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Hebron, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills

Observers: Galid Ader, Hagit Beck (reporting and photographing)
Nov-04-2013
| Morning

Translator:  Charles K.

 

Today’s shift is in Rabin’s memory, in particular to commemorate the fact that he was murdered!!! We continue to light a candle, believing peace is possible.

 

Today’s the Muslim New Year, children are off from school and there’s little traffic on the roads – also because there’s a shortage of gasoline on the West Bank.  It was reported the gas stations were empty yesterday.

 

Meitar crossing

Three buses transporting families on their way to visit prison inmates.  By 07:30 they’d already gone through inspection. 

No Palestinian trucks where loads of sand are transferred “back-to-back” (because of the gasoline shortage?).

 

Highway 60  

Near Simia-Samua.  A military vehicle scatters the words that “Fighters for Peace”spelled out in rocks.  The soldiers don’t arrest anyone.

 

We drove to the Naguhot road.  Construction to expand the settlement is underway on private Palestinian land.

 

Beit Awwa checkpoint.  Three Palestinians youths are detained; the brigade commander’s vehicle stops there.  We don’t stop because it looks as if they’re being released and we didn’t want to tangle with the brigade commander.

 

Highway 35

There’s a pretty long Border Police checkpoint below the pillbox at the Idna/Tarqumiyya junction, apparently because of highway repairs. 

At the Beit Anin/Hebron roadblock soldiers are eating breakfast.  There are no detainees.

 

Hebron

Hebron is desolate and deserted.  The gate in the green apartheid wall next to the Cave of the Patriarchs parking lot has been left open.  On our way back we see the soldiers at the Beit Haggai checkpoint have stopped an elderly man riding in a car with Israeli plates.  Police arrived by chance and released him, but not before he asks the soldiers whether they suspect him of terrorism and they say no.  The car is on its way to Hebron; we don’t understand the logic behind stopping cars entering Hebron.

  • 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:

       

      1. Bet Hameriva CP- manned with a pillbox
      2. Kapisha quarter CP (the northern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
      3. The 160 turn CP (the southern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
      4. Avraham Avinu quarter - watch station
      5. The pharmacy CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
      6. Tarpat (1929) CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
      7. Tel Rumeida CP - guarding station
      8. Beit Hadassah CP - guarding station

      Three checkpoints around the Tomb of the Patriarchs

      חברון - יוסרי ג'אבר וחלק ממשפחתו
      Raya Yeor
      Dec-18-2025
      Hebron - Yusri Jaber and part of his family
  • Meitar checkpoint / Sansana

    See all reports for this place
    • 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

    See all reports for this place
    • 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

       

       

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