Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Mon 7.9.09, Morning
Tarqumiya: less tracks than the usual – perhaps due to Ramadan?
Road 35
First entrance to Hebron – the yellow gate is shut. Second entrance – open, with some traffic.On the entrance from road 35 to road 60, there is a large signpost: "half a century of settlement and flourishing."
Shayuch Hebron: as usual, beyond the boulders, many yellow taxis.
Hebron
Curve 160: police car parking, the soldiers, down at the CP, engaging in checks. At Aabed's, right across from the Patriarch's Tombs Cave, we find two CPT reps. who were delighted to converse with us.
Tel Rumeidah: TIF car observes the CP, and we go up, to the Jewish cemetery, because this afternoon, there will be a first state memorial, to mark the 80th anniversary of the 1929 Hebron events, in the presence of a representative of the Kenesset (Rivlin, chairperson), the government (Yuli Eidelman) and the court (Justice Rubinstein). And preparations are indeed in full force: huge signposts, many tens of plastic chairs, put in rows.
Back to Tel-Rumeidah: two paratroopers are now checking up a young man who's asked to pull his shirt up. We tried to enquire with the soldier whether any special measures are being taken today, due to this afternoon's even but he didn't like the question, retorting: "I am doing what I need to do, what would you have done in my place?"
Pharmacy CP: women and children walk through the machine. A signpost: "Towards complete salvation".
Due to Ramadan, most stores are shut, and we enter Tarqumiyah (village) to find pitas (found!), where someone approached us for help:His permits, allowing him access to Israel and work here are not renewed on account of his brothers, and he claims that, in meetings with the Shabak (Israel internal secrete services) he's already explained that he's innocent and that it is unjustified that he's being denied such permits on account of his brothers. According to what he said, they agreed to help him only if he would agree to cooperate with them…. We gave him Hagit B.'s contact numbers, in hope she might be able to help him.
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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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
Michal TsadikJan-29-2026Umm al-Khair - a security risk for Carmel settlers
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