South Hebron Hills - blockades at the entrances to the villages

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Observers: 
Leah S. Translator: Natanya
Jan-2-2025
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Morning
תל רומיידה - התאונה שהרסה את חנותו של חמד אידעס

The Meitar crossing is almost empty of parked cars. Muhammad reports: only about 200-300 workers pass every day, in addition to the sick or those who have a trial.

1. The settlers ploughed the lands of Zanuta after the Palestinian owners gave up and left as a result of the harassment of the settlers. Most Israelis believe that the reports of ethnic cleansing in the West Bank are false, and if there is any activity by the settlers and/or security forces, it is only to protect against violence by the Palestinians. The reality is that the settlers do not act against strong Palestinians, because they are afraid of them. Only the army deals with real security problems, and the violence of the settlers backed by the security forces is only against Palestinians who have never posed any security threat and are completely helpless, it is just the desire to take over their "cleansed" lands from an ethnic perspective.

2. Eshtamoah settlement has been expanded, including a new ring road to the south. And another caravan neighbourhood to the north, including electricity poles.

3. A van drives slowly ahead of us. Muhammad recognizes that it is the settler, Elyashiv, from Havat Yehuda. The van is not roadworthy and is traveling with a child standing inside. Muhammad comments that such a Palestinian vehicle would have been taken off the road a long time ago.

4. The entrance to Samu’ is closed, so residents are seen traveling on dirt and mud roads around it. It is obvious and they are not stopped, meaning it is clear that the blocking of the main entrance is intended solely to harass them. The entrances to Dura and al-Fawwar are also closed, vehicles are parked on both sides of the checkpoints, people walk on foot through the mud around them. The same goes for Qilqis.

5. On the road – a large sign in Hebrew, an advertisement of a contractor. Written on it, “Avoda Ivrit” (Hebrew Work), meaning it only employs Jews.

6. Entering Hebron from the south. Givat Gal above us, expanded, the impression is that the settlers support the war because it serves them to accelerate the takeover of Area C.

7. The road that goes up towards the checkpoint to the Kiryat Arba industrial zone is full of garages, instead of the garages that were closed in the Qafisha neighbourhood when the army closed the passage to it.

8. The road from Kiryat Arba to the Tomb of the Patriarchs is being rebuilt. All the Palestinian shops on this street are closed.

9. We meet Issa Amro at the police checkpoint to give him 10,000 shekels that Machsomwatch collected from members through Rachel Afek for the benefit of hungry Palestinian families. He says that in the past, this checkpoint was always open for crossing, now only during the day and closed on Saturdays. The checkpoint is also closed during the multiple power outages, people stand helpless in the rain. He claims that Israel sells the Hebron municipality only 95 megawatts of electricity instead of the 150 megawatts it is entitled to.

10. We go up to the grocery store in Tel Rumeida, which has recently only been open from the side. It is operated by Hamed Ides, a wheelchair user, sitting at the cash register near what used to be the main entrance from the main street. On 2.9.2023, an electric car, a silver Toyota, license plate number 46343103, accidentally drove into the front of the store, destroying it and injuring Hamed. The Jew called a Jewish ambulance that evacuated Hamed to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem. He was in the hospital for 3 days. The police did arrive at the scene, but now they claim that they have no idea who the offending driver was, so Hamed cannot claim his insurance. The hospital filed a claim for payment for the hospitalization and of course he cannot afford to pay, nor should he. This is also what the police tell his Palestinian lawyer, Samah Kilani, tel. 0515172351. A photo is attached.

11. On the road from Shuhada Street to the Cave of the Patriarchs, the settlers placed large flower pots, the “clean of Arabs” settlement area in the West is very well maintained, as usual.

12. At the main exit from Kiryat Arba, in front of the military camp, you can already see the built winery, really beautiful.