Hebron, Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Thu 14.10.10, Morning
Translated by Charles K.
6:30-9:30
The army is clamping down – to eliminate Hamas? Or is it Bibi’s “other hand”, creating proof that “there’s no one to talk to”? The Israeli government is again singing two tunes at the same time.
Meitar crossing
By this hour in the morning, all the laborers have crossed. Relatives of prisoners are waiting in two buses to go through.
Route 60
Everything looks normal until we reach the turn to Es-Samua. After that, however, the IDF has set up flying checkpoints at all the junctions: The yellow minibuses are detained for inspection at the entrance to Es-Samua. Many concrete cubes have been brought to the parking area of the headquarters of the Judea brigade and to the area on the other side of the road. Soldiers patrol at the turnoff to Karameh. The concrete blocks that had been abandoned for a long time at both entrances of the Dura Elfawwar junction have been lined with sandbags and again look like firing positions. Soldiers stand inspecting every vehicle. Soldiers patrol near the locked gate below (the settlment of) Beit Haggai, at the southern outskirts of Hebron.
The same sight at the Kvasim Junction: jeeps and soldiers on both sides of the road. Soldiers and military vehicles at the entrance to Kiryat Arba. The roadwork on the magnificent entrance to Hebron continues vigorously. The guard who was always pleasant is still polite but gives us a sour look today (maybe I’m imagining things?). Posters all along the road invite people to hurry and sign up for “Yisrael Sheli.”
Hebron
All the barricades in Hebron are also manned, including those which had been empty for a long time. You can feel the presence of the Kfir brigade. There are many soldiers at Curve 160 on the road to the Jabal Johar neighborhood – where the army carried out an operation last week – but it’s quiet. Pupils and others cross through the Pharmacy and Tarpa”t checkpoints, but aren’t usually detained. A soldier on the way up to Tel Rumeida detains almost everyone. Since he releases them immediately, we don’t intervene. At the Pharmacy junction we ran into people from CPT. They tell us that since the military operation the situation in the city is very difficult and tense. The IDF carries out searches almost daily in the H1 area, and also greatly restricts the activities of CPT members. They feel they’re being put upon so they’ll get sick of being there, and leave the city. Is Hamas the only ones who want the peace talks to fail? The answer is blowing in the wind.
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
MuhammadFeb-24-2026South Hebron Hill, Beit Hagai: Paving an internal security road
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