CPT Abed's Grass

Abed’s Grass
2007 June 29

On one occasion, Abed (not his real name) apparently attempted to harvest some of the grass from his field. When the police and the IDF told him to stop, he objected. So he was arrested. He was later charged with throwing a stone at one of the officers, and fined 2,000 shekels (500 $US). What made the charge, and the fine, preposterous is that Abed stands only four feet tall, and is badly crippled (apparently by osteogenesis imperfecta). He can walk only with a cane, and even then only with excruciating slowness.

Late this afternoon three of my CPT mates and I walked the mile up to Abed’s field. Ten members of ISM (International Solidarity Movement) joined us. About 5:30 pm (it was a blazing hot day) we began harvesting Abed’s grass, by hand. Two of Abed’s family had hoes. The rest of us pulled grass with our bare hands, and stuffed it into old grain sacks.

After 30 minutes, several Israeli police and IDF jeeps arrived. Several officers walked up to speak with Abed. We thought they would probably order us to stop harvesting and leave the field. But one police officer seemed to know him. He stood and conversed with Abed for most of an hour. He seemed very patient, and even supportive, of Abed.

As the sun was setting, Shabbat began. A rabbi arrived to pray at the settler tent. He set up his Torah, and his chair, in the middle of the settler path, maybe 15 feet from Abed.
An IDF officer said to us, “The settlers are coming to pray at the tent. You have five minutes to finish.”
George (not his real name), a Christian Palestinian-American who has done law school, and much legal research in Palestine, and is in process of joining CPT, asked, “You won’t let this Palestinian man work his own land, but you will let settlers come pray on his land? Will you take us to pray in their settlement?”
“Give me your ID!”
“I don’t have an ID, just a passport.”
After seeing it was an American passport, the officer handed it back to George. He probably did not notice that his place of birth was BethLehem.
George continued, “I gave you my name. Now in fairness, you need to give me your name.”
The officer immediately started to walk away.
George then continued, “I have a final word for you. Justice is on the side of the Palestinians. And justice will ultimately prevail.”
The officer continued walking away. But he did not order us to stop.