Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Wed 7.11.12, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
Again we decided not to go through the Tarqumiyya crossing because of how we’re treated on our way back.
Southern Hebron Hills
Road repairs at the entrance to Asahael. The laborers are Palestinians, despite the fatwa forbidding them to work in the settlements and along the fence.
An armored police vehicle has stopped two settlers. We didn’t stop.
We drove through A-Tawwani and were very impressed by the village’s development – many buildings, attractively painted. We glimpsed Nasser next to his home.
Highway 317 is pretty empty. The olive harvest seems to have ended in most of the groves.
Hebron
Kiryat Arba – There are still signs of life on Giv’at Avichai (a car, and other things…).
Beit Hameriva [house of contention] has been transformed into Beit Hashalom [house of peace]; at least, that’s what the sign now says.
In a number of locations in Hebron the entrances to houses are decorated with colorful slogans in honor of those returning from the Hajj to Mecca.
The roads near the Cave of the Patriarchs have been renewed and well-marked. It’s not clear who’s responsible. The Hebron municipality? Kiryat Arba? The Cave of the Patriarchs?
Many tourists at ‘Abed’s shop; he has no time to talk (just to offer tea/coffee and sell souvenirs…). We also managed a short visit with Azzam and to the grocery across the street.
We returned via Highway 60 which was pretty empty now as well. An observation balloon floats overhead.
The Meitar crossing is a pleasure compared to Tarqumiyya.
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
MuhammadFeb-24-2026South Hebron Hill, Beit Hagai: Paving an internal security road
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