Masafer Yatta: house demolitions
We start by visiting Yusri Jaber (Ata’s brother, who now works at Rami Levy in Ashdod. He travels every day, what a hassle for a living!) Yusri lived in the US for years and when he returned he lived in the family’s main house, with his mother and brother, west of Highway 60, right next to the Kiryat Arba junction. A few years ago he decided to leave with his wife and children (today: 2 daughters and a son) and to rent a house south of there. He has impressive fruit trees and a grape vineyard which he tries to protect against the theft attacks of the settlers with an improvised tin fence.
One of the springs in the famils’w land was sealed under pressure from the settlers, but other springs are used, and water is also purchased. Yusri grows some vegetables.
Yusri has been trying to extract compensation from hotels in Jerusalem for his years of work there in the 1980s. In one of the hotels he worked and received pay statements. I took his identity details. Adv. Dalia Litan Rosenberg from Yeruham is willing to handle this pro bono (she is active in the Yeruham-Rahma Regional Group, so I turned to her) but says that he must sign a power of attorney in the presence of a lawyer. I found a lawyer through the Roots/Judur Group from Gush Etzion. We must make sure to take Yusri to him to sign.
We pass through Hebron. Posters of the settlers are pasted on all the soldiers’ positions, so that it is clear whom the army is serving. Also, a large sign on the House of the Patriarchs connects the house to the left, that is, the house that separates the House of the Patriarchs from the girls’ school.
In place of the base facing Shuhada Street, new high-rise buildings for settlers are being erected. And on the way, even a driving school vehicle, practicing on the streets of the Jewish becoming Hebron was observed.
And everywhere, remnants of Israeli flags from Independence Day, and an announcement of an active conference tonight at Sha’ar Binyamin, preparations for the establishment of new settlements on 20.7.22. The occupation is thriving and advancing rapidly.
M. Receives a report from Nasser: Today an illegal house near the school in At-Tuwani was demolished. Also in Rakiz two buildings were demolished. The demolition vehicles were observed turning in the direction of al-Fahith. On Friday at 10:00 a large demonstration is being organized starting in At-Tuwani. One should, if possible, arrive in 4X4 vehicles.
A-Tuwani
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A-Tuwani
The locals came to a-Tuwani during the 20th century from the village of Yatta. They settled in abandoned ruins, utilizing the arable land, pastures for grazing sheep and the abundance of natural caves for habitation. The residents who settled in the caves came from families who could not purchase land for houses in the mother villages, as well as shepherds who did not have enough land to graze. They were joined by clan members who quarreled with other families in the mother locality.
Some of the residents today live in concrete buildings built above the caves. In the area of the village are several water cisterns and an ancient water well called 'Ein a-Tuwani. Local residents are forced to buy water in containers and transport them through many road blocks to the village. With the help of international organizations, an electrical system was installed in the village. In the late 90s of the 20tTh century, an elementary school was established in the serving several small villages in the area.
In 2004, MachsomWatch began visiting and reporting from the Khirbet Tuwani cave village, which suffers badly from the settlers of nearby outposts, and especially from the extremist Ma'on outpost. . The settlers contaminate cisterns, poison the flocks and uproot trees.Particularly notable is the harassment of children from the surrounding villages on their way to school in a-Tuwani, so much so that military escort of children is required to separate them from the attackers (this was arranged following an initiative of the organization's members). In the past year, the escort has been without the vital presence of overseas volunteers.
Near a-Tuwani there are several families who have returned to the caves due to the incessant demolitions of the civil administration (as there is a total construction ban in all of area C). Destroyed are not only residential and agricultural buildings, but also water pipes, machinery. Even water cisterns are clogged up. a-Tuwani residents have created an association for non-violent demolition protests, but in the past year the army’s harsh harassment and settler violence have intensified and escalated. The incident of the small generator confiscation, which left a young man paralyzed, is one of many examples - any legitimate protection of property rights leads to violence and even shootings by the army and the civil administration.
Updated April 2022
MuhammadFeb-24-2026South Hebron Hill, Beit Hagai: Paving an internal security road
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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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Mesafer Yatta
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This is happening in Fire Area 918 in the South Hebron Hills
On the eve of Remembrance Day (the day before Israel Independence Day), 4th May, 2022, the Israeli High Court decided on the transfer and expulsion of residents from 8 Palestinian communities in the area of Masafar Yata in the South Hebron Hills. Residents of the villages have been living under the threat of demolition, evacuation and expropriation since the IDF issued evacuation orders in 1999 based on the 1980s proclamation of their area of residence as a firing zone for IDF drills. None of the nearby settlements were included in this zone. The Masafer Yata Palestinian villages retain a special lifestyle and ancient agricultural culture. They also posess a clear historical documentation that testifies to a Palestinian settlement in this area, generations before the establishment of Israel, long ago in the caves and at later times outside them.
Evacuating residents from the area means destroying these historic villages and leaving entire families (about 2,000 people, children, adults, and the elderly) homeless. This is contrary to international law.
In June 2022, a firing drill started, and life became harder.
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