Saffa farmers prevented from working on their land, threatened with arrest.

See quick translated script of this interview at the bottom of the post

Saffa farmers prevented from working on their land, threatened with arrest.:

"PalestineSolidarity | November 10, 2010

November 10th, 2010

Farmers in the Saffa valley were prevented by the Israeli military from working on their land Tuesday morning. Ali Ahmed Thalj Aady and Hani Nimr Aady went out with their families to work on their land at 8 am, when they were stopped by a group of Israeli soldiers. The soldiers prevented them from working on the land, and detained them in the sun without water for 5 hours. The farmers were told that the land is 'unregistered,' and that if they return they will be arrested.

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First Man
The soldiers came and kicked us out, They said get out of here.
I asked them: why should I leave? this is my land!
The soldier said no it's not your land
I said yes it is my land and I am here every day, you can't kick me out of my land.
so they [the soldiers] detained us under the burning sun for four hours, without water or shade. I have health problems.
Then the soldiers said leave, you can't come back here, ever.
I said why can't I come back here? the land is mine
He said no it's not yours
I said the land is mine, I have proof, I have documents proving it's mine. I can bring you the papers right now.
My land is planted with grape vine, has a lot of other plants too. Why should I abandon my land.
The soldier said I am telling you it is forbidden to be here. and ordered me to leave.
and that's what happened

Second man
The Israeli soldiers arrived today at 8:00 and asked us what we were doing on the land.
we said we were working the land and grazing sheep, tilling and preparing the land.
So he ordered us to give him our ID cards and told us we should not be there without obtaining permits. he told us we were prevented from coming to the area because there are problems.
We said we are not concerned with problems, we are working on our land day in and day out.
The soldier said he'll call the headquarters and check
I told him I can't get a permit to be on my own land. I have the documents proving I own it. I said I am 45 years old and I have been working this land for 30 years. No one has ever asked me to show him a permit.
He said wait here till I get an answer. He kept us for 3-4 hours under the hot sun.
I told him I suffer health problems and I can't take the heat and thirst and that my goats are suffering from the direct heat and the sun.
The soldier said I am only following orders, just like you, wait here.
After 3-4 hours he told me I'm not allowed to be there, ever. He said the land is disputed. And he sent us away.

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