Muhammad 'Abadi, owner of plant

In 1985, my father began making charcoal. He built a factory using a primitive method, by burning wood, burying it in the ground, and watching over it. In 1992, my four brothers, Bilal, Mahmoud, Fadi and Luay and I joined the business. Making charcoal is our sole source of livelihood. The plant is located on a seven-dunam parcel of land, which we rent. When there is lots of business, we employ three or four workers.

The plant is located in Y'abad, next to the main road running from Jenin to Baka and Tulkarm. Settlers and soldiers use this road a lot. Two settlements remain in the area – Mevo Dotan and Hermesh. Mevo Dotan is closer to the factory, and Hermesh is about six kilometers away, toward Baka. Despite the army's intensive activity in the area, there never was a problem between the workers and the army.

Before the Israeli withdrawal from the settlements in the Jenin area, the army set up lookout towers along the road and installed two iron gates. The first gate is at the entrance to Mevo Dotan and the other at the western entrance to Y'abad. The army also set up lookout towers at the intersection of the entrance to Y'abad and the main road. The two gates were closed for about two months. Since then, the Y'abad gate has been closed only at night. The Mevo Dotan gate is permanently closed.

The charcoal plant in Y'abad. Photo: 'Atef a-Rob, B'Tselem. 2 March 2006.

During the withdrawal, army patrols entered the plant all the time. They wrote down the names of the owners and all the employees and searched the plant. Whenever the army came, they checked the area and the ID cards of the employees. They also come and check us whenever they think that somebody the area took an action against them.

About a month ago, four army jeeps came to the plant and the soldiers ordered us to leave. One of the officers told me, "Go and straighten things out, and then you can go back to work." The soldiers claimed that stones had been thrown at them about a kilometer west of our plant. I argued with them, and one of the soldiers said, "You would even be responsible for gunfire in America " We spoke mostly in Arabic. I explained that I take responsibility for my factory, and that I don't let anybody come close to it. The soldiers were convinced and one of them walked over to the jeep, apparently to call headquarters. But he came back and told us again that we had to leave. They made us leave even though the fire for the wood was still burning. The soldiers informed us that whoever remained would be arrested and punished. We went to Y'abad, but stood at a high spot that enabled us to see the plant area. About three hours later, at 11:00 P.M., we saw that the fire in a few places was too big.

I went with my brothers and some workers to put it out. When we got there, an army jeep pulled up and soldiers detained us. They took us to the entrance to the Mevo Dotan settlement, where they held us until seven in the morning. When they released us, we asked them to let us go back to the plant, but they refused. The area was closed for four days. The soldiers were in the area all the time. We couldn't get to the plant. After the four days passed, we went and saw the damage. I think the loss of wood that had burned completely amounted to US$ 4,000. When the wood burns too much, it can't be used for making charcoal.

Last Thursday [23 February], around 7:00 P.M., an army jeep pulled up at the plant. The soldiers again ordered us to leave, this time until Saturday. As before, they said that stones had been thrown at them about a kilometer west of the plant. Again, I argued with them. One of them, who introduced himself as "Captain Basel," went to make a call. When he returned, he told us that only one person would be allowed to stay. One of the workers, 'Alaa, remained at the plant. The next day, 'Alaa told me that, around 1:00 A.M., another jeep came and the soldiers ordered him to leave. 'Alaa said he told the soldiers that "Captain Basel" had given him approval to stay, but the soldiers said they did not know any "Captain Basel," and that 'Alaa had to leave.

The following morning, we wanted to go to the plant, and asked the soldiers patrolling the main road to let us go to the plant and take care of the burning wood. They let us enter for half an hour, but that did not help. We left and returned on Saturday. We found that there had been a great deal of damage to the plant, about 5,000 dollars worth.

Because of these disturbances, we decided to move the plant. We are carefully planning the move, so as not to suffer further losses.

Muhammad Ahmad Ibrahim 'Abadi, 33, married with four children, is an owner of charcoal plant and a resident of Y'abad, Jenin District. His testimony was given to 'Atef a-Rob at the plant on 1 March 2006.