A-Tuwani, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills
Gaps in the fence:
After all the difficult events and everything that has been said on the subject, it was interesting to see what the breaches in the fence near the Meitar checkpoint now look like.
The loopholes have been blocked with barbed wire and every hundred meters or so, cement blocks have also been placed, with a soldier on duty standing on each of them.
We will see for how long the way of the breadwinners will be blocked and they will have no other way out but through the checkpoints. Only those with permits will be able to go through. Many of those who do not have such will have no way of earning a living.
We drove to the Awauda family, who live in the wadi next to the buildings of the Meitarim Regional Council in the southern Hebron Mountains. They call their place of residence Wadadi. The family is composed of the two wives of one man and his unmarried sister. They are part of a population spread in the area. They are half shepherds and half farmers. Each family settles in some wadi, grazes their flock and grows mainly barley.
They originate from Sam’u but they spend most of the year in this place, and return to Sam’u rarely.
Together they have about fifteen children, who study in Sam’u, and therefore hardly come home. In the winter they are in the caves nearby. We saw them from the road, not far from the high pillbox that stands at the turn to Shani. And in the summer in the “tents” where we had been.
We had lots of clothes, games and equipment for the school. The women, with one little girl, were very happy to have it all. When we asked about the conduct of the authorities, they said that no one was bothering them and that this had been the family’s way of life for at least seventy years.
At-Tuwani
We went to visit the family of Basel and Nasser Adra from At-Tuwani. Ramadan fasting affects everyone’s agenda – they get up late and are looking more tired than usual. They say they suffer from the settlers of Havat Maon almost daily.
For example, yesterday, Sunday, seven settlers came down into the wadi to chase the shepherd. Luckily, there were also three Israeli activists there, who volunteer to be there all the time and accompany the shepherds. The activists stood in front of the rioters and began photographing them. Then they ran away. The army comes sometimes but what really helps is the presence of the volunteers.
A-Tuwani
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A-Tuwani
The locals came to a-Tuwani during the 20th century from the village of Yatta. They settled in abandoned ruins, utilizing the arable land, pastures for grazing sheep and the abundance of natural caves for habitation. The residents who settled in the caves came from families who could not purchase land for houses in the mother villages, as well as shepherds who did not have enough land to graze. They were joined by clan members who quarreled with other families in the mother locality.
Some of the residents today live in concrete buildings built above the caves. In the area of the village are several water cisterns and an ancient water well called 'Ein a-Tuwani. Local residents are forced to buy water in containers and transport them through many road blocks to the village. With the help of international organizations, an electrical system was installed in the village. In the late 90s of the 20tTh century, an elementary school was established in the serving several small villages in the area.
In 2004, MachsomWatch began visiting and reporting from the Khirbet Tuwani cave village, which suffers badly from the settlers of nearby outposts, and especially from the extremist Ma'on outpost. . The settlers contaminate cisterns, poison the flocks and uproot trees.Particularly notable is the harassment of children from the surrounding villages on their way to school in a-Tuwani, so much so that military escort of children is required to separate them from the attackers (this was arranged following an initiative of the organization's members). In the past year, the escort has been without the vital presence of overseas volunteers.
Near a-Tuwani there are several families who have returned to the caves due to the incessant demolitions of the civil administration (as there is a total construction ban in all of area C). Destroyed are not only residential and agricultural buildings, but also water pipes, machinery. Even water cisterns are clogged up. a-Tuwani residents have created an association for non-violent demolition protests, but in the past year the army’s harsh harassment and settler violence have intensified and escalated. The incident of the small generator confiscation, which left a young man paralyzed, is one of many examples - any legitimate protection of property rights leads to violence and even shootings by the army and the civil administration.
Updated April 2022
MuhammadFeb-24-2026South Hebron Hill, Beit Hagai: Paving an internal security road
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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
MuhammadFeb-24-2026South Hebron Hill, Beit Hagai: Paving an internal security road
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