IN STEREO

We have land at the top of Beit Jala, 24 dunums [24,000 square metres]. We used to get out of the house [and] go up to the land on foot to pick grapes and figs. And me and my mother, may she rest in peace, we’d sleep there, and in the morning, we’d come down and get back home. As far as I know, I was ten years old when we went up daily. Now, in ‘75, the Jewish-Israelis took it, they fenced it. Because [there was] the Jordanian army’s camp in Beit Jala. They fenced [more] a month and a half ago, haven’t you heard? Land [of] almost three dunums.

A bulldozer came about a month ago; they cleared and fenced it. Because it’s [controlled by] the Jewish-Israelis, since ‘67. When the ‘67 war happened, if some families had got up and stayed [there], what happened to us wouldn’t have happened. What can we do? This is our situation. There’s no worse situation than this. Especially – [I shouldn’t tell you] – from when [the Palestinian] Authority came until this time. They do nothing. – Abu Bassam