Hebron: Not even an enlightened occupation
Most of our vigil was devoged to meeting the elder of Hebron’s Tel Rumeida neighborhood, Basem Abu Aisha, who brought others with him.
The Covid-19 pandemic in Hebron is climbing and Hebron is considered a “red city”. The closure of last week has ended. Now curfew is declared every night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and the schools are out.
Last Friday a prayer was organized after 7 p.m. Their mosque is situated beyond the Tamar Checkpoint, and the residents walked together. Passage through the checkpoint to the H1 area (Palestinian Hebron) went unhampered. The return home was a different story. That week the soldiers in Hebron were replaced. Givati infantry brigade’s Shaked battalion replaced the paratroopers. Generally, there are lists of Palestinians allowed to cross the checkpoints between H1 and H2, who do not need to pass a metal detector check because they are residents of the neighborhood. The paratroopers did not demand such checks, whereas the infantrymen did and would not let them through. The neighborhood residents opposed this demand, protested and were held at the Tamar checkpoint for 6 hours.
Even the DCO officer summoned there could not quench the protest and they were very offended by him. They said, “Tel Rumeida is one big prison and we even pay taxes to live in it”.
Basem Abu Aisha repeated his story about his aunt who suckled a Jewish orphaned baby of the Ezra family. We heard his story, expressed out solidarity and spoke with the Civil Administration. They are aware of the problem, promised an apology visit, and assured us that there would be no more metal detectors checks 15 times a day for the neighborhood residents.
A pity that such things keep happening.
Just occupation, pure and simple, Not even “enlightened”…
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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