Basel Adra, a very prolific B’Tselem “journalist” and activist bemoaned the fact that yesterday the IDF entered his village, a-Tuwani, and searched all the houses:
This morning the occupation forces stormed My village Tuwani closed all the entrance.
And started searching the houses.
Damaged the things in their and stop me and another activists from filming what they are doing . pic.twitter.com/evgC1ZwlzA— Basel Adra (@basel_adra) November 12, 2021
What he fails to mention is that there is perhaps good reason for that and it does not take an intelligence professional of any calibre to figure out why. Noa Magid‘s article from two months ago gives us an idea of what really lies behind the search about which Basel Adra is so upset.
The title of Magid’s article puts “taking them water” in scare quotes to indicate that perhaps a more devious purpose was in operation here than just bringing water to Arab residents of the area. Published on 26 September 2021, the article appeared just two days before the hugely publicized violent altercation in the South Hebron Hill region between Avigayil and Havat Maon.
According to the security guard at Havat Maon, many of the Arabs who took place in the violence adjacent to the Arab outpost of el-Mufaqara (between Avigayil and Havat Maon), were from nearby a-Tuwani. The media accepted the Palestinian reports that the violence was instigated by Jews who harassed a shepherd and killed some of his sheep. Exploring the story by speaking to Jewish representatives raises serious questions about that narrative.
And, in fact, the findings from the search in a-Tuwani — described in Magid’s just-taking-them-water article — makes the Arab narrative even more suspect.
The article states that, due to “unusual and intensive shooting” the previous Friday from the direction of a-Tuwani, the IDF conducted searches on Friday night (24 September). They confiscated a large number of Molotov cocktails as shown in the Facebook post as well as containers of fireworks. Magid writes:
The operation demonstrates the way the winds are blowing in the village a-Tuwani and where they are trying to direct things. The same village that “just wants to transfer water to their neighbour” . . .
What might have happened on Simchat Torah, just four days later, had these weapons not been found and confiscated?
And that brings us to today.
The “Rewards” of Incitement to Terror
Adra is keeping us up-to-date with the goings on today, a day when huge demonstrations were planned . . . and foiled.
Yesterday, I reported on the social-media-publicized incitement intending to get perhaps hundreds of leftist activists out in the field. With this clear and indisputable intention to incite violence, the army just closed the area down and did not let non-residents pass through the checkpoint. Click here to see examples of the call for participants.
About one hour ago (at the time of this writing), Basel posts on Twitter.
Now : The army is blocking the roads, the village of Susiya and the entrance to the village with several military orders in order to prevent the arrival of activists to spend time with the children.#SaveMassagerYatta pic.twitter.com/TSYWTSHgra
— Basel Adra (@basel_adra) November 13, 2021
And at about the same time, he adds this latter bit to his tweet. An account called M&M immediately responded with three memes voicing the same “elegantly” expressed sentiment as this one:
— M&M (@MM13315973) November 13, 2021
And Peace Now reacts to the roadblock and shows us what it looks like. They write: “Instead of stopping settler violence, they try to stop documentation of settler violence.” I have the feeling, Peace Now, that without your presence and that of others like you, there actually is no violence to document. Tough luck! You won’t get to see the peace and quiet you endanger.
עכשיו בדרום הר חברון: במקום לעצור את אלימות המתנחלים מנסים לעצור את התיעוד של אלימות מתנחלים https://t.co/Oqpj6xCOT0
— שלום עכשיו (@PeaceNowIL) November 13, 2021
Mothers against Violence show us that Jews are not allowed to cross the Meitar checkpoint. Oy! I guess the organizers did not get a permit to hold the demonstration. Oy again! What are the anti-Israel provocateurs going to write about checkpoints now?
צו הגבלת תנועה לא חוקי.
זה נוהל כללי בשביל להפעיל נוהל כללי צריך צו המגדיר בדיוק מהו השטח, צריך מפה וצריך חתימת אלוף ותאריך.
חוות דעת משפטית עו״ד אמנון קרן pic.twitter.com/Xl7WRnkQTN— אמהות נגד אלימות (@imahot4) November 13, 2021
And two hours later, at least some of the demonstrators got through: from the Mothers Against Violence group. They walked to the spot as their cars were not allowed to pass. They brought the toys and surprises they promised to bring the children at the illegal playground. Look carefully at the video. You will not see any angry violent settlers. I have no doubt at least some of these women were hoping for some “action”, something to film and show the world how the angry violent hateful settlers cannot even let children play at a playground. This is simply a variation on the “taking-them-water” theme Magid wrote about. I am looking forward to future equally creative ways they will apply to try to stir up trouble for the Jewish residents who are neighbours of the illegal Arab outposts, outposts nobody heard of before the violence began and which the anti-Israeli activists are working at bringing into Israeli Jewish consciousness.
סוסיא. צעדנו 35 דקות
חוגגות עם הילדים . pic.twitter.com/CcETE8QYHG— אמהות נגד אלימות (@imahot4) November 13, 2021
I have not seen videos by other groups who set out from their homes across Israel hoping to stir up trouble and instigate the violence they promised we would see. Perhaps, unlike the mothers bearing gifts, they were not let past the checkpoint as there was no cover for their ulterior motives.
Finally, let me show you someone who thinks you were not paying attention. The children’s party was an excuse to have a violent encounter as demonstrated by the letter sent to Gantz promising settler violence today. Problem is, the settlers stayed home and spoiled your party.
Activists had so many problems getting to Susiya today because the army decided to set up a checkpoint. The ‘most moral army in the world’ heard there was a children’s party and thought ‘let’s try and get it cancelled’. pic.twitter.com/P4lPcJEXxT
— EmH ??♀️?✡️? (@emtravelodge) November 13, 2021
"settler violence" a-Tuwani Basel Adra el-Mufaqara Havat Maon Susya
Last modified: December 11, 2025
