South Hebron Hills, Tue 14.12.10, Morning
Translation: Bracha B.A.
This shift is a "purposeful" shift whose aim is to meet with N. who is denied entery to Israel.
Meitar Crossing
By 08:00 all workers had already passed through, and only three busses with prisoners' families are still waiting to cross.
Route 60
Traffic was as usual except for an IDF jeep standing at the entrance to Shamo'ah and checking vehicles. There is a pillbox on the hill to the left of the road opposite Dir Razak. There is now evidence of more construction there. Three army bulldozers are working and have no problem pushing away roadblocks and entering the village, piling up more roadblocks as they do so. We hope there are no plans for more settlements but this should be followed up. The soldiers at the Dura Elfawwar junction have come down from the pillbox and are checking cars. We managed to evade them and continue without delay.
We entered Dura to meet N., who's asked Sylvia to help him obtain an entry permit to Israel. N. is a construction worker whom we have known for many years but is now unable to renew his entry permit. He is strong, ambitious, brave, and wise. As he explains to us, he was asked to cooperate with "our forces" but refused and is therefore, and ever since, denied a working permit. I had him sign some papers that should help us examine his case with a lawyer. He paid and told us about his successful children and how he has invested in their education and his sincere hope to return to work in Israel. I feel that he is the tip of the iceberg and only people who are as strong and persevering as he is dare to appeal and insist on their right to live in dignity. Most others are silent and have given up.
On our way back the soldiers were busy and we were able to evade them once more.
Moti, who is in charge of the Meitar crossing, called me to ask if we noticed any improvement at the crossing over the past week. He says he is doing his best to make it easier for the workers. Although I certainly appreciate his efforts, I am positive that we have a much greater part in determining how the crossing works than the Palestinians do.
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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