Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Mon 5.3.12, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
The roads are empty at this hour; the laborers have already gone. No snow is left either. The air is fresh and clear; everything is green, green, green. More police were visible today checking vehicles by the roadside.
Hebron
A tense quiet. Signs announcing Purim celebrations at “Nofei Mamreh.” Soldiers detain many people at the checkpoints, but release them quickly.
Three detainees at the Pharmacy checkpoint. I understood from them that they were detained on their way to H1. Strange. “Yes?,” says the soldier, “What do you want?” “Just to look,” I answer. He returns to his post. We wanted to be sure we understood correctly, so we waited for the detainees to be released. After they left we dared ask, “Why did you detain people going to the Palestinian area?” “We have to,” the soldier replies.
There’s a soldier on the roof overlooking the checkpoint.
The brave soldier in the upgraded post at the Tel Rumeida checkpoint detains everyone, including the handicapped. Hagit tries to take photographs. “You’re not allowed to photograph!,” he yells. “Do you want me to arrest you?”
“Do you want to arrest me?,” she replies. “Show me a document that says I’m not allowed to photograph.”
The soldier preferred not to hear her answer; the hero returned to his post.
We visited our friend A.’s metalworking shop to see how he was after a minor operation on his leg. He’s OK, praises the doctors at the Hebron hospital. Then he shows us photos on the computer of Hebron in snow. Snowmen, children playing, expanses of white. As if Hebron were like everyplace else in the world.
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:
- 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
Muhammad D.May-13-2026Hebron - Request for compensation for land expropriation
-
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
Muhammad D.Aug-5-2026Samu' barrier
-
