Hebron and Hebron Hills, Monsday AM 7/11/05Observers: Laika Z., Ira, Mira B (reporting)6:45-10.40A cold rainy day, mist.Route 60: Sansana: no detaineesDahariya: the gate is open but the road is blocked.Karma : A lot of children walking long distances to school. Fresh dirt barriers.Dura –al Fawwar : open to cars . No road block on route 60.Sheep’s Crossing: Open to pedestrians . A lot of mud and puddles. It’s worth reminding readers that on the Yatta side the pedestrians have to walk through 200 meters of mud and puddles. On the Hebron side they have to climb over the muddy dirt barriers to get to the th\axis.Beni Naim: closed with rocks and dirt. I. says he has never seen a car coming out of Beni Naim.East Halhul –Sair: open.Hebron:We got to Hebron a little late – 7:45 and therefore we didn’t see the little girls on their way to school. This is Laika’s first visit to Hebron and as was only to be expected- the deserted streets, the hostile graffiti, the barbed wire and army posts every 20 meters , the arrogant settlers, in short the atmosphere of a conquered city made a very painful impression. We met Volunteers from TSM and also representatives of TIPH. They told us about what they did in the morning and at noon to protect the Palestinian children on their way to and from school.Tel Romeida CP: the soldiers are unfriendly. Most of the children have already gone through. A few pass through from the Tel Romeida quarter to the Palestinian part of Hebron. Israeli flags hang from a rope running across the street at roof level: an unnecessary provocation in the heart of a Palestinian quarter. We met a young Hebronite who had studied at the Hebrew University and spoke fluent Hebrew. He told us that he purposely goes through the Tel Romeida quarter on his way to work every day (on foot of course, since Palestinians are not allowed to drive cars in this Palestinian quarter).He says the worst harassment is on Saturdays after 5 pm ( apparently at the end of the Sabbath). We gave him cards with telephone numbers.Tel Romeida: We climbed the hill. A soldier stopped us at the entrance to the Jewish quarter at the top (a small fortified compound which dominates the entire Palestinian quarter). The soldier was friendly but forbade us to approach the settlers’ compound. He claimed that it is prohibited even though it was not a closed military area. It’s not at all clear if the prohibition is legal. We stood nearby. A settler approached the soldier and warned him not to let us get any nearer.Kasba and the Patriarch Abraham’s quarter: The soldiers are friendly. They allowed us to enter the Kasba. It is apparent that the soldiers are pleased with the built up CP ( there was a shooting incident there a month ago). They told us that the roads near the Kasba are still frequently blocked. While we were there everything was open. Finally we visited the Machpela Cave (this was for the first time for me). It is appalling to see how a historic and archeological site has been turned into a Beit Midrash (religious seminary)