Hakvasim (sheep) Junction, Hebron, South Hebron Hills
Along road 60 all is routine.
Except for the entrance to Abda and Dir Razik which are blocked everything else is open.
At the foot of Othniel a squad of soldiers patrol. Next to the Sheep crossroads are soldiers.
All the entrances of Hebron are open from Beit Hagai to Bani Naim.
Hebron.
The city is still showing signs of Succot. New signs have been posted in the area of the Cave of the Patriarchs and other signs and letters apprising one of the places important in the eyes of the settlers.
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On the demolition of the site of Hazoh Davied a succah has been built which the settlers used during the holiday.
Next to the steps of the Cordova school opposite Beit Hadassah there are still new signs: “Touch eternity“, which is what they call the visitor’s center which was established at Beit Haddasah and referring to the place of course.
The house of contention which they call the house of peace is decorated with flags. The proclamations which announce that they intend to live there are hung everywhere.
These are also the remains of the gatherings of the settlers next to the synagogue Hazon Davied which was demolished.
Next to the Cave of the Patriarchs a group of German tourists have come to tour and study. Most of them are from the field of education. The guide, a Palestinian has lived many years in Munchen. Abad is preparing a meal from them but explains who I am and to what group I belong. Then the guide asked me to tell the group about our movement. They respond warmly to the Israeli who protests against the occupation and listen carefully to my explanations. They ask what the opinion of the Israeli public is and what we think of the future holds for us. That is the thousand dollar question I reply. I had to admit that I and those like myself are few. Our leadership is based on the rule of fear and threats. And so most of the public have lost faith in findina a solution. Most of society has become more extreme and more racist and believe less in the possibility of peace, together with I emphasized that although I have another?? passport I have no intention of giving up the hope and desire to fight for the only home I have. We will continue to fight for the right to live a life together with the Palestinians and to live in equality,
I asked them to remember that a camera only shows one side and one part of the reality and what they see in their country is not the full picture of our reality. Even though it is difficult to believe there are other placesa in Israel where good things are done and that there are other people besides the settlers whom they see here and I hope they will meet them. Not all Israel are occupied in the occupation and its evils and not everyone agrees with the government and support it.
A young man who is a teacher and emigrated from Macedonia and is a Muslim that he knows much about us and that he has many friends in Germany, Jews and Israelis. Muhammad, the son of Abed, took him for a tour of the Cave of the Patriarchs.
I hope that I managed to explain them how complicated the situation is. Even though in Hebron it is hard to say anything good about the Jewish state.
Hakvasim (sheep) Junction
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One of the roadblocks (earthworks, rocks, concrete blocks or iron gates) that prevent transit of vehicles to Route 60 in the southern West Bank and block the southern entrance to Hebron. A manned pillbox supervises the place.
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Hebron
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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
Leah ShakdielApr-8-2025Hebron: A sign advertising a tempting real estate
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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
A Palestinian residentMay-12-2025A sheep carcass dumped by settler Shimon Atiya from the Shorashim farm near the school in Umm Qusa.
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