Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Wed 5.10.11, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
Not much traffic on the road, the humanitarian crossing is quiet, entrances to the city are blocked as usual. A sign: “This is Israel, ya Salah!”
We’re stopped at the entrance to Kiryat Arba, but quickly released.
Hebron
A large sukkah being erected at the Baruch Goldstein compound.
Hebron is quiet, the streets almost empty.
Two (uncooperative) paratroopers at Tel Rumeida stop a youth, inspect and immediately release him. Raya says it’s because we’re here, as well as a TIPH car that happened to pass.
A sign: “Hebron=Connection.”
At the Cave of the Patriarchs, a large group of youths, boys with yarmulkes, apparently returning from visiting the site, then another large group of girls, in skirts, apparently school groups from Kiryat Arba. A singer with a megaphone on the grass outside the Cave of the Patriarchs – hassidic melodies.
A Border Police soldier reads my nametag: “Human rights? Ours or theirs? Are you a leftist?” and breaks off any contact.
The owner of the souvenir shop next to ‘Abed’s store thanks me for paying attention to him also, for talking with him and peeping into his shop (“I’m glad Machsom Watch comes into my place also”). He’d very much want us to buy something from him as well.
Tarqumiyya
The grocery at the entrance to Tarqumiyya puts our labaneh and pitas in plastic bags with a logo from “Rami Levy” and from “Shuarma Revivo” in Be’er Sheva, hoping it will help us to bring them through the Tarqumiyya crossing – maybe they’ll rummage through them less. But what actually delays us is Raya’s ID card, because her hair grew since her photo was taken and the guy in the booth, along with some other guards, aren’t able to match her with her photograph (she looks younger…). In any case, with the help of an additional young woman, they’re convinced that the Raya in the photo is the same person standing before them.