Hebron
Hebron: Nothing has changed, it has only become worse…
Lag-Ba’omer (a Jewish bonfire festival celebrating bravery in Jewish history) will be celebrated on Thursday. The preparations by children of the Jewish settler-colony in Hebron is at their height: stealing wooden planks from Palestinians. It is their routine. An item published in Yedioth Aharonot daily in 2007 described breaking into the Muslim Waqf offices and stealing furniture for burning on holiday bonfires.
It was difficult in Hebron today. From the moment I got there and for nearly an hour, Anat Cohen (activist settler-colonist) stuck to me aggressively, staying less than 30 centimeters from me, following me, and never letting me alone. She photographed and cursed. I went on as though she were transparent, and this really heated her up. I was quiet and determined but returned home very sad. The only thing I asked her was whether she had already paid the fine money to Issa (Amro, Palestinian acquitted by the court). If you did not know it until now, according to her I was the scum of the earth. Sleeping with Arabs. Traitor to my own people. She was very careful not to touch me, and I felt I deserve a medal of honor…
Other things that happened on my shift:
- We have found out that merchants holding permits are allowed into Israel and have been vaccinated.
- Work on another cowshed take place opposite the present one at Maon-Carmel settler-colony, on road 317. A settler-colonist has “purchased” 25 dunams of land there and is taking over the entire hill. Earthworks equipment is flattening it right now. Once a week, protest demonstrations are held there. On the other side of the cowshed, another sheep ranch was created, taking over Palestinian grazing grounds,
- Soldiers have been seen at the eastern entrance of the Palestinian village of Bani Naim and by the spring near Dura-Al Fawar Junction.
- Very little traffic, because of Ramadan month. People tend to sleep as late as possible.
- Palestinians organize trips into Israel from 4 pm, crossing through openings in the Separation Fence. Buses await them on the Israeli side. All this with the Israeli army turning a blind eye…
The Occupation and the Lords of the Land conduct themselves as usual. Indifferently, stupidly and cruelly, as though the Palestinians were transparent. I find this horrific.