South Hebron Hills:The situation during Ramadan was difficult, everything was closed
As usual, Meitar Checkpoint is deserted since the beginning of the war. For whoever is not familiar with the situation, Palestinians are not allowed to get through to Israel, not even to work. This leaves many of them without work, no livelihood for nearly three years!
We drove Road 60, everything is still green and flourishing, could be pastoral and pleasant were it not for… But along Road 60 on the right side is a track leading to Samu’a the main entrance which is closed. Sometimes this track, too, is blocked – a car taking it is stopped and left standing in the middle of the track. Its keys are taken away for several hours and that’s it… So the track, too, is blocked for hours. Simple harassment for its own sake.
The gate at Samu’a’s main entrance is closed so there is even no need of soldiers present to open it in case of an emergency…
The entrance to Abda is closed.
Al Fawwar is closed in both directions.
Karama is open.
We came to visit F. from Simiya. He has a new grandson so there is joy at home…
They received 2 large water tanks from one of the organizations.
About two months ago, the army installed a gate in F.’s area, on the access track to his house and to the village at large.
It was open during Ramadan, but since the end of Ramadan month, the gate is closed and every day cars keys are taken, and the vehicles are stuck there for hours…
During Ramadan the situation was difficult as everything was closed, mud all over the place, no work, no money so no celebrations.
At the end of Ramadan at least the children went back to school.
F.’s wife has a stand in the school of another village, his son works at the village school, the son’s wife teaches at Dhahariya. Luckily, they both work and somehow make a living, unlike many others!
At a neighboring village, Deir Shams, settlers stole 3 vehicles.
In F.’s field near Samu’a, he sowed wheat but everything was ruined because the settlers’ sheep trampled it…
On April 24th there are supposed to be elections for local councils and mayors. They have a candidate who filled this role lately and the villagers were satisfied so they will elect him again.
Location Description
Dura Al-Fawwar Junction
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Junction on Route 60: west - the town of El Dura, east - the Al Fawwar refugee camp. There is a manned pillbox at the junction. From time to time the army sets up flying checkpoints at the entrance to El Fawwar and Al Dura. Al-Fawwar is a large refugee camp (7,000 inhabitants in 2007) established in 1949 to accommodate Palestinian refugees from Be'er Sheva and Beit Jubrin and environs. There are many incidents of stone-throwing. In the vicinity of the pillbox there are excellent agricultural areas, Farmers set up stalls adjacent to the plots close to the road. In recent months the civil administration has set up dirt embankments thereby blocking access to the stalls, and making it impossible for the farmers to sell their vegetables. Updated April 2021, Michal T.
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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
Smadar BeckerJun-28-2026The vegetation that Najh planted around the house in Umm Qusa
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