Hebron, Tue 18.12.12, Morning
We left Beersheva at 8:15 and Meitar checkpoint was of course empty at that hour.
Natanya reports that at the Tunnel checkpoint between Jerusalem and the W. Bank there was a huge traffic jam in the direction of the 'holy' city.
Hebron
as usual dozing in the sun, except for the (male) children wandering around because of the teachers' strike. We visited with Abed who is trying to open a second shop next to the existing one, although his son, Mohammed, says that business has dropped off in the wake of the recent attack on Gaza. We also talked about the other Mohammed, the one killed by the Border Policewoman (he is a distant relative of Abed's on his mother's side) and there is no need to expand on the article by Gideon Levi in Haaretz on 19/12/ .
We were approached by a man asking for help in transferring cooking gas across the checkpoint – gas is purchased in H1 and brought across the Pharmacy Checkpoint but it can be held up there for hours according to those present in the shop. Alas, we fear that we can do nothing about this as the gas is bought by each family according to need and there is no concentrated purchase. Every purchase and transfer is dependent on the whim of the soldiers on duty…
we continue to the Worshippers' Alley, where there is no change except for one blockade that may be new or simply repainted. The stables seem to be deserted. However, at the top, to the left opposite the sentry box, the house has been refurbished, with a painted wall and an impressive door. We proceeded to the Jaber family at the entrance to K. Arba, who are suffering the usual troubles of water shortages and harassment by residents of Kiryat Arba who have claims to their lands and greet them with the blessing"Welcome to Kiryat Arba'. Unblessed land this.
—
…Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world..
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and every where
The ceremony of innocence is drowned.
The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity…
From Second Coming W B Yeats
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
-