Rahwe - frequent incursions by settlers
A shift to Rahwe, the Abu Sharh family
We went to Rahwe, which is located below the settlement of Tene Omarim, a few kilometres from the Meitar checkpoint.
Before arriving, we stopped on the road leading to Ramadin and purchased groceries at the family’s request. In Ramadin, we met N., our friend, who had come especially for this purpose from the Beit Awa area, after a drive of about an hour. We were unable to reach him due to checkpoints scattered throughout the West Bank. He told us about the difficult situation his own family was facing, and thousands of other families who lost their livelihoods in Israel when the war began and had come[N1] to the brink of starvation.
From there, we continued to Rahwe. Most of the extended family was waiting for us there. As always, we were welcomed with joy, sat outside and heard from them about the situation. All the children, adults and toddlers, were there.
I ask: Why?
The answer is not surprising. In the morning, a checkpoint was set up and soldiers stood on the road, checking those entering and leaving. The children travel to school in a tractor that the family uses both as a vehicle and as a tool for agricultural needs. Due to the fear that the tractor would be confiscated and their lives would be completely disrupted, the parents preferred to leave the children with them.
I would like to remind you that since the beginning of the war, the entire education system in the region has not been working as usual. For many days, the children did not study at all, and sometimes they studied via Zoom when the internet communication barely functioned.
They treated us to a cup of tea and told us about frequent incursions by the settlers living on the two farms located on two hills directly above them, and by the security coordinator of Tene Omarim This is always accompanied by curses and threats. About two weeks ago, the Civil Administration demolished another building.
They recently sowed barley to be used as food for the sheep they own, in the hope that the settlers would not destroy the area.
While we were talking, a horse and its rider were seen leaving Shabtai’s farm, but fortunately (perhaps because he was watching us from above), this time he did not come to abuse our hosts.
#ThisIsTheOccupation.
Location Description
Meitar checkpoint / Sansana
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Meitar Checkpoint / Sansana The checkpoint is located on the Green Line and serves as a border crossing between Israel and the West Bank. It is managed by the Border Crossing Authority of the Defense Ministry. It is comprised of sections for the transfer of goods as well as a vehicle checkpoint (intended for holders of blue identity cards, foreign nationals or diplomats and international organizations). Passing of Palestinians is prohibited, except for those with entry permits to Israel. Palestinians are permitted to cross on foot only. The crossing has a DCO / DCL / DCL / DCL (District Coordination Office), a customs unit, supervision, and a police unit. In the last year, a breach has been opened in the fence, not far from the crossing. This breach is known to all, including the army. There does not appear to be any interest in blocking it, probably as it permits needed Palestinian workers without the bureaucratic permits to get to work in Israel. Food stalls and a parking area economy have been created, but incidents of violent abuse by border police have also been recorded. Updated April 2022
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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
Daphna JungMar-16-2025Simia: Farhan and his wife
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