Hebron, Mon 15.10.12, Morning

Trans. Naomi S.

Ordinary routine at the Meytar crossing, which is empty of laborers.

Route 60

Route 60 is quiet with almost no traffic.

At Dura Elfawwar junction there are new polls with camera all over the place.

We wave hello to whoever is watching, but cannot be watched. All is under control. "Big Brother" is deepening his grip.

Hebron

At the entrance to Hebron, works continue – renovating, paving and gardening.

A large tract of land is prepared for the expansion and improvement of an IDF base known as "Besis Harsina" (supposedly, after the near-by "Give'at Harsina"), resting on a hill from which the Federman ranch can be seen. In the ranch itself, people seem to be walking around. Life has resumed there.

We drove to see what was going on in Beit Hameriva (literally: "the house of contention"), which the settlers dub "the House of Peace" – how ironic – following the news as regards the Court's recent verdict, approving the settlers' return there.

Indeed, there are civilian vehicles and people around. The people are employees of the Ministry of Defense, we are told by the soldiers as they keep watching an eye on those people, ensuring that whoever and whatever arrives there is by permission and authority. On the phone, they are told it is all approved from above. The civilians immediately pull out cameras  and start taking photos – they photograph us too. We immediately take photos of them as well.

They send soldiers with measuring tools to the slope, below the house. Why?

Hagit asks whether there's an intention to pave a new route for those who will move in, connecting the house to the road below – and so, replacing the current through-way which goes past houses and a cemetery.

"Who are you? Why should we answer you?" they respond contemptuously, and immediately resume work.

It is advisable to keep following up.

All is quiet in other parts of the city. Suddenly, at 10am, the roads fill with children. The reason: teachers' strike. They are struggling to improve their pay. Teachers from the Cordoba school get to the Tarpat crossing and crowd next to the narrow gate. We wait to see whether the agreement, according to which they may pass without being checked in the Magnometer Is kept by the soldiers. We are relieved to see that it is. A soldiers opens the gate for them and they go to their homes without going through the magnometer.

Hebron residents are crushed between the mortar of the municipal mess and the pestle of the occupation.

Until when?