AM
South Hebron Tuesday morning, 25 May 2004.Observers: Dana l.; Haya H.; Tali L. (reporting)We left Shoqet at 6:30 AM, as usual. The soldiers at Shima’s checkpoint smiled and let us pass without delay. The separation policy is working –the entire area is completely still – all the roads leading to Hwy #60 are blocked, and only settlers and the army are using the road. Dura – Al Fawwar checkpoint was open and there were no soldiers, but there was only sparse movement of pedestrians, and no cars attempted to cross the road. Likewise in Hakvasim Junction –pedestrians only, no army. The junction between Hebron and and Zif was open today. We continued on Hwy #60 towards Halhul, passing Kiryat-Arba. Almost no movement, in Halhul there is a closed gate preventing the access to the main road. On our way back we went to see Zif – the same sight, only here a military jeep was guarding the closed gate. We turned around and left but the soldiers followed and wanted to know who we were. They didn’t know what Machsom Watch was, so we introduced ourselves and gave them the introductory flyer. They were quite amused by the part relating to their service conditions, and wondered whether they ask our help regarding their commander. When we asked them why were they guarding the closed village, one of them said that sometimes there are order-violations “and other nonsense like that.” We returned through the Kvasim junction and stopped (100 meters from the junction, as agreed with the army). We observed the pedestrian movement for 15 min. At some point the Zif jeep passed by and made encouraging signals (we had the feeling they didn’t quite understand what we were doing there…). In short: every access to the main road is blocked, all the villages are separated from each other, and Hwy #60 is the settlers + army road. We were back by 8:30.
Hebron
See all reports for this place-
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
Raya YeorDec-18-2025Hebron - Yusri Jaber and part of his family
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