Hebron, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), Mon 20.2.12, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
Rony wanted to join the Hebron shift so we took our usual route and met her at the entrance to Kiryat Arba.
Meytar Crossing
Luckily for us, and for the Palestinians, everything’s in order at the Meitar crossing. At 06:45, most people are already on the Israeli side. A few are crossing on the Palestinian side.
Highway 60 is also quiet, washed by the rain and almost empty, so we arrived at the appointed time.
Hebron: Everything in Hebron was also normal [disgusting, as usual].
We decided again to take the marked path toward the Father Abraham spring; the path then continues to Tel Rumeida.
The soldiers guarding the settlers from all directions ask, of course, “Where to?” “ Isn’t this a Nature Protection Society trail?”, we ask innocently. “We’re just walking.”
They, from their stations on the rooftops, allow us to continue. We walk very apprehensively and quietly through the courtyards of the prefabs, in fear of the settlers.
Luckily they didn’t discover us; in the past our colleagues had water and objects dumped on their heads.
We walked down the road, and there’s where the soldiers decided to ask, aggressively, where we came from, who we are, why we came this way.
Again we reply: “Isn’t this a marked trail? Isn’t it open to everyone?” The soldier asks: Don’t you know you’re not allowed to walk there? “Where does it say that it’s not allowed? How should we know?”
We explain where we came from and why we’re not using the marked path. He looks at us suspiciously: “I know who you are; how could you not know it’s forbidden. Stop pretending.”
“It doesn’t say ‘prohibited’ anywhere, that it’s only open to certain people; if it said something we wouldn’t have gone there,” we reply.
The soldier tries to detain us but he has no basis for doing so and we continue on our way. When we pass him again on our way back he hesitantly signals us to stop. We ignore him and go on.
Let the people of Israel know: the settlers added another creative idea to the arrangements established in Hebron [first they transform any place they want into an archaeological site]. Under the auspices of the IDF, and with its assistance, they have their own, dedicated streets, for their sole use and for their supporters, separation within segregation.
Who initiates, and implements? Who allows, and surrenders to pressure? From 1967 until now, the state of Israel has been dragged and led by the settlers. They make policy.
And the government permits it. The IDF? Certainly.B