The Bus with the Canadians.

The Canadians on the scene to help.

Today we heard of a land action at At Tuwani where Operation Dove has their place. After a few minutes there, a large tourist bus pulled up and out came 19 Canadians. One was from St Catharines and the others mainly from the Toronto area. We introduced ourselves and they were quite interested in what I was doing here. After several minutes we all walked down to the area where we were to take part in a land action. This one had to do with the opening of a road that was closed by the Israeli authorities. So with buckets and pick axes, we set to work. Several Israeli peace activists were also there to lend a hand. Before long the ever-present Israeli military and DCO showed up. They took pictures and video. When a bulldozer from Yatta came to help out, the driver was approached by the military and told that his vehicle would be taken if he used it so he unfortunately had to leave. He could not chance it.

Some people in At Tuwani made lunch for the Canadian group and so Laura and I joined in for it. Then was our meeting with Christian Peacemakers Team (CPT), Operation Dove and Hamed from USOCHA to coordinate our activities and discuss the needs for villages that we have visited. Found out that the family at Khirbet al Kharaba (see Hardships posting) who really needed a tent would have one delivered tomorrow. Also that some were going tomorrow to rebuild the tabon (traditional oven) at Um al Kher. Also that aid agencies will no longer give shelters to Um al Kher since they are taken by the army. A lawyer from NRC is looking into perhaps seeing if the location of the shelters can be moved a few meters so that there is no demolition order for that particular area. Should know early next week.