Hebron, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills, Mon 11.6.12, Morning
Translated by Charles K.
The Meitar crossing is already empty. Four buses that carried relatives of prisoners parked on the Palestinian side of the checkpoint. The relatives are no longer on the Israeli side. They’ve already driven away.
How well-kept everything here is; a gardener waters new landscaping opposite the guard station. They’ve tried to make the surroundings pleasant.
If only what goes on here was consistent with outward appearances. If only this turned into a border crossing between states. If only…
Five minutes away, as we drove on Route 317 to Sussiya, signs posted all along the way, reading: Israeli sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria. Blue on white. New buildings under construction at Teneh Omerim on the hill to our left.
These are two proofs of the settlers’ true intentions, and of the government which is implementing them: The state of Israel will be a repressive state which believes it is possible to continue eternally crushing a million people under its boots. The “leaders” who are bringing the Zionist project to a close.
We passed next to Carmel and Ma’on; everything is quiet.
We didn’t know that, only two hours later, we’d be told about more vandalism carried out by the settlers from the Ma’on farm.
Again they uprooted olive trees, again they abused the residents of the nearby Khirbet Tawani. They believe that’s how they should behave.
Hebron
The entry road to Kiryat Arba, and from there to Hebron, is still being upgraded. They’ve opened the southern gate which is usually shut and guarded.
Soldiers and Border Police everywhere, as usual, including on the roof of the building overlooking the worshippers route.
The residents of the neighborhood around the Cave of the Patriarchs are renovating their homes, as if according to the verse “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew” (Exodus 1:12). Despite everything, their spirit hasn’t been broken. A small consolation.
A protest tent on the Cave of the Patriarchs plaza, a woman taking her turn there with her children, as usual, and buses with Israeli visitors. All go to the Jewish side of the Cave of the Patriarchs.
No detainees
anywhere, not at any of the checkpoints or the roadblocks nor along the apartheid road leading to Shuhadeh Street. Many children in the streets; summer vacation must have begun.
The main activity on this road involves a special large crane removing Israeli flags that were hung two months ago for Independence Day. Finally.
On our way back we spoke by phone with a man who wanted us to help him obtain an entry permit so he could work his olive grove. The grove is on one side of the fence; his village is on the other. We consulted with Chana Barg and referred him to her. Maybe.
Later we met two more people: The first, to follow up on our attempts to help him obtain again the work permit for Israel that had been withdrawn suddenly for an absurd reason. Sylvia and Chana will tell us how to help him. Meanwhile he has to wait because the computers are being upgraded. We’ll see how long it will take these experts in attrition to implement the upgrade. A second man, also blacklisted for many years with no reason or explanation, asks why he hasn’t received any answer for months. Sylvia explains that his request was delayed because…they upgraded the procedures. Now, after the upgrade, they’ve begun dealing with his request. Now he’ll wait two months for any answer.
That’s the dream of Greater Israel. The nightmare of the lords of the land oppressing a million people forever.