Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Mon 23.4.12, Morning

Date: 23/04/2012 ,Morning

Observers: Hagit Back, Michal Tz. (reports)

Hebron

According to Wye Plantation Accords (1997), Hebron is divided in two: H1 is under Palestinian Authority control, H2 is under Israeli control. In Hebron there are 170,000 Palestinian citizens, 60,000 of them in H2. Between the two areas are permanent checkpoints, manned at all hours, preventing Palestinian movement between them and controlling passage of permit holders such as teachers and schoolchildren. Some 800 Jews live in Avraham Avinu Quarter and Tel Rumeida, on Givat HaAvot and in the wholesale market.

Checkpoints observed in H2:

Bet Hameriva CP- manned with a pillbox
Kapisha quarter CP (the northern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
The 160 turn CP (the southern side of Zion axis) - manned with a pillbox
Avraham Avinu quarter - watch station
The pharmacy CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
Tarpat (1929) CP - checking inside a caravan with a magnometer
Tel Rumeida CP - guarding station
Beit Hadassah CP - guarding station

Three checkpoints around the Tomb of the Patriarchs

Close description

Translator: Charles K.

The same oppressive routine everywhere.

By 7:30 AM all the laborers have gone through the Meitar crossing, and are waiting for their employers.

Highway 60

Deserted, almost no traffic of any kind. Nor are there any flying checkpoints, and we see almost no military personnel.

Hebron

Posters all along the road: Celebrate Independence Day at Mitzpe Avichai…[which, meanwhile, has been demolished and is deserted].

Beit HaMachpela, like Beit HaMeriva, is manned by bored soldiers and surrounded by checkpoints. Next to it, a settler and her children watch from a protest tent, like in a surrealistic play because half the building is still inhabited by Palestinians. One person comes out, goes back in, shines shoes at the entrance, and in general behaves as he would on an ordinary morning.

He’s behind the checkpoints also, he’s also protected by the IDF. Were an alien to appear he’d have no reason to think this wasn’t normal. Maybe it is? We decided to try to find the building at Tel Rumeida which according to reports was purchased fraudulently.

We detoured via “Michael’s house,” quietly, slightly weak-kneed, who knows who’ll try to stop us or how. Two buildings seem to be possibilities, cameras everywhere, soldiers on guard, silence, abandoned bicycles, laundry hung to dry. Tel Rumeida is frightening. Fortunately no one saw us, or threw anything at us, or cursed. Even the soldier [from Elkana, he told us, after asking where Omer is] smiled and didn’t attack us.

It’s been a long time since I was so glad to leave Tel Rumeida.

The rest of the checkpoints are quiet; no one is being detained. There’s nothing unusual happening at the Cave of the Patriarchs.

Nor there anything unusual about how nauseous the town always makes us feel.