Hebron, Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Tue 12.1.10, Morning
Translated by Naomi S.
Sansana-Meytar
At 7am, the checking lane is empty. Only the prisoners' families sit in the shade and two Israeli buses already stand waiting for them on the Israeli side.
Next to the goods' terminal, development and extension works are in full swing.
Route 60
Heavy fog. Young children, barely visible, make their way to school on the sideways. Through the fog, the almond blossom is apparent. As usual, they are indifferent. The heavy heat waves have clearly confused them. Many military vehicles can be seen along the road.
Hebron
Last week, its was stated in the press that the deputy Minister of foreign affairs' announced, while on visit to Hebron, that the TIF policemen, positioned there since the Wye agreements (Oct. 1998), between Netanyahu and Arafat, are unilaterally favorable to the Palestinians, ignore the settlers' complaints and must therefore be reconsidered. When we arrived in Hebron we decided to contact them and hear their side of the story. We tried to set an appointment with them by phone through one of the Peace activists placed in Hebron. She talked to them but they declined talking to us on account of the special sensitivity of the current situation. They themselves don't want to talk about the threat implied in their withdrawal and if we want to know about it, we should talk to the Palestinians. We still hoped to be able to meet them within Hebron, where we normally meet them during our shifts. And we did indeed see their white patrol van next to the Tarpat CP – but the van itself was empty, and they were nowhere to be seen on foot. Next to Tel-Rumeida, too, there was a patrol van, but it, too, was empty and no policemen could be seen anywhere around. Our conclusion is that they've decided to make their presence less visible for now.
Many soldiers at all CPs – Curve 160, Tarpat CP, the Pharmacy CP, Tel-Rumeida – but they didn't detain anyone. We were happy to see that the road going down from Tel Rumeida and the one next to the Pharmacy CP there are now signposts warning drivers against speed-driving due to children's walking on the sides. The streets are bustling with children walking without their school bags – only a notebook and a pen: exams period has opened. Perhaps because of the absence of any backpacks, they are not detained at the CP. A huge bulldozer is working on the Muslims' entry path to the Patriarchs' Cave – how will these help, if movement itself is not free and there are checkpoints en route?
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
Leah ShakdielApr-29-2026South Hebron Hills. The turn to 'Afeka', one of the new outposts facing Abda
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