Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Sun 2.12.12, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
Sansana-Meitar crossing
The laborers had already gone through when we arrived at seven. The atmosphere on the Palestinian side was calm. An owner of a stand explained that Moti, the checkpoint manager, allows them to place the stands on a cement surface away from the road. They think well of him. They call him “Moti sweetie.”
Southern Hebron Hills
We continued on the road to Sousiya-Tawani (317), next to emplacement N.G. 840. A Kfir unit is stationed before the entrance to Area A1, stopping vehicles briefly. One was detained 40 minutes. An infant and three adults were inside. Apparently the inspection lasted a long time because the driver had once been caught for being in Israel illegally. “We’re used to it,” he said. “Today was easy; sometimes they make us get out…”, but he didn’t want to elaborate on what they go through. People turn around when they see the checkpoint. He told us that for years he hasn’t been able to access and cultivate his land because settlers from Mitzpeh Ya’ir don’t let him do so and throw rocks at him. The army protects the settlers. He complained to the police but they did nothing. Leah gave him the phone number of Yesh Din.
We took the road to Dahariyya to see for ourselves the graffiti left by “Price Tag” after burning a car. The photo I took didn’t come out well but a TV crew documented the graffiti and the burned car after the vandals had been caught.
Muhammad pointed out the rubble of a demolished building (cf. Hagit’s report from last week) that wasn’t accompanied by ”Price Tag”’s primitive calling card. Simply a legal demolition order. Where was the TV crew to film the demolition and the tent that went up? Anyway, who cares…
Hebron
Hebron is still Hebron. ‘Abed’s shop is closed. No sign of construction on the roof. He must have given up. Blue and white flags fly on Shuhada Street. We didn’t run into the international volunteers because we arrived after the children had entered the school. We noticed at the entrance to Kiryat Arba a poster of the Ben Ari-Eldad movement: “Let the army wipe them out,” with a translation into Arabic.
The ultimate hoodlum style.