Jayyous is surrounded by four Jewish settlements which exist on Palestinian land in violation on the Geneva Convention which Israel signed in 1949.

Today, Jewish settlements, including their road system, take up approximately 50% of the West Bank, Palestine.

The Gate by Mohammed, 14 and Moreed, 11

The fate of the Palestinians in Jayyous lies with the gate in the apartheid fence, which the Israeli government erected. The few (approximately 50) men who are issued permits to pass through must wait at the gate to enter and exit their land on the other side. The gate is, at best, open 3 times daily in 15 minute slots. During the olive harvest the gate was shut for three weeks. When the gates were finally re-opened, farmers were over-burdened with work to collect the olive harvest in time before their crops became spoiled.

Whenever there are UN or government officials visiting the gate, it has been reported that permission by the Israeli soldiers for the farmers to pass through the gate is made to look easy so that the true struggles villagers undertake to access their land are not apparent to the visiting officials.

Permits to access land beyond the gate must be applied for from Israel and paid for by the Palestinian applicants. Permits have been issued by Israel to Palestinians living abroad, passed away, in prison, at retirement age and to women but it is increasingly difficult for working farmers to obtain permits. Permits are issued for only 3 or 6 month periods and after which time farmers must re-apply for a new permit.

Tilling The Land

Depicted is an illustration of typical life the olive harvest in Jayyous. In the foreground people harvest the trees using step ladders and further back is a wooden wheel barrow to cart the crop. This picture was drawn by a group of girls lead by Hibber Deek, 12 years old.

To the left is a woman preparing lunch, where people will sit and eat in a circle on the ground, depicting how old traditions are still very much alive today in the village.

Further in the background is a water well, six of which Jayyous lost through the erection of the apartheid fence by the Israeli government in 2003, separating ‘Jayyoussy’ people from their land on the other side and rendering the olive harvest a thing of the past.