Map Position 2 Tractor damaged

On July 2, 2003, Rashid Fehmi of Upper Yanoun was attacked and his tractor disabled by shelling by the settlers.

It was the height of the ongoing settler attacks on the village and the villagers. Rashid was working with his MF 165 tractor and a three-point hitch cultivator in the olive groves between upper and lower Yanoun. Thirty to forty armed (M16s) settlers converged on him and ordered him off his tractor and onto the road nearby. They shot into the road to get him to flee home. Then they took pot shots at the tractor puncturing both rear tires and one front. They knew enough about tractors to ruin it. They destroyed the oil filter and alternator on one side, then on the other side shot up the diesel injection pump and the power steering pump. In addition they sprayed the tractor with bullets. I already had pictures of the exterior bullet holes. The vicious settler known as Victor was among the perpetrators.

Imagine a dirt-poor peaceful farmer trying to make a living of sorts from working the poor soil here, and having a bunch of hooligans shoot up the only tractor in the village. Think of the despair on seeing thousands of dollars of repair work ahead and no visible means to get it done.

He got the damage witnessed and a written statement from the village council to try to get compensation from somewhere. He has not received a cent, and most probably will not get anything in the future. Sharon has destroyed the Palestinian Authority as an effective government, and besides this is an area retained by Israel under the now defunct Oslo agreements. He got the tractor repaired; he did some himself, and the Massey Ferguson dealer in Aqraba did the rest.

Rashid is one of the nicest guys I know. Peaceful and peace loving beyond my imagination. I tried to teach him some English language swear words. I called the settlers sons-of-bitches, and asked him to repeat it. I think he understood, but was upset and I cancelled the conversation. I judge him to be in his thirties, his wife a bit younger. They have four kids, all less than six years of age.The concrete slab house in the background is Rashid's. I had one of the most delicious meals ever cooked and served by Mrs. Fehmi, Rashid's wife and farming partner.

A Massey Ferguson 165 is an old tractor, not produced for many years now, but you still see a lot of them in this area, but only one in upper Yanoun. I don’t know about lower Yanoun. Palestine is the last refuge of the VW bug and MF 165 tractors.