Hebron, Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Thu 16.7.09, Morning

Date: 16/07/2009 ,Morning

Observers: noga and na'ama (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

Guest: Yaeli
Trans. by Bracha B.A.

Sansana
There are no workers at the checkpoint.
Road 60
Samo'ah CP: Open.
Dura Alfawwar: Open
Dahariya: Closed
The road itself is open.

Several hundred meters past Dura Alfawwar we see an IDF jeep parked in the middle of the road blocking traffic. Behind it is a long row of cars – evidence that it had been standing there for some time considering the light traffic on Road 60. When we approached we saw soldiers outside the jeep. We stopped next to them and they immediately got in and left, freeing the traffic jam. We could figure out if they parked in the middle of the road in order to check the cars driving on the road, or simply because they felt like doing so...

Hebron
New signposts at the entrance to Kiryat Arba and Hebron read: “Enough with the White Paper – Establish New Settlements” and “Don’t Support Our Enemies.”
Curve 160 CP: Empty, and checkpoint open. It appears that soldiers tend to avoid shuting it lately, so that it can be passed through relatively easily. People do still have to pass through the concrete barriers but at least they don’t have to bend over.
Tarpat CP: Empty.
Tel Romeida: Empty.
Patriarchs' Tombs' Cave CP: Empty

We decided to show Yaeli around Hebron, walking down the Hashuhada Street. A few minutes later, however, we were stopped by policemen who asked for our IDs. Yaeli and Noga took theirs out, but it turned out that mine was left in the car. As a result, i was scolded by the policeman, who explained that “this isn’t Shenkin St." (Tel Aviv) and that I could not walk wherever I wanted to, certainly not without an ID. We had to return to the car to present my ID. At this stage they asked for our driver M.’s documents as well, although they see him daily. Finally they asked us where we were headed and escorted us through half of Hebron, to make sure that we were truthful.