IN STEREO

We are farmers from hundreds of years ago until now. But nothing is in our hands and our government is a poor government. I mean, our President Abbas, he’s a peace man. He doesn’t want to fight. Not like Hamas. If he was like Hamas, we could do what we want. He always says, “We need peace, we need peace, we need peace.” They give him peace. You know, they are always saying Israel will take all of Makhrour. It’s easier for us to keep our land if it’s planted, rather than abandoned. [And if they will take it,] I prefer them to take it when it is repaired and planted. I always try to take [the grandchildren] with me, to teach them. So they come, and sometimes they help. I want them to love the land. [But] I need time to go. If you come and spend [all] your time on the land, it will not give you enough food for your family, you know? This is our problem. – Abu Yousef 

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It’s a problem, settlement in the West Bank. Many of the compounds and settlements are based on natural reserves. I mean, there inside [Israel] they apply all the systems and laws to nature. But here in the natural reserves… For example, we are next to the reserve of Tamtoum Maountain, 19,000 dunums. Only 4500 dunums were given to the Palestinian Authority and there’s a settlement on the rest. This example is applied to most reserves in the West Bank. [There’s] not much left. Listen, this wall that they put up prevented biodiversity entering these areas here, blocked the animals moving between us and them. I mean, an animal would have to become a bird to come to the spring to drink water and go back. Animals in Jerusalem won’t be able to come to the spring to drink if they make the wall next to Battir! Nature doesn’t know borders. – Ibrahim M.