Sansana (Meitar Crossing)

Translated by Jenny L.

Meitar Crossing

the parking lot on the Israeli side is full of cars and workers who have not yet set out on their journey. The Palestinian side is empty - as each person arrives they are quickly checked and pass through the checkpoint.

Route 60

All checkpoints are open and there is a good flow of people. There is a heavy presence of IDF vehicles along the Route.

Hebron

It's cold and clear in the city. Children are walking to school bundled up in coats. International volunteers are in place at the checkpoints, counting the number of people going through the crossings. Golani soldiers appear to be at loose ends, supervising but scarcely interfering with the flow. The city is quiet and clean, with an element of tension in the air because of the military jeeps circulating between checkpoints.

Route 317

The Ziff Junction - we went into the grocery store to buy something and also to find out whether indeed a Palestinian had forced his way through the checkpoint and been shot on Saturday. According to the grocer's version of events, it was a Palestinian who had been driving an unlicensed vehicle and burst through the checkpoint to escape from the police. Thus an incident of a crimininal background, not a nationalistic one.

We went via Hirbat Tiwani to take a look at digging operations and then made our way back home.

guests: Shahar and Ellen.

Sansana-Meitar

By 7:30am the checkpoint is clear and only a few workers waited for employers on the Israeli side together with one bus for prisoners' families.

Route 60

Clear and we hardly saw a military vehicle or soldiers.

 Hebron

We stopped at the Tarpat checkpoint where some TIPH internationals were crossing without checking. We asked whether this was the rule and after a lot of mumbling the soldier declared that he only answered what he wanted to. We thanked him for his courtesy and proceeded  up the hill to Tel Romeida. Here a large sign welcomes visitors in Hebrew to military position X (I don't recall the no. and didn't get a chance to photograph it). We decided to show our guests the cage house at Jewish Tel Romeida, but were politely accosted by an officer who agreed to let us pass on condition we didn't try to go beyond that eyesore. However, one of our party took it into her head to proceed whereupon an irate settler leapt from his car and decided to throw us out. The officer reappeared and with polite rudeness(!) shuttled us down the hill for all the world like a hen with ducklings. He refused to allow us to speak until he had finished telling us off for provoking - just who or what was not clear. He cautioned us not to even think of enterng the Jewish cemeteries, which we anyway had no intention of doing. The truth though is that we had no need to beard the settlers in their lair 0 enogh having to deal with them in the public arena. As to the officer, either a lieutenant or a captain, he clearly wanted to avoid a scene - his lordly attitude is part of the infinite power that the army wields and which, unfortunately, doesn't end in the occupied territories but carries over when they return to civilian life.

We then proceeded to Khirbet Al Tuwant where, as Lea Shakdiel has reported, an exciting archeological find purports to be a synagogue from the Second Temple Period.  We met Suleiman Salem ElOndra (?) also known as Nasser, on whose land the excavation is taking place. His house also serves as a sort of community center with a photographic record of the harrassment suffered in the village by settlers from the nearby outposts and settlements.  Thre is also a women's orgamization selling embroidery and crafts.  The history of the dig is as follows: the villagers requested the Civil Administration to connect them to the main water system. The CA agreed but declared that the dig must take place first and only when it is complete can the connection to the water pipeline be maid.  As Lea points out, when there is a dig at a settlement it is no obstancle to the preparation of infrastructure, but here of course the situation is different.  Tuwanis is famous for the fact that the neighbouring village of Tuba sends its children to school there and because of the frequent harrasment and attacks by settlers on the youngsters, they must be accompanied by internationals and/or the army. Not long ago I visited in Soroka Hospital an international volunteer who was beaten and left of dead by settlers.

And to the dig:  according to Ellen who is a tour guide who specialises in archeology - there are clear signs of a Byzantine floor and secondary buildings probably from the Muslim period. However, she also pointed out some remains that seemd to her typical of the Second Temple period, possibly steps leading to a ritual bath (mikveh).  Nasser also took us to another site in the village where his sister has set up house in a cave to protect her land while the excavation goes on.  The dig includes two oil presses and two caves that could indeed be burial chambers from the second temple period.  The question is, so what?  The sad thing is that if this is indeed an interesting archeologoical site instead of bringing economic benefit to the village in the form of tourism, it will bring them more conflict with settlers and their supporters bent on the judaization of the country, and the dispossession of the Palestinians. 
.  Hanna Barag and Yesh Din are planning to visit the site with an expert archeologist. To be continued....

Guest: Shachar

Translator:  Charles K.

Meitar crossing

Many laborers arrived despite the rain and fog. They’re waiting on the Israeli side of the crossing for their employers to pick them up

Route 60.

Nothing out of the ordinary along the road.  The weather affects everyone.

Hebron

The security guard at the entrance to Kiryat Arba again asks who we are, and we again must remind him that we’re all citizens with equal rights [that’s what’s written, at least] and that it’s unacceptable to demand an ID only from someone who doesn’t look Jewish. Again he explains that he has the authority and instructions from the police to ask for IDs.  Again he calls “big brother;” what a quixotic battle in one of the bastions of Israeli racism.  We’ll continue; even stones are worn away by water. 

Golani soldiers in the town since last Thursday. Their signs stand out at the base at the entrance to town.

Rain, fog and bone-chilling cold.

Hagit and Shachar again walk along the new apartheid path which is marked similarly to those of the Nature Protection Society, indicating the shortcut for residents of Tel Rumeida, beginning at the stairs up to the Cordova school/

I remain with our driver because of what has happened in the past; it’s not a good idea to leave him alone here.

They, of course, run into a soldier who reminds them that this path is restricted to the Jewish residents of Tel Rumeida.  And, of course…a bottle is thrown at them from one of the trailers.

That’s how it ends this time.  Otherwise, nothing special occurred.

Next to one of the houses along the road down from Tel Rumeida to the Tarpa”t checkpoint we met a man who lives there.  He’s a physician working in town, in the H1 area. 

“Everything is ok,” he says.  “It’s hard, of course, that I can’t drive my car from home to the hospital,” but everything is ok.

Everything is deserted and closed down, even – by and large - around the Cave of the Patriarchs.  There are always Jewish visitors coming in groups, despite the weather.

We drove home via the Tarqumiya crossing. 

Highway 35

Quiet and deserted.  The soldiers came down from the pillbox next to the grocery but haven’t detained anyone.

At Tarqumiya they’re as “nice” as ever.  Again the questions – who are we, where did we come from.  Again asking to see only M’s ID.  We insist they check ours also.  Again they send us to the inspection area on our right.  They open and inspect the car.  Again they ask for our IDs.  The inspector smiles apologetically.  “Orders.”  “Can’t she exercise any discretion?” we ask.  Can’t you see we’re not security risks?  A shrug.  “Do you also ask residents of Telem and Adura for IDs?”

“Yes,” she replies grudgingly.  Why don’t we believe her?

Sansana-Meitar

Checkpoint is clear. A long line of trucks waits at the check-out and seems to move quickly.

Route 60

Lively but there sure are some lousy drivers around here, Israelis and Palestinians alike.
 

Bani Naim: We came here first: a large village close to Hebron where settlers had defaced a mosque.  We found the mosque alright but at first couldn't locate the damage until the Imam appeared (the grapevine really works out there!) and showed us a side wall where the scarlet letters were already obliterated by -- more red paint. (see photos).  The imam and his people thought the perpetrators came from Yitzhar but its more likely that this was a local job. It should be said that the Imam and his companions received us most graciously, explalined patiently to the three (!) translators - among whom Netanya shone out with her Arabic  - and they even embarassingly thanked us for coming.  Netanya expressed our regrets for the vandalism.

Um Farqa is our next stop: a tiny, desolate hamlet between Tuwani and the Maon settlement where the Civil Administration had destroyed the mosque, several residential buildings and a room that had been added on to a cave dwelling, as well as all the electricity poles between the village and Tuwani. Iin the process  destroying the peace of this impoverished place.  The Sheik kindly gave us a tour of the devastation (see pics of mosque rubble). At one point a figure was seen striding across the hills from Tuwani. The locals froze on the spot and only relaxed when it transpired that this was an "Arab".  The fear of the Lords of the Land lies heavy in these parts, and with good reason.
Two girls from the village were arrested during the demolition, however they were released and the trial of the older one, Souan, took place on 19.12.11 - please see Ehud Krinis' report circulated on the reshet.

Next stop on this other planet was Givat HaAntenna - Antenna Hill, another desolate spot not far from Hebron. A smooth road leads up to the hilltop, not paved but clearly rolled out with heavy equipment. This was the site of the murder of two guards (guarding the antenna) and has been turned into a memorial for them. (see photos with their names),  The hilltop boasts a (tattered) Israeli flag and a little gazebo which announces itself as a place of prayer. In the middle of the gazebo is something that looks suspiciously like a sacrificial altar, but it may be a bima for a Torah scroll, to be fair.  A small plot of ploughed earth lies close by: watch this spot for a new outpost may sprout up here one of these days.  This is how these things begin...And judging by the amount of garbage lying around the place is well used.

Finally, for how could we not get our weekly fix of ghtost town, a quick spin around Hebron. Two Border policepeople (a man and a woman) munching snadwiches and drinking coke at the entrance/exit to the Worshippers Alley,  On Shuhada street several men in shorts are jogging incongruously, while a platoon (?) of paratroopers patrols the street with drawn weapons, showing the natives who is in charge. At the Cordoba school steps which are now marked as a national monument, a group of elderly Jews is strugglling upwards, some of them give up and come down again while an energetic guide jolly's them on.  Clearly, the intention is to drive the  Cordoba people out of their minds by making a nature reserve out of their neighbourhood, and no doubt eventually they will give in and go away, or perhaps not. Maybe the steps will prove too much for the elderly tourists and the Ministry of Education will have to make it a compulsory route for School certificate completion.

Thursday, 22.12.11

Netanya and I joined a Shovrim Shtika/Breaking the Silence tour of Hebron (that's reall addiction!) - fascinating since we went in under police protection, were only harassed (by the police) three times for our ID's and once by a paratrooper, who agreed to compromise and see the identification only of the guide. We  peeped into the Casbah - desolate and deserted, climbed up to Jewish Tel-Romeida where our 'protectors' abandoned us by the so-called 'Cage House' and we took the roundabout route that Palestinians are forced to use to reach their homes nearby.  Very picturesque and rather beautiful with really ancient olive trees but heaven help anyone taken ill, in labour, carrying heavy bags or coming home at night - no vehicle access is possible and the ground is thick with tree roots, stones and the inevitable garbage all waiting to trip you up.  It was salutory to be reminded of the historic development of the Jewish settlement in Hebron and hear again the details of government and army policy of closure-checkpoint-curfew that has made the city of Abraham a ghost town.  The tour lasted three and a half hours and is highly recommended to anyone interested in knowing the minutae of how the occupation works and of which Hebron is merely the outstanding example.  We also met Anat Cohen but she was berating a paratrooper (they seem to be the people on the ground currently) and we were able to evade direct contact.
 

Translator:  Charles K.

Sansana - Meitar crossing

Packed with trucks and private cars on both sides of the checkpoint.  A sign of active commerce and many workers.

The shed and the revolving gates are empty.  All the laborers already went through.  “Normalization.”

Route 317

Almost completely empty.  Israeli flags flying defiantly, blatantly, all along the road.

At the turn to Carmel, energetic settlers paste everywhere they can posters reading:   “Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria next year.” 

There’s “hope” in the air this Rosh HaShana.  No one here has any doubts.

Route 60

Many army and other security personnel at the turn to Bani Na’im on the dirt tracks that bypass the road.  Soldiers on their way in to the locality.

A Border Police soldier blocks the road.  “Closed military area,” he says.  A jumpy officer chases us off rudely and demands we erase photos we’ve taken.  Hagit demands to see his ID and a document authorizing him to give us such orders.  In response he demands her ID, calls someone and gives them her details.

The law has “muscle.”  It seems to be very important to him to show who’s in charge here.  They’re apparently making a great effort to find the non-Jewish stone throwers.

Jeeps and soldiers at the entrance to Kiryat Arba.  The civilian guard cynically asks M., our driver, who’s a fan of Barcelona’s soccer team, and has its pennants hanging permanently in his car: “Isn’t it time to hang the tricolor flag with the triangle instead of Barce’s pennants?”  But, as always, he doesn’t prevent us from coming in.  “Just great!”

Hebron

There’s now a paratroop battalion in Hebron.

Next to Beit HaMeriva we ran into Osama, who lives on the Worshippers’ Route and as a result the entrance to his home was sealed about a year and a half ago.  He says nothing’s changed since then even though “Yesh Din” has tried to help him.  Nor does he believe there’s any chance his door will be unsealed.  Our friend B., who lives right next to Beit HaMeriva, also shows up.  He says the area has been quiet for a long time.  A paratroop officer and soldier watch the “traitoresses,” but don’t say anything.  All they’ll say to us is that they won’t get leave for the holiday, and they remember that when they were children people expressed to them the hope that when they grew up they’d no longer have to serve in the army.  What’s important is that, for now, the army “lives” in this house.  The adjoining Moslem cemetery is being renovated, and there are also concrete blocks and concertina wire everywhere.  Two elderly women trudge through the obstacles on the road which was once much easier to walk along.  They complain how hard it is to get through.  And we, as always, say nothing, embarrassed.

In general, what’s most noticeable in this [mixed Arab-Jewish] ghost town [Hebron] are the pedestrians.  Old men, women carrying babies and small children can only walk, ascend and descend difficult, steep paths up Shuhada Street toward Tel Rumeida, etc.  All so they don’t interfere with the movement of the “lords of the land.”  No detainees at any of the checkpoints.  Just the usual desperation.

On our way back, near Dahariyya, we met some young people.  One of them, who sells sheep, told us that yesterday, on his way to Nablus, near Ma’ale Mikhmash, settlers attacked him, threw rocks, broke windows in his vehicle and beat him.  He didn’t try to call for help because, in his experience, the police do nothing when Palestinians are attacked.  He simply fled.  He was also attacked two months ago near “Shavei Shomron.”  Now he shows us the marks on his car from the rocks.  He’d already replaced the window.  He agrees to notify us immediately the next time it happens so we can help him file a complaint and/or give him the names of our members who deal with that specific region so one of us can assist him.  We also suggested that he carry a camera with him and take pictures if he can do so without endangering himself.

 6.45-9.30

Maitar

The parking lot is full of people, the have all passed the checking and the Palestinian side is empty. 2 buses of prisoners' families are being checked.

Route 60

The road is almost empty, children on their way to school. Military cars stand at some junctions with crossroads. No detainees were seen .The cars were not seen on the way back/

Hebron

The city is quite. We heard from a CPT lady that some demonstrations were taking place on Friday with the intervention of gas.

TARPAT CP.: 5 soldiers keep the place. They try, unsuccessfully, to drag us to some kind of discussion.

Translator:  Charles K.

Sansana-Meitar crossing

The closure doesn’t end until tomorrow, so the Meitar checkpoint is deserted.

Route 60

Route 60 is almost completely deserted.

There’s almost no military presence either.

An observation balloon floats over the area.

We see many children on their way to the UNRWA school at El-Fawwar.

Hebron

Hebronis quiet after Passover.

The CPT volunteers are patrolling in town, accompanied by an Italian agricultural delegation who’ll meet local farmers to see how they can help.

At the Pharmacy checkpoint they tell us that shortly before we arrived a youth who objected to being inspected was beaten by Border Police soldiers.  They didn’t see what happened, only overheard what went on in the booth.  The youth was released immediately because teachers and TIPH staff arrived.

There were no detainees when we arrived, nor at any of the other checkpoints in the city.

The Cave of the Patriarchs area is quiet.  All the shops are closed, but two settlers next to Beit Gutnick look at us and shout: “Here are the traitors.”

We drove to Beit Anun.  Trucks still have to transfer their loads back-to-back because of the concrete barriers.  In fact, we saw how a truck loaded with gas cylinders unloads them onto the barriers, where they are picked up by people from Beit Anun.  The horrible routine.

We’d planned to visit the guy who’d been bitten by the soldiers’ dog.  We thought he was hospitalized in Soroka, but got a message from “Yesh Din” that he’d been released, but because he’d been defined as being in Israel without permission he was jailed in Hebron.

Translator:  Charles K.

At noon we go through the Sansana crossing.  The lot is filled with cars.

Route 60

is also full of cars, most with Palestinian license plates.

Israeli flags fly from every electric pole all along the road in honor Israel’s upcoming Independence Day.  The residents of the towns and villages in the area – Dura, Dahariyya, Hebron, Samu’a, Siniyya, etc.- will undoubtedly be happy to see the flags waving proudly.

We travelled around for three hours on a beautiful, warm day, through a green landscape dotted with flocks of sheep.

Hebron

Children in Hebron are home from school, many of them playing or wandering around the streets and alleys.  The Hebron salient is quiet.  So now, everything can continue.  People can shut their eyes to the Made-in-Israel injustice.  Will we ever put an end to the Occupation?

Southern Hebron Hills, Hebron, Sansana (Meitar crossing), Tuesday, 12.4.11, morning
Observers:  Hagit B., Michal Z. (reporting)
Translator:  Charles K.

A quiet, chilly morning.
Nothing out of the ordinary, the “boring” Occupation routine.

Meitar crossing – all the laborers crossed; there aren’t any relatives of prisoners.
Route 60 – no flying checkpoints, almost no military presence.

Hebron
There are no detainees at any checkpoint in Hebron either.  The entire H2 area is a ghost town, as usual.  Is it the cold that keeps everyone inside?

Only at Curve 160 has a Palestinian car been asked to stop, its passengers walking from the checkpoint toward the Jebel Johar neighborhood.

We hasten to ask the Border Police soldiers for the reason.

The answer is horribly simple:  The checkpoint is out of order, and the person who’s able to open it is temporarily unavailable.  As far as they’re concerned, they’d leave it open all the time.
Without a doubt - the IDF in all its glory.

The whole city is full of Israeli flags, and others reading “Hebron Forever.”  It’s not clear what the occasion is.
Border Police soldiers on the Worshippers Route near the Cave of the Patriarchs ask who we are, where we’re going, but don’t hold us up.
We left, deciding to return via Route 317.  Everything is deserted there as well, other than a squad of soldiers on the dirt road to Yatta, opposite the road up to Attawani.

Farmers work in the fields; we go over to see why the soldiers are there, who and what are they guarding.
It’s not clear; they leave immediately, and so do we.  The area is full of shepherds with their flocks.  We’re glad to see that today no one is disturbing them.  Misleadingly pastoral.

Translation: Bracha B.A.

06:45-09:00

Sansana Meitar Crossing

We did not wait since we saw that the workers had already crossed.  A bus of prisoners' families was waiting there when we came back at 09:00.

 Route 60

Soldiers had placed a roadblock at the entrance to Yata for workers but when we came back they were no longer there.

Hebron

At Curve 160 there were soldiers from the Border Patrol and several detainees were standing with the arms behind them.  When we arrived they were allowed to stand normally, their documents were returned, and they were released..

Two volunteers at the pharmacy checkpoint greeted us and asked about Tamar, and were grieved to hear she is no longer with us.  We also feel her absence.