Fuqeiqis - routine of life now everywhere - no life

  Smadar, Michal (reporting and photographing) and Muhammad; Translator: Natanya

 South Hebron

On the way to Samו’, you see the roadblocks.

Also, on the way to Simia, but there you can see how the Palestinians open the roadblocks all the time.

The entrance to Dahariya is open. The entrance to Karma is open, to Abda the two entrances are blocked, one of them by piles of dirt and one by the yellow gate. But Route 60 is almost completely empty. All along the way, I spoke on the phone with Lt. Col. Akram, the district commander on behalf of the Civil Administration, following up on the conversations from a week ago past. About the suffering the people of the area are going through because they are not allowed to travel to buy food or anything else. Their cars were confiscated because they are not in good condition and are not allowed on the road (invalid according to the law). The Palestinians still keep them because that is all they can afford.  And so sometimes they manage to travel with them and sometimes they get caught and they are confiscated.

"What do you want," asks Akram, "that they get on the road and risk their lives"?

"God forbid", I answer, "but are you able to bring people their needs when they have no way to get to the nearest town? And are there roadblocks everywhere?"

"No, they need to find someone who is authorized to reach them and who will bring and take away, etc."

"Well, then we can reach them despite the barriers."

"I will investigate legally and get back to you," Akram replies. To his credit, he keeps his words and always comes back and calls to answer my questions. So, after a few hours he rang and said: "You are Israeli citizens and can move on these roads and pass through the checkpoints. If there's a problem, call me."

So, on the way to the Jadallah family, I called to let them know we were on our way.

"No problem, I told you, go safely, of course at your own risk,” he said to us and so we safely passed two checkpoints. Polite soldiers just asked for our documents. They were mainly interested in Muhammad.

And so, this shift was dedicated to visiting the Jadallah family to bring them food, to see and hear what was going on around them. As alredady mentioned, they live in Fuqeiqis.

A kind of tiny settlement of one extended family located in the middle of a ravine at the foot of the Negohot A and B settlements.

As we have reported in recent months, the development and preparation work for more settlements continues, there are already asphalt roads climbing to the hill on which there are already buildings and a new vineyard has also been planted. The children were of course happy for Crembo, an Israel chocolate with cream inside. They also don't go to school, of course, because of the roadblocks.

We sat with Safia, the mother of the family, her husband, daughter-in-law and one of her sons. The men have not been working for two months since October 7. They are not allowed to leave the house. Safia says that 20 days ago, 10 settlers came in masked military uniforms, ordered them to enter the house and close the doors. In the meantime, they took pictures of everything and the cars and a week ago they came and confiscated them.

Jihad the son asked that they leave at least one so that they could go to errands, doctors, shopping. "Go to Abu Mazen and he will buy you a car," they answered and took everything. Yesterday, she says, one man came, again took pictures of the house and the surroundings and left. A few days ago, there were drones over the house, every day for hours. When one fell in their garden they came and took it.

This is the routine of life now everywhere - no life. Basically, people are completely dependent on those who are willing to help. What's the problem, Lt. Col. Akram answers me, they have my phone and if they have a problem they can call. So, water supply is coordinated because it is brought in a tanker, but what about everything else? They still asked me for his phone number. We'll see what happens.

We decided to make the way back via road 358. Leaving the Negohot checkpoint. Leaving is much easier. Fewer questions. We were just asked where we came from. Negohot, of course", we answered.