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Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills

Observers: Muhammad and Daphna; Translator: Natanya
Nov-22-2020
| Morning

Sunday morning, the Meitar checkpoint was busy early in the morning, with trucks and workers.

We turned to road 317, to Susiya, we visited Azzam, who had gone  to work in Israel. His children, who live in Yatta, also work in Israel.

According to his wife, the situation was relatively calm, there was no trouble from the settlers during  the harvest, but they expect problems when plowing. That morning a settler with sheep came down to the areas of Susiya.  They  called police and were  waiting for them to come.

Friends from Taayush  and B’Tselem also came to Azzam’s neighbors and it turned out (later from Basel) that demolition orders had been handed over in the area.

We continued to A-Tuwani.  Basel went with Taayush and B’Tselem, because demolition orders had been issued against several houses in the area and also in A-Tuwani and they are waiting for arrival of  the demolition “experts”.

In the village of Rakiz, settlers invaded a house inhabited by people, claiming it was theirs. Since this is an area which settlers are not allowed to enter, the Palestinians summoned  the army and police. The settlers explained that the settler was new to the place and did not know the situation.

Since there are no people from abroad who usually come to help and document, they ask Israelis to come to support them and to document what is happening,

On the way back,  all along the road there are new roadblocks!

The fields are green, the sheep and goats are grazing and the occupation blossoms….

  • 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
  • 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

       

       

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