Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Sun 26.6.11, Afternoon
An uneventful ride up to Hebron. There are new caravans visible at the settlement opposite Kiryat Arba and Federman (prominent settler) seems to be back in his field again.
Entering the city all seems quiet: Curve 160, the Pharmacy checkpoint etc. At Kikar Gross, opposite the old market, a group of soldiers stops a youth but quickly release him. In response to our approach they are reasonably polite and inform us that they belong to the Shimshon Brigade – a brigade that often works undercover desguised as Palestinians, they are now in charge in Hebron.. Before our curious eyes they entered one of the empty warehouses at the market and practiced breaking and entering with drawn weapons. At Tel-Rumeida we detoured across the no-man's land among ancient olive trees to the house where M. (Zipi's son) used to live and which includes a community center, all this in close proximity to the Jewish settlement.
As we approached, a soldier guarding the women and children liesurely disporting themselves on the lawn, complete with a small pool, challenged us as to our intentions but soon let us continue on our way. The settlers seem to have plenty of water for their lawn but, alas, short of garbage bins as the Palesinian side of their fence is littered with clearly Jewish rubbish – Hebrew newspapers and wrappings and goodness knows what else.
At the checkpoint below the settlement. a broadly smiling soldier warns/threatens us with the dangers that lie in wait for unwary observers.
On the way out of town we visit briefly with Abed where we meet a pleasant missionary who hands us tracts on Islam in Hebrew. On the worshippers' route we stop at the stable and the owner confirms that he still has to "host" the army every shabbat. On the road to Kiryat Arba more shops are open than usual and there are even a few clients, including some who are evidently settlers. Mostly though, shopkeepers are lounging on their doorsteps with their cronies.
En route home we visit, again briefly, the settlement of Estamoa opposite Shima'a, but think better of it as a rather unfriendly soldier is keeping watch. From the road it appears that there are some new caravans there.
At the Sansana-Meitar checkpoint at around 18:30 very few people are crossing and only one checking station is open. We ask to be allowed to enter and, after consultation, are given a whirlwind tour. The place is indeed empty and reasonably clean and tidy.
It is as if someone has cast a spell over this whole Hebron area, waiting for some prince to come and awaken the sleeping beauties, or in some cases (no names mentioned), what a very young friend of mine used to call the "sleeping uglies"…
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
Muhammad D.May-13-2026Hebron - Request for compensation for land expropriation
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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
Muhammad D.Aug-31-2026Michal with B'Tselem researcher Nasser Nawaja'a in Susiya
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