Hebron

This is our first shift in about two weeks, because of the holidays.

05:36  We left from Shoqet junction.  Great congestion on the Israeli side of the checkpoint; it’s still very dark.

We entered the Meitar checkpoint.  For a moment it seemed the road had been widened, but no – the Civil Administration informed the owners of the stands it doesn’t object to their being there if they move ten meters back from the road, which most did, and now everyone has more room.

05:45  We’re on the Palestinian side.  Shouting and crowding, unusual at this checkpoint, as well as a few young men pushing in, climbing over the lines unnecessarily because the line flows smoothly, the revolving gates don’t stop, not even for a second.  Were it not for the difficult surroundings one might think we’re at an ordinary international border crossing.  Very rarely do we hear a woman’s voice asking impolitely, Where’s your ID, why did you forget it, but we saw no laborers being turned back while we were there.

06:09  There’s no more congestion, so we left.

06:40  The southern entrance to Hebron is open; there are no soldiers.  Nor is the balloon over Beit Haggai in its usual spot.

06:50  We reached the Kiryat Arba gas station.  It’s beginning to look permanent.  The walls, which until now had been formed by plastic sheeting are now made of a rigid material.

Two soldiers at the entrance to the Cave of the Patriarchs compound.  They didn’t come over to inspect us.  Although there’s a military presence in the city no one bothers to check us.  Hebron is wet from the rain, children walking to school and to kindergarten.  A group of soldiers at the Police junction with all their military and civilian equipment.  It looks like a meeting point before setting off, a transport station.

A military jeep at Zif junction.

A military jeep comes down from the Asa’el outpost.