Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Tarqumiya, Tue 25.12.12, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
Tarqumiya
We crossed via Tarqumiya today also and, for a change, we were inspected on entering, but by the police (“normal,” we were told), not by the company operating the checkpoint. In any case they weren’t interested in my ID, only M.’s (our driver), to our embarrassment. We thought of seeing what would happen if we entered and left in my own car and met the van a little farther on.
Signs in the area: “Something new begins – Naftali Bennett.”
Hebron
The worshippers’ route is open, with no soldiers. Many pupils in the streets after school – because of the strike or exams, we were told.
It’s pretty quiet at ‘Abed’s. His son says there have been fewer tourists since the “Pillar of Cloud” operation.
A training tour of a tourist guide course from Jerusalem. The leader inquires why the shops are closed, what’s happening. The Nahal soldiers are still here.
A number of men have gathered at Tel Rumeida awaiting representatives of the local administration who will be coming with representatives of the Civil Administration. They’re coming to find out about the new military orders some of the residents of Tel Rumeida have received – the Palestinians, of course – regarding access to the upper part of the road. Some are members of the Abu Aysha family who live up at the end of the road; they have a special access permit but their guests, family members or a doctor are prevented from entering and reaching them.
They show us a blocked courtyard, what’s left of their factory that made copper utensils and employed 25 people; it’s abandoned and neglected because the Israeli authorities shut it down.
Religious tourists emerge from two buses and walk up, something we’re not allowed to do.
Again we meet Yitzhak Ben-Hevron, who was born in Hebron and returned to live here after the Six Day War. He says he’s friends with everyone and doesn’t get involved in the conflict.
We met a group of local notables at the checkpoint near ‘Azam’s place, accompanied by Attorney Samr Shehada, a resident of Sakhnin who has an office in Jerusalem and represents the residents vis-à-vis the Israeli representative. The latter is accompanied by an officer, all in connection with the military orders that apparently have to do with the checkpoints, and may include new elements or changes. We weren’t able to understand what was involved. They’re planning to stop at all those locations, a total of about 30.
We had sweet tea for dessert at ‘Azam’s magnificent new office.
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
Raya YeorDec-18-2025Hebron - Yusri Jaber and part of his family
-
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
MuhammadFeb-24-2026South Hebron Hill, Beit Hagai: Paving an internal security road
-
Tarqumiya CP
See all reports for this place-
The Tarqumiya Checkpoint is one of the largest and busiest checkpoints where people and goods cross into Israel. It is located on the Separation Barrier close to the Green Line, on Road 35 (connecting Beer Sheva and Hebron). It is run by the Israel Defense Ministry’s Crossings Administration with civilian secuirty companies running the day to day operations. The checkpoint is indeed open to vehicles in both directions 24/7, but Palestinians are prevented from crossing in vehicles, except in special cases. MachsomWatch activists visit the checkpoint as it opens at 3:45 am, in order to observe the daily passage of nearly 10,000 Palestinian workers. The workers arrive from throughout the Southern West Bank. Our activists report on the tremendous overcrowding at this checkpoint; they have observed young men climbing and scrambling on the fences and roofs of the ‘access cages’. This is how the work day begins for those who ‘build the land of Israel’. updated November 2019
-