba' separating neighbor from neighbor.

Despite this reality, this Muslim family goes about their work, harvesting their 200 olive trees and working to protect what is left of their land. Today's picking was more joyous and celebratory, as we have heard of past harvests, without the interruption of either soldiers or settlers. Since this was a Saturday, the whole family came out to pick olives, and kids were quite hilarious. Will's stomach was upset most of the day, and the father made an herbal tea for him. Here are some of the pictures that the children took of us today.

This afternoon we went to see the Olive Press co-op, a series of machines that clean, press, de-pit, and then compress the oil out of the mash. Quite a process.