Hebron

28.10.19

It was quiet all the way to Hebron, and within Hebron itself, with almost no soldiers.  We arrived at Idris’ home, next to the spring.  Idris received a permit for only five days to harvest his olives that grow by the spring.

He asked us for help.  He was already in the grove when we arrived.  A Palestinian news photographer and three soldiers also arrived.  They all left after a short time.  Hagit Sar Shalom and Nina remained to work.  Hagit says it was an opportunity to develop personal relationships and practice Arabic.  After a while a settler arrived; he only sat and watched.  He didn’t stay long either…  All in all, we felt we’d been useful.

“Death to Arabs.”  We saw the slogan on our way to Idris’ grove.

Yesterday night I got a call about riots and clashes between the army and Palestinians next to the Worshippers Route in Hebron.  M., our driver, and I drove to see what was happening.

The Danna family from Hebron lives adjacent to Kiryat Arba’s fence, between the pillbox and the gate through which residents of Kiryat Arba exit to the Cave of the Patriarchs.  Yesterday there was a wedding with many guests (who all came on foot because cars are forbidden).  During the festivities, fireworks were set off.  The soldiers in the pillbox thought they were Molotov cocktails and called on the crowd-dispersal unit, which fired tear gas.  The uproar which followed involved stone-throwing, and settlers appeared.  The incident concluded with evacuation of the wounded and cancellation of the festivities.

Jews and Palestinians live there in fear of each other, impatiently, intolerantly.  The Danna family is very angry.  We also ran into people from the CPT next to the Danna’s home.

Big brother the occupier keeps track of the Palestinians.

How much evil have we already grown accustomed to…