Mohammad Raba’i, 52, a-Tuwani My family owns a 35 dunam plot of land. It’s registered in my father’s name, he’s very old. In practice, I’m responsible for this land, which is south of the outpost Havat Ma’on, about 150 meters from the wooded area in Havat Ma’on, in the area called Harouva. Every year I plow the soil and plant season crops – barley and wheat. This year during plowing season, I plowed and planted on my plot except for the four dunams closest to the outpost, because the civil administration advised me to wait a little longer, things are not good now. Also, it’s good to let the soil rest until summer and I planned to plant summer crops there.
Although my plot is so close to the settlement, I go there every day when the weather permits. Last time I went was February 20, 2012. Everything looked fine, the four unplowed dunams too. After a rainy period that prevented me from visiting, I went back on March 2, 2012 and that’s when I saw that the little four dunam plot had been plowed by settlers. Palestinians wouldn’t plow land that doesn’t belong to them and don’t have access to, seeing that this land is just by the outpost Havat Ma’on.
I filed a complaint at the Kiryat Arba Police on March 7 with the investigator YC. I waited outside the police station for about two hours, and inside for two hours until I was admitted and able to file the complaint. When I filed the complaint, I didn’t have the deed to the land with me. The investigator arranged to accompany me to the field in the next few days and I told him that I’d give him the documents when we met.
We arranged to meet on Monday March 12, and I waited for the police officer for several hours at the meeting point and he didn’t come. On Tuesday March 13, officer YC called me in the afternoon asking about the deed. I complained that he hadn’t come to meet me. He said he had to receive the deed in the police station and that I had to bring a document from a surveyor – an unusual demand. I’ve been sick for the past two days and couldn’t go to the police.