South Hebron Hills
South Hebron Hills, Thursday Aug. 2nd Observers: Mira and OfraMira and Ofra On the whole a quiet watch.For various reasons we planned it to be a short one, but events made it even shorter.06:25 Meytar road-block.The crossing point is empty. No one is waiting. In the parkinglot a few laborers sit waiting for their transportation. Some people approach us when we arrive. An older man commends today’s speed and says that unlike yesterday and the day before today has been quite all right.One construction worker shows us his hands and complains that the magnometer fails to identify him because of the effects of his work on his hands.Another one complains about Saturdays closing down of the check point. He says it causes problems for many laborers.No complaints about Friday.We try to figure out what made today’s checking especially efficient; failed to get a clear answer from the Palestinians. The soldiers were efficient. May be it is a good idea to contact Tarek or some other official, congratulate them on today and figure out what made the difference.Next to the vehicles’ checkpoint are many concrete blocks that have been collected from road 60.The road to Ramadin also shows signs of clearing some of the concrete road blocks. There is still a lot of work to be done.07:00 Ramadin.Empty checkpoint. 2 soldiers sitting in the observation point.We take advantage of the situation and continue towards Eshkolot.The gate is locked and it is impossible to enter from this direction.Coming back to Ramadin the crossing point is closed with two plastic barriers. We move them and stop at the roadside. Then a water tanker comes. The driver tells us he is going to one of the neighboring villages. He crosses over, puts the plastic barriers back and waits. After a few minutes the soldiers give him permission to continue.One soldier approaches us; asks if we are from Machsomwatch; receives a positive answer and goes back to his post.A few minutes later we leave the place.
ramadin
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Ramadin and Arab al-Furijat, were established in the suburbs of Dahariya by Bedouins who came from the Be'er Sheva area after 1948. The village of Ramadin, numbers about 6,000 people, is located on the eastern side of the separation barrier. The checkpoint that was established at the entrance to the village (crossing by list only) to prevent passage to Israeli territory was removed in October 2007, and the road to the Meitar checkpoint leading to Israel is open.
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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.May-13-2025Susiya - at Ahmad and Halima Nawaja'a
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