Hebron - visit to the Cave of  the Fathers

Cave of  the Fathers – Machsomwatch shift and visit

While writing our detailed survey of the Palestinian maqams under Israeli occupation in the Occupied Territories, we realized we are not familiar with one of the holiest places for both Muslims and Jews – the Cave of the Fathers in Hebron.

After coordinating with Michal Tzadik who is still coordinating the southern MW shifts, we reached Hebron where we met her, Ariella and driver Mohammad who was with us throughout, and showed great patience.

(Note: we went to Jerusalem, and from there took the 381 Israeli bus to Hebron. When we paid the bus driver and remarked that we were senior citizens, normally eligible for a discount, we were told there were no discounts here in the Territories, here ticket prices are subsidized and equal for everyone – 8.10 shekel for the hour-and-a-half ride from Jerusalem to Hebron’s Cave of the Fathers… So if anyone doesn’t yet know it, the thieving “lords of the land” - settler-colonists - use public transportation here subsidized at our tax-paying expense).

Near the Cave of the Fathers we met Rabhi, an old friend of the women who organize our beach days with Palestinian children and mothers. Rabhi lives with his family right next to the Muslim part of the Cave of the Fathers.

We learned from him that until Baruch Goldstein committed the heinous massacre of Muslims praying there on a Ramadan day in 1994, Muslims and Jews would pray at the same area of the shrine. Right after the massacre the site was divided in two. But on Jewish holidays, Muslims are not allowed to enter the prayer compound. All the Muslim prayer rugs are folded up and the entire area is for Jews only. On Muslim holidays the Jews refrain from entering to pray.

From  a religious point of view, some claim that Muslims do not pray in a cave that is considered a burial site. Others do not come because of the soldiers performing body searches on them. Therefore few Muslim come to pray here normally, but during the Ramadan month the place is packed full, including the zawiya – the inner courtyard, as well as the road leading to the shrine.

Recently women have been urged to stay home and not come to pray at the shrine. We couldn’t understand whether this was obligatory or not. Rabhi claims that if a woman so wishes she may come to pray, but should refrain.

Every religion has its separate entrance. Obviously Jews enter through the main large entrance, whereas Muslims use the back and side entrance. Since we entered with Rabhi and spoke English amongst ourselves, we entered the Palestinians’ entrance, from where one accesses Rabhi’s house. It is filled with arches, its walls very thick, and his grandfather and great-grandfather lived there decades ago. They were appointed by the Turkish sultan to supervise the market weights. From his home, Rabhi took us to the local soup kitchen, where a warm meal is prepared for the needy every single day. Five huge vats contain meat or chicken twice a week, and lentil or potato soup on other weekdays. This food is dished out to anyone who needs it, and we saw many children standing in line with pots to receive the day’s soup. We asked who finances this wonder, and were told that all Hebronites who can afford it donate money to volunteers who make this food, and some donations come from abroad, while during the Ramadan even the Palestinian Authority participates. This idea really caught me – both because of the  poverty we witnessed around us, and because the cleanliness in this huge kitchen and the appetizing smells rising from the pots and the friendly person who explained things to us.

We returned to Rabhi’s home, his wife and children, and were treated to a delicious lunch. Naturally he mentioned the delights he and his extended family experienced on last year’s beach day.

After this visit we went to visit Abu Ayisha who also lives close to the Cave of the Fathers and is on very friendly terms with the southern Machsomwatchers. Right opposite the entrance to his home stood Baruch Marzel (one of the vociferous Jewish settler-colonist leaders in Hebron) who cursed us incessantly…

Abu Ayisha is 75 years old. He says that when he was born his family was on very friendly terms with the Jewish family of Yaacov Ezra, and the two families were partners in a cheese enterprise. When he was a baby, Yaacov Ezra’s wife had a baby girl named Sarah. The mother died giving birth, and his mother nursed baby Sarah along with him. He and Sarah had always felt like brother and sister. Until 1948. Since then the paths closed. Since 1967 the family of Yosef Ezra, the son, lives in Jerusalem and they occasionally speak on the phone.

Aby Ayisha suggested they claim their home, where Rabbi Moshe Levinger was living at the time and claiming it as his (another of the local Jewish settler-colonists). Indeed a lengthy law suit took place. At present, Anu Ayisha’s nephew thinks that the Ezra family has been offered money in order to revoke their suit (perhaps they were threatened as well), and so eventually they did. He is not sure what finally happened with ownership of the house. Abu Ayisha also told us that Beit Hadassah belonged to Jews and that Palestinian shops there paid monthly rent that was collected by a special emissary sent by the owners. But the owners were not the people who now live there, in spite of their claims of ownership.

On Friday, as Yusef Al Haza – Hebronite football player - was on his way home from prayers at the mosque, several Jewish settler-colonists attacked him with pepper spray. Palestinian were summoned to help and a fight ensued. Soldiers separated them but did nothing to curb the settler-colonists. Finally police arrested Yusef. On Friday night Jewish settler-colonist youths beat up both 55-year old Bassem Abu Ayisha and our host, 75-year old Abu Hassan Abu Ayisha.

Abu Ayisha recalls that in 1997 settler-colonists attacked his brother. The policeman arrested a settler-colonist, and then was called in for a police inquest, and was reprimanded or discharged.

While we were visiting his home Abu Ayisha told us that settler-colonists were demonstrating outside. He was certain this was because of us, and because he was hosting Israelis. When we came out we learned that the demonstration and loud cries were in honor of Elor Azariya (the murderer soldier) who came back to the scene of the crime and was royally received by the local settler-colonists as a true hero.

At the end of our visit we went to the Cave of the Fathers. I felt no awe, just great revulsion at what was going on there.

We stood next to a large group of Jewish tourists, whose guide – a young American who told them he learned about the Cave of the Fathers and Hebron from the person who was most knowledgeable about them, Noam Arnon (another leading Jewish settler-colonist in Hebron).  We listened to this young guide’s detailed explanations, and when question-and-answer time came I asked him where Baruch Goldstein murdered 29 praying Muslims on Purim Day, 1994. He looked at me with surprise and said he had never heard of this. Noam Arnon must not have told him this “negligible” detail.

The graves of the Fathers are decorated with Arabic inscriptions. Apparently these have not been removed due to the sanctity of the place.