Visits to Beit Leed and As Sawya

Our visits to the villages of Beit Leed and As Sawya

After our visits to the Palestinian villages of Beit Leed, (twinned with Pendle), and AS Sawya , (twinned with Llanidloes, Wales), what came to mind was the many stories told to us of peoples’  everyday  lives living under occupation.

In Beit Leed we heard how many of the villagers had refugee status and had fled from the sister village of Beit Leed in the 48 war, then of course, many had to flee again in the 67 war. They had their land seized, many arriving with nothing. More here

In As Sawya the village is now nearly surrounded by large expanding  Settlements high up on the hilltops. The settlers control the fields and olive groves below the settlements and so restrict access to certain areas of local farmers own land. As well as feeling surrounded, there is the constant fear of attack, and daily harassment. Those who are harassed so regularly? Kids going to school and coming home again. This has included  a number of school children being accused of throwing stones at settlers, arrested by the army and imprisoned for a month or more. The army invades the school playground, sometimes accompanied by settlers (a horrific twist on the term ‘playground bully’).

Our welcome was exceptionally warm, we were immediately taken to watch and taste fresh bread baked in a traditional taboon oven. It was served with home grown olives, olive oil and zaatar.  But there was a sense of anxiety about what might happen in the next moment. The future seems bleaker even, we spoke to one guy. A father of six girls, two at University, he explained that he could not see the possibility of a Palestinian state as the settlements around him expand and he anticipates that he may well have to leave his home and land.