Hebron, Sansana, South Hebron Hills, Sun 2.3.08, Morning

06:30 – 10:00

Meitar-Sansana CP

The pace of the workers crossing the CP was approx. 15-20 minutes, from the time a worker entered the “sleeve”.

One worker approached us and told that although he has a 24 hour permit, when he got to the CP on Thursday at 8 o’clock p.m. he was told that the CP was closed and that he should enter through Tarqumia. He was left for an hour and a half at the CP before the gate opened and he could return home.

As we turned to leave, a man “invited” us to see with our own eyes the appalling conditions of the lavatories on the Palestinian side. The three lavatories on each of which is a sign for men, women and disabled, are locked. But the open latrine, without running water is in a horrid condition, “even a dog wouldn’t use it”, as the man commented. We called Shlomi, the manager of the CP. He explained that this area is not his domain but the responsibility of the DCO. Tarek, whom we called, was friendly as usual, and said that he will deal with it, “no problem”.

It’s important that the shifts keep a watch on this issue.

Ramadin: Still the huge boulders across the road bar the only vehicular way to and from the village! So much for dismantling of CPs and easing the restrictions on movement in the West Bank.  

Road 60 to Hebron: We did not encounter flying CPs or indeed any military presence, till we reached
Hebron.

Hebron

There was a massive military presence in Hebron, probably due to the protest strike. Only a few students and teachers arrived at schools, so we learned from the International Volunteers. They told us that they were prevented from reaching Tel-Rumeida yesterday. Up at Tel-Rumeida, a unit of soldiers, with pointed rifles, was encircling the building next to the new grocery. Soon they left, rushing to “autonomous” Hebron, to procure “law and order”. They would not exchange a single word with us. The remaining two soldiers up the hill inspected meticulously with a magnometer each passer-by, old or young. A settler rewarded them with cups of coffee.

At the CP by the Machpela Cave, the soldiers detained passers-by, for inspection of their IDs, but not longer than a quarter of an hour.

We returned by road 317.