Hebron, Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Tarqumiya, Tue 8.12.09, Morning
Trans. by Naomi S.
Tarquomiya
Goods transfer proceeds as usual and the Palestinians do not complain about the worker's passage in the morning. In the Palestinian trucks' parking area (where the previous CP used to be) a fight begun between two drivers – the fight quickly turned into a clan-affair. The IDF pushed them towards the entry to Idna, and a friend of ours who lives next to the grocery alerted the Palestinian police. The reservists stood there, by their Jeep, and watched the Palestinian policemen calm people down. In the vicinity we met some people who complained again of being Shabak victims (basically: prevented from entering Israel, and hence working!) – they are so certain that we or, anyway, Sylvia can help them, and the heart aches with pain over being so helpless.
The owner of the local grocery store tells us that it is usually quiet and that when reservists man the pillbox, there are no surprise CPs either.
Route 35
The olive passage is open, and all pillboxes are manned. There is no military presence and quite a few Palestinian cars.
Hebron
"Tomorrow's war", announces a green signpost at the base up on the Harsina Hill. Golani (IDF brigade) are getting ready…We enter Hebron through the Border Police base because we didn't feel like crossing through Kiryat Arba. Leaving the base right at the Kapisha Neighborgood, where the Zion Route begins – the one which the Defense minister so proudly announced to facilitate the Palestinians' life – well, the route is shut! It's already 12 days that it's shut. A', our ironmonger friend tells us that it is due to the soldiers' lethargy, who'd rather avoid the endless opening and shutting of the gate – although the older grocer says that it's because something that's happened on route 60. We know that the Hebron police thought that in purely utilitarian terms operating the gate was sheer waste of manpower, when only about 11 cars pass through there daily. But why only 11? Because the route there was never really opened – the amount of permits that were required, and the number of checks that were done… mere occupational excuses have characterized this failed attempt to open the route. And what have the Palestinians "earned" thereby?? Yet another Checkpoint!!! The curve 160 checkpoint, which is manned and where people are stopped and detained whenever someone arrives who Border Police soldiers suspect. This is a repetitive routine in the Hebron – the house of dispute (beit Hameriva) was evacuated, but the checkpoint put up there was not taken down… a real flourish of checkpoints in Hebron.
Tel Rumeidah CP, the Pharmacy CP, TARPAT CP: all are deserted when we pass by them. At the Patriarchs' Cave CP – initially, there are six detainees, then four, then they are all released. At Abed's store we meet Yehuda of "breaking the silence" (Israeli NGO) who conducts a private tour here for an important visitor. He tell us that today, at 10:30am, A' – a Bezelem investigator – was spanked on the face by a Golani soldiers at the TARPAT CP. We talked to A and he intends to file a complaint at the Hebron police station. On the same spot, we meet also the infamous Ofer Ohana – today he has no camera with him and is even quite nice – and he tells us that if we didn't do nonsense, he actually likes our being in Hebron – every Jew there is good.
To Abed he doesn't say hello – he's cross with him for having filed a complaint concerning the noise coming out from the Gutnik House. The other Palestinians we talk to in Hebron tell us that at least they haven't experienced settlers' harassments for the two weeks since Netanyahu's announcement regarding the building freeze in the territories – the "price tag" policy hasn't yet been implemented, apparently.
Routes 356, 317
deserted.
In Um El Hir there are many new, sweet goats… but the differences between the thriving Carmel settlement and Abed's family's living conditions say it all.
Sansana
Three busses of prisoners' families – and no complaints regarding workers' passage this morning.
Our shift was peaceful – and we have to keep going out, overcoming anxiety!
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
Raya YeorDec-18-2025Hebron - Yusri Jaber and part of his family
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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
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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
Smadar BeckerApr-10-2026New Israeli flags placed for miles on Highway 317 to prove who is sovereign
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Tarqumiya CP
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The Tarqumiya Checkpoint is one of the largest and busiest checkpoints where people and goods cross into Israel. It is located on the Separation Barrier close to the Green Line, on Road 35 (connecting Beer Sheva and Hebron). It is run by the Israel Defense Ministry’s Crossings Administration with civilian secuirty companies running the day to day operations. The checkpoint is indeed open to vehicles in both directions 24/7, but Palestinians are prevented from crossing in vehicles, except in special cases. MachsomWatch activists visit the checkpoint as it opens at 3:45 am, in order to observe the daily passage of nearly 10,000 Palestinian workers. The workers arrive from throughout the Southern West Bank. Our activists report on the tremendous overcrowding at this checkpoint; they have observed young men climbing and scrambling on the fences and roofs of the ‘access cages’. This is how the work day begins for those who ‘build the land of Israel’. updated November 2019
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