A militiaman and two Israeli soldiers patrol private Palestinian land in the early morning. Since October last year, the Israeli military has established a permanent presence on the Palestinian farm, detaining the landowners whilst settlers trespass across the land.
Tuwani, Masafer Yatta - the modest farming village of Tuwani lies 40 km south of Jerusalem, on the edge of the Negev desert. Falling within ‘Area C’ of the West Bank, Tuwani is under total Israeli military control. But despite the heavy military presence, the villagers suffer daily harassment by settlers who live just across the valley in the illegal settlement of Ma’on and outpost, Havat Ma’on.
Each morning shepherds from the neighouring illegal outpost, Havat Ma’on, arrive with their flock of sheep, driving them across the land, damaging crops and intimidating Palestinian farmers.
Hafez has his photo taken by the Israeli military whilst on the phone to the Israeli police. Everyday, Palestinians are photographed and have the ID documents checked, often by Israeli settlers and police who already know them by name.
Mohammad attempts to shoo the settler’s goats away from his olive grove.
The settler squares up to up Mohammad recording him on his phone.
A paramilitary settler, who emigrated from the US, prays whilst he detains the family in their own garden.
Another films the scene on his mobile phone, his assault rifle balanced across his lap, chatting and smoking cigarettes with his colleague.
With guns and mobile phones trained on them, and with nowhere to go, the Hureini cousins practice handstands in a gesture half defiant, half bored. An hour after they were detained, and once the settlers had finally left the land, the Hureinis are released. The militia disappear over the hill, just like the shepherds before them.