The city of Hebron
The city of Hebron Thursday afternoon, 5 May 2005 Observers: Ronit S., Daniella G., Maya B. (reporting)We followed the directions given recently by Hagit. We drove through Qiryat Arba to Hebron, on the road taken by Jews who go there to recite prayers. We passed through the Cave of the Patriarchs, and the settler enclaves of Avraham Avinu, Romano House, Hadassah House, and finally Tel Romeida. There are soldiers wearing ceramic bulletproof vests, every 50-100 meters.The settlers walk around armed with guns. Tiny kids (none seemed older than 10) were busy looting a deserted Arab store (which was in ruins inside, nothing but old planks left to loot), and when we asked them whether what they were taking was theirs, they answered: “Ha-gonev mi-ganav — patur” [Hebrew: He who steals from a thief, is excused; a quotation from Jewish traditional sources].The scene was as described before: deserted steets with shuttered storefronts, spraypainted with appalling graffiti. A ghost town. All roads where Jews pass have been “sterilized”. Quite amazingly, everyone — soldiers, settlers, Palestinians — took us for friends. (We did not wear our identifying badges).A Palestinian shop owner gave us gifts, a freaky settler gave us an impassioned tour of the Cave of the Patriarchs (and was unhappy when we reminded him that Dr. Goldstein killed, not only was killed there, and that Abraham was the father of Islam, not just of Judaism). 2 young female soldiers to whom we gave a ride explained that “the army had opened war on the settlers”. A brief inquiry revealed the following story: The army was protecting, by court order, Palestinians who were being harrassed by the settlers. The settlers heckled the army — spitting on an officer, pelting soldiers with eggs. The army commanders gave orders not to fraternize with the settlers. So now the settlers, in retailiation, closed a little kiosk that used to offer free coffee to the soldiers, and refuse to give them rides to and from Qiryat Arba. The girl soldiers nonetheless seemed committed to Hebron, and blamed the army. Altogether, even though we encountered nothing but quiet, it was the quiet of a graveyard. Unsettling.
Hebron
See all reports for this place-
According to Wye Plantation Accords (1997), Hebron is divided in two: H1 is under Palestinian Authority control, H2 is under Israeli control. In Hebron there are 170,000 Palestinian citizens, 60,000 of them in H2. Between the two areas are permanent checkpoints, manned at all hours, preventing Palestinian movement between them and controlling passage of permit holders such as teachers and schoolchildren. Some 800 Jews live in Avraham Avinu Quarter and Tel Rumeida, on Givat HaAvot and in the wholesale market.
Checkpoints observed in H2:
- Bet Hameriva CP- manned with a pillbox
- Kapisha quarter CP (the northern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
- The 160 turn CP (the southern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
- Avraham Avinu quarter - watch station
- The pharmacy CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
- Tarpat (1929) CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
- Tel Rumeida CP - guarding station
- Beit Hadassah CP - guarding station
Three checkpoints around the Tomb of the Patriarchs
Raya YeorDec-18-2025Hebron - Yusri Jaber and part of his family
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