Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Mon 2.3.09, Afternoon
Our shift leaves from Tarqumiya at noon (12:30pm)
Road 35, Road 60
It's a cloudy, rainless day. The Western entrance to Hebron is shut off, a military vehicle stands there.
The Olive passageway: Open, no soldiers.
The Humanitarian CP: open, no soldiers to be seen.Several vehicles drive in both directions on roads 35 and 60. On our way back, there are more local vehicles than the usual.
Shuyuch Hebron: as usual, closed in both directions.
Hebron:
Children on their way back from school, some already playing on the street and in the alleys. Military presence is scarce. It is relatively calm.
The Pharmacy CP: shut and no a living soul around.
The Shouhada St.: practically deserted, a few pedestrians.
Tarpat CP: soldiers as well as police – checking passers by. One of the Palestinians walking through speaks Hebrew and compliments the Give'ati soldiers, in their presence. The policeman in the van instructs us: we may go up to Tel-Rumeydah, but are not allowed to walk left, to the neighborhood. Turning to the right is ok.
"I have no problem with your work" he says, "but don't get in the soldiers way, don't get too close…"
The Patriarch's Tomb Cave: Quiet. A single soldier at the pathway, no detainees.An Israeli flag is still set on top of the House of Dispute.
Road 60:
Appears relatively calm.
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
Leah ShakdielApr-8-2025Hebron: A sign advertising a tempting real estate
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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
Yael ZoranMay-22-2025The bumpy road to Ata's house
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