Dura-Al Fawwar Junction, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills
Meitar Checkpoint: unexpectedly quiet for a Sunday morning, not clear why. Route 60 is calm but one wonders how the drivers there got their licenses, maybe there’s a competition for breaking traffic rules. Checkpoints at Al Fuwwar and the entrance to Hebron at Beit Hagai. We went to visit our old friend Ata Jaber who has long standing struggles against invading settlers and also with the Civil Administration (CA)regarding his water supply. It may be recalled that a year or so ago we reported that the CA destroyed his vegetable garden on the grounds that he “stole” water. Things have not improved, he is paying for water that he does not receive and therefore has to purchase water privately (in tanks) which is prohibitively expensive. We sat with him in the shade of melon vines (which require relatively little water) and he regaled us with an incident involving a well-known settler from Hebron: Ofer Ohana, whose modus operandi is photographing activists from very close-up, all the while cursing and defaming them. About two weeks earlier, Ofer arrived at Ata’s plot and began his usual tirade. Ata decided that enough is enough and gave him a good drubbing. Ofer, begging for mercy, called all the State defenders: police, army, GSS and more. They all arrived,removed Ofer to “safety” and winked at Ata, as if to say: we know who we are dealing with. Ata was mighty pleased with himself and so were we! A video of the event can be seen at
https://www.facebook.com/atta.jaber.16
We returned via Route 317, deserted in the heat.
Although we would like to see more Palestinians defending themselves against settler attacks, in reality this is not feasible since the settlers are armed and do not hesitate to use their weapons. Not only that, but Ata was lucky in this case not to have been arrested and charged with assault, if not worse! And on a happy note: some 20 years ago or more we supported relatives of Ata whose son was attacked by settlers and spent months in Hadassah hospital being treated for gunshot wounds to the stomach. We asked after him and heard that he is now a doctor.
Dura Al-Fawwar Junction
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Junction on Route 60: west - the town of El Dura, east - the Al Fawwar refugee camp. There is a manned pillbox at the junction. From time to time the army sets up flying checkpoints at the entrance to El Fawwar and Al Dura. Al-Fawwar is a large refugee camp (7,000 inhabitants in 2007) established in 1949 to accommodate Palestinian refugees from Be'er Sheva and Beit Jubrin and environs. There are many incidents of stone-throwing. In the vicinity of the pillbox there are excellent agricultural areas, Farmers set up stalls adjacent to the plots close to the road. In recent months the civil administration has set up dirt embankments thereby blocking access to the stalls, and making it impossible for the farmers to sell their vegetables. Updated April 2021, Michal T.
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Meitar checkpoint / Sansana
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Meitar Checkpoint / Sansana The checkpoint is located on the Green Line and serves as a border crossing between Israel and the West Bank. It is managed by the Border Crossing Authority of the Defense Ministry. It is comprised of sections for the transfer of goods as well as a vehicle checkpoint (intended for holders of blue identity cards, foreign nationals or diplomats and international organizations). Passing of Palestinians is prohibited, except for those with entry permits to Israel. Palestinians are permitted to cross on foot only. The crossing has a DCO / DCL / DCL / DCL (District Coordination Office), a customs unit, supervision, and a police unit. In the last year, a breach has been opened in the fence, not far from the crossing. This breach is known to all, including the army. There does not appear to be any interest in blocking it, probably as it permits needed Palestinian workers without the bureaucratic permits to get to work in Israel. Food stalls and a parking area economy have been created, but incidents of violent abuse by border police have also been recorded. Updated April 2022
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South Hebron Hills
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South Hebron Hills
South Hebron Hills is a large area in the West Bank's southern part.
Yatta is a major city in this area: right in the border zone between the fertile region of Hebron and its surroundings and the desert of the Hebron Hills. Yatta has about 64,000 inhabitants.
The surrounding villages are called Masafer Yatta (Yatta's daughter villages). Their inhabitants subsist on livestock and agriculture. Agriculture is possible only in small plots, especially near streams. Most of the area consists of rocky terraces.Since the beginning of the 1980s, many settlements have been established on the agricultural land cultivated by the Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills region: Carmel, Maon, Susia, Masadot Yehuda, Othniel, and more. Since the settlements were established and Palestinians cultivation areas have been reduced; the residents of the South Hebron Hills have been suffering from harassment by the settlers. Attempts to evict and demolish houses have continued, along with withholding water and electricity. The military and police usually refrain from intervening in violent incidents between settlers and Palestinians do not enforce the law when it comes to the investigation of extensive violent Jewish settlers. The harassment in the South Hebron Hills includes attacking and attempting to burn residential tents, harassing dogs, harming herds, and preventing access to pastures.
There are several checkpoints in the South Hebron Hills, on Routes 317 and 60. In most of them, no military presence is apparent, but rather an array of pillboxes monitor the villages. Roadblocks are frequently set up according to the settlers and the army's needs. These are located at the Zif Junction, the Dura-al Fawwar crossing, and the Sheep Junction at the southern entrance to Hebron.
Updated April 2022
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