Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Wed 4.1.12, Morning

Date: 04/01/2012 ,Morning

Observers: Raya, Gefen (guest) and Hagit (reporting)

Hebron

According to Wye Plantation Accords (1997), Hebron is divided in two: H1 is under Palestinian Authority control, H2 is under Israeli control. In Hebron there are 170,000 Palestinian citizens, 60,000 of them in H2. Between the two areas are permanent checkpoints, manned at all hours, preventing Palestinian movement between them and controlling passage of permit holders such as teachers and schoolchildren. Some 800 Jews live in Avraham Avinu Quarter and Tel Rumeida, on Givat HaAvot and in the wholesale market.

Checkpoints observed in H2:

Bet Hameriva CP- manned with a pillbox
Kapisha quarter CP (the northern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
The 160 turn CP (the southern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
Avraham Avinu quarter - watch station
The pharmacy CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
Tarpat (1929) CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
Tel Rumeida CP - guarding station
Beit Hadassah CP - guarding station

Three checkpoints around the Tomb of the Patriarchs

Close description

Translated by Charles K.

We entered through the Meitar crossing today as well. Not much traffic on Highway 60, but the traffic police are active.

Hebron

Only M., our driver, is asked for an ID card at the entrance to Kiryat Arba. Our attempts to present ours were rejected. We were told to park off to the side until the guard made a call to receive permission to let us in.

Giv’at Avichai is still there, 11 buildings and vehicles.

Most of the route was relatively quiet, many pupils in the streets (exams are underway and school ends early). We were really astounded to see the path marked in blue and white by the Trail Marking Committee (on the way up to the Cordova school). It was tempting to take it, but in view of the experience of our colleagues in recent days, we refrained.

Tel Rumeida – Golani soldiers don’t want to speak to us; they don’t really seem to understand who we are. We returned to the car. Two buses carrying Israeli visitors park at the entrance to the road; one of the drivers explains to the soldiers who we are: “They’re worse than Arabs,” with a wave of his hand.

On the way down we met a group from “Breaking the Silence.” They said they also want to go up the stairs to “Cordova,” and that it’s necessary to insist, to try again and again.

Many visitors in the area of the Cave of the Patriarchs – Israelis and others. Today, as it happens, the music comes from the muezzin.

A-Tuwani

We stopped at A-Tuwani, saw the excavations and mosaic Leah Shakdiel referred to, and Nasser showed us a calling card from a group called “Emek Shaveh.” It’s apparently headed by a person named Yonatan Mizrahi; we immediately saw on the internet that he deals with “Archaeology in the shadow of the conflict”: an effort to build bridges between communities. It would be worth getting to know them; maybe they can be useful.

Nasser is worried that if the excavations continue as planned his home may be damaged, and, of course, their request to be connected to a water line depends on the excavations!!

We visited the small museum and shop.