Dear Friends,

Once again, violence is center stage in the occupied territories. Two weeks ago, masked settlers attacked peace activists and local villagers who were planting olive trees in the village of Burin, in the Nablus region. Burin has been frequently targeted by settlers who have set fire to fields of crops, chopped down fully matured olive trees, and hurled molotov cocktails towards homes. 

In response to this violence and desecration, Combatants for Peace joined several other peace organisations, and we went to Burin in a show of support, solidarity and strength. Despite roadblocks aimed to deter us, and other delaying tactics employed by local Israeli forces, hundreds of peace activists reached Burin, and we marched all together. We re-planted olive trees to replace those ripped out the ground, we restored some of the crops wrecked by fire, and we showed the local Palestinian villagers that they aren’t alone.