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Hebron, Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Tarqumiya, Wed 16.7.08, Morning

Observers: Angelika (a visitor from Germany), Hagit B. (Reporting).
Jul-16-2008
| Morning

0830 1230

Sansana – Meitar CP
The CP is empty because of the late hour. The cab drivers tell us that the passage of workers was quick this morning. On the way back on days there are prisoners' families' visits, the way home takes time. Yesterday there were fights between the families and the workers.  We are certain that S. the CP manager will know how to handle he problem gently and the queues on the way home will be like the morning.


Tarqumiya CP 
While we're there – around noon – there are no people. Five buses of prisoners' families park on the Palestinian side – the owner of the kiosk says that the passage of ~3500 workers went smoothly in the morning and so did the passage of families – only the sight of  the fences is irritating and disturbing – we warmly recommend to remove these unnecessary fences. Angelika takes pictures and when we return to Israel the head of the shift stops us and asks to see our id's and Angelika's passport. They ask us many questions – why did you take pictures, what organization do you belong to, etc. After we declare that she is simply my friend and the pictures are just for our documentation, they let us pass.


Route 60
A few more Palestinian cars. Most of the blockings are in place – the one that was open to Abada a week ago is closed and the one to Dir Razek is open. The control over when the passage is closed and when it opens remains in the hands of the army. This again prevents the ability of the Palestinians to lead a normal life.

Dura el Fawar and Sheep Junction – there's movement. The pillbox is manned.
Shuyuch – Hebron  – (girl's school) no military. The cab drivers tell us that last week the army did many surprise road blockings in the inner roads and in Bnei Naim and Sair.


Route 35
Humanitarian CP
– the soldiers are in a shooting practice. The CP is closed as usual and the pillbox manned. All blocking are in place.
Chalchul Hebron Bridge – traffic is smooth. Idna-Tarqumiya – traffic is going smoothly.


Hebron
A few kids are wandering on the streets and the area looks deserted as usual. The disputed house and the hills of the fathers (Giv'at Ha'avot) – the CP is there but Palestinians are passing without problems. The Abraham's Cave – no detainees.

Near the Pharmacy CP – we meet two young men from East Jerusalem that came to court in Hebron. The soldiers in the CP do not cause them problems. We meet also Ofer Ohana that came with a megaphone, escorted by Baruch Marzel and a gang of four youngsters. In one of the boy's pocket there's a small knife and he goes around the cars trying to stab the tires. The usual words and terrible words to I., our driver.

We're in the transit – going up to Tel Rumaida and they try to block our way. There are 4 cars around us and no police. They let us pass and we go up. From the car we see that the passage is as usual in the Tarpat CP and Tel Rumaida. No detainees. On our way back we see the transit of Hagit from "Peace Now". They are preparing a tour in Hebron for the coming Friday. Ofer is teasing them and the police ask Hagit to leave. In the parking lot of Abraham's Cave they try again to harm our tires. We try to ignore them and Ofer with his megaphone – shouting. Another day of violence.

One of the shop owners tells me that there's a big problem with water supply to his house on the Porcelain Hill (Giv'at Ha'harsina). He asks for our help trying to get water from the Border Police's camp. I'll try to help him.

That's it. Hebron is depressing as usual and Ofer is the essence of evil there as well as the presence of the kids who earn the adults' blessing. 

        

  • 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
  • Sa'ir

    See all reports for this place
    • A relatively affluent suburb of Palestinian Hebron. West of Highway 60 leading from Bethlehem to Hebron. The entrance to Highway 60 and to Shuyukh and Beit Einun to the east is open, but is subject to changes - concrete blocks denying passage are stationed according to the needs of the army.

       

  • 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

       

       

      דגלי ישראל חדשים שהונחו לאורך קילומטרים על כביש 317 להוכיח מי הריבון
      Smadar Becker
      Apr-10-2026
      New Israeli flags placed for miles on Highway 317 to prove who is sovereign
  • Tarqumiya CP

    See all reports for this place
    • 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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