Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Thu 20.3.08, Morning
Sansana-Meitar CP
The Passage is desolate due to the closure. A few sanitation workers are present. They are trying to pick all the rubbish form the parking zone on the Palestinian side of the checkpoint.
Road 60
We met Muhammad near the deserted school of Beit Amra and Mussa Abu-Hashash (from "Betzelem") in Dura.
All the road blocks are in place. It's seems that on south Sammoa a new row of concrete barrier was added. Right now there are four rows – two are closer to each other and two other more afar to the north and to the south. The one on the north looks new. Each row is compiled from about ten heavy blocks of cement.
We ask about the demolitions that were made yesterday in Yatta. Mussa don't know a lot of details but he says that it was made by massive forces of the police and the army on the ground that the property didn’t had building permits.
Mussa also tells us on an evacuation that was made in Hebron on which Issa (a "Betzelem" activist) was arrested. It appears that a Palestinian family was trying to return to her home which was deserted for some time. The house is located near the Kasba on Sahala str. The family members tried, before their entrance, to renovate the house which stood empty for a long time. The family poses, according to Mussa, a written document which proves that the house belongs to them. Many policemen and soldiers arrived to the house and demanded from the family to leave the premises, the family declined. After an argument Issa, who photographed the event and the family father, and the father himself, were arrested by the police. They were released from custody this morning. Due to lack of time we did not arrived to the house in question.
This day is pretty fine and there is pedestrian movement, on the road sides in Al-Fawar, Kilikis and Sheep Crossing.
We did not see one Palestinian vehicle on the road. After consolation with Hagit, we have decided not to enter Hebron.
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
Muhammad D.Apr-21-2026Daphna with Azzam in Susiya
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