Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Tue 4.9.12, Morning
I won't even bother to describe the routine of 6:30 am when the Meitar checkpoints is already empty and Route 60 is quiet except for school children tempting fate on the margins.
Hebron
The same goes for Hebron: A frosty reception by CPT volunteers at the Pharmacy checkpoint, Shuhada Street deserted except for settler children waiting for their transportation to school, the Tarpat and Tel Romeida checkpoints are also quiet, staffed by a Nahal unit. Is it just an illusion that there is a greater turnover of units recently? A Martian visitor might wonder where all the people have gone too.
But on the way back, at the checkpoint called Bend 160, a small crowd of Palestinians surrounds a little girl, Rahab, who has hurt her foot in the carousel gate of the checkpoint. A Btselem photographer is there and several neighbours, but no-one has thought to sit the child, who is clearly in pain, nor to call an ambulance. The soldiers (not clear which unit, but definitely not Border Police) are indifferent. After some persuasion, the medic agrees to examine the foot, which he does very gently and to everyone's satisfaction, declares that there is no break and binds the injured limb. (Unfortunately the bandage is so tight Rahab's foot turns blue, but that is a minor matter.) The commander (rank of sergeant) refuses to allow us to cross the checkpoint in the van to take Rahab home, even though her house is in full vew of the checkpoint. Finally a Palestinian ambulance is called and Rahab is taken to a local hospital for an x-ray. The carousel, like all carousels at checkpoints, is narrower than the standard used within Israel. It is also rather loose. We are told that small children often get trapped or receive injuries to their feet. We asked the commander whether he could open the gate used to pass vehicles for children but he replied that he only followed orders. At that moment the gate opens to pass a herder with a flock of goats. He yells at us with much F….ing and B…..ing. It turns out that once he tried to disentangle a goat from the barbed wire that covers the gate, and was arrested together with his flock. Goats: stay away from IDF barbed wire in future.The Betselem worker had never met MW before but told us leeringly that he approved of women's organizations,he had two wives at home and was thinking about bringing a third. Maybe he meant one of us, or both?! Later M reported that Rahab did not break any bones and was home and well.
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Home along 317 where Jewish Susiya is expanding on the horizon.
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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