Fuqeiqis - expansion of settlements
Driving on Route 60 on the way to Khursa one sees a sign a few hundred meters to the left. This refers to the regional emergency centre, South of Mount Hebron - Beit Dror (Named for Col. Dror Weinberg of the Yehuda Brigade who was murdered in the second intifada).
We went in to see the building surrounded by wire fences, and several cars parked.
According to Google the building dates back to the days of Jordanian rule and was initially converted into a regional emergency centre, near the Engineering Corps base that was established next door. In 2009, the engineering base was dismantled.
In 2016, several families settled in the said building and today it houses 17 families. It is no longer an emergency centre, but a settlement.
We continued to Khursa. The pillbox, which is in the middle of a main street with barriers on both sides and wire fences around it, is a reflection of the apartheid that is being talked about more and more.
Yusuf says that after the attack at the Sheep Junction on August 21, 2023, in which the late Bat Sheva Nigri was murdered, all checkpoints were closed for two days to Palestinians only of course. Open to settlers…what else?
Aaccording to him, the army patrols have been reinforced.
Every week, the soldiers in the pillbox go back to their homes and businesses, and according to what soldiers come the attitude towards the Palestinians changes.
From there we went to the Jadallah family in Fuqeiqis.
Upon our arrival we saw a concrete pump in action.
I went up to the upper balcony. From there you can see some of the houses of the Negohot settlement, which was established in 1982, close to the Palestinians, a few tens of meters away.
From the balcony of the Jadallah family you can see the area that has been levelled for several months.
The government's policy to take over the territories occupied by Jews is being implemented.