Buy a Tree to Replace Ones Destroyed in Settler Attacks

The brothers Abdullah, Hamad, and Mohammed Soleiby are a family of Palestinian farmers living in Beit Omar, a village in the Hebron area. The vast majority of their farmland lies in the Saffa valley, just below the illegal Bat ‘Ayn settlement. Bat ‘Ayn is home to some of the most vicious settlers in the West Bank, including the Bat ‘Ayn militia, infamous for their attempted bombing of a Palestinian girls’ elementary school in 2002. The Soleiby family is regularly attacked by these vicious settlers, who throw stonesand in April beat 81-year old Abdullah Soleiby over the head with a rock, breaking his skull.

Vast portions of the Soleiby’s land have been destroyed in settler attacks. A series of fires in April burnt many of their fruit trees and grapevines. On June 19 settlers set fire to the land again, and on June 22 they cut down another 125 trees. On July 13, 30 more acres of land were burnt. These fields are the family’s primary source of income, and the attacks have destroyed their livelihood, creating emotional strain and financial crisis. The military has exacerbated the situation by repeatedly declaring the area a “Closed Military Zone,” illegally denying the farmers access to their land.

The Soleiby family needs your help. They are trying to raise enough money to replace the destroyed trees and erect a fence around the land. For $7 you can buy the family a new fruit tree to replace the ones destroyed by settlers. By helping them put down new roots you can help this family rebuild their lives, and resist these brutal attempts to ethnically cleanse them from their land.

Don’t let the Soleiby’s down! Pass this message on to everyone you know, and encourage them to donate a tree to replace the ones destroyed by settlers. All donations go through the Palestine Solidarity Project. To donate go to http://palestinesolidarityproject.org/donate/.