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Dura-Al Fawwar Junction, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills

Observers: Nina and Hagit S.S; Translation: Natanya
May-07-2018
| Morning

There are lots of parked cars at the Meitar Crossing, all the parking areas are full and many cars on the roads in the area. This means that more workers are moving to work in Israel, and of course, merchants.

Abda – one of the entrances to the village is open and one is closed.

At the the spring of al-Fawwar, the Israeli flag is proudly displayed. The soldiers guarding it (and the spring) are hidden in their small tent because of the rain, and no one is seen near the spring.

Dura al-Fawwar junction – the entrances are open, there is a steady stream of  traffic and of people.

We went to Hursa (the village that sits “brazenly” on the road to the settlement of Negohot and interferes with the safe passage of the settlers …). We sat with Jusuf, the one who suffered from a “straw widow” in his own home when soldiers occupied it at the time  that the pillbox in front was being built.  He and his whole village are suffering from the gates which have been erected by the army next to them. This has harmed his livelihood which is the supply of food for animals and which has also stopped the construction of the entire clan’s building  and disrupts the life of the entire  village. The  peak being a gate built by the army next to the girls’ school which aroused much opposition in the village (Ariela photographed this when she was there).  This went on until a protest demonstration was organized in  the village and the same night the army moved the gate to somewhat from the school.

It is not clear  why these gates were erected here as there has never been a problem between the settlers of Negohot and the villagers. It is to be noted that the settlers simply bypass the gates (which are in area A when they go to Kiryat Arba).

  • Dura Al-Fawwar Junction

    See all reports for this place
    • 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.
  • 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
  • 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

       

       

      אמבולנס מחכה מול המחסום הסגור באל פוואר
      Yael Zoran
      Jun-18-2026
      An ambulance is waiting in front of the closed checkpoint in El-Fawwar
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