South Hebron

South Hebron Hills, Thursday morning 5.1.06Observers: Ziva B.P, Yael Z Sansana: Border police soldiers recognize us and let us in without anyquestions. No Palestinians near the checkpoint.Maon Entrance: one car and two Palestinians detained near a temporarycheckpoint. The soldier (Lavi battalion) explains that the Palestinians were caught on Road 60 without a permit. Their papers are checked and they will be cleared if everything is OK. They were not there when we came back.Dura-Al Pawar: checkpoints are open, no soldiers in sight, cars crossing in both directions.Beit Hagai: a temporary checkpoint set up, a Hamer parked on the side,soldiers check the papers of travelers in both directions. We submitted our IDs for inspection both ways.Sheep Junction: earth mounds are very high. Many pedestrians crossing from one side to the other.Hebron: Market area quiet. No sign of the evacuation orders issued two days ago.No sign of evacuation. Many new posters and signs declaring their right to stay there a promise of fighting against the decrees.Shuhada junction: a new watching tower stone covered, guards the junction.Soldiers have been going in and out.Kordoba School: Girls still climb the broken old steps even though the barbwire was taken away from the new steps. A policeman stood on the upper trail andtook pictures of Shneyorson Building across the street. Could he be guarding the girls?A police car joins the army checkpoint near Beit Hadassah Junction.Tarpat checkpoint: two women cross without going through the magnometer. Their bags are searched by the soldiers.Tel Romeida:Along the uphill road CPA volunteers are keeping watch, mainly over children going to school. Soldiers with pointed guns pass by.Pharmacy checkpoint: looks deserted. Few late-for-school children go through the nagnometer, obeying the order of the soldier who manned the checkpoint.Road 35: Humanitarian Checkpoint is closed. No soldiers.Halhul-Hebron bridge: open in both directions.