Hebron, South Hebron Hills
Everything’s quiet, routine, foggy.
Highway 317
There’s no sign of the occupation other than a military patrol leaving the emplacement located more or less opposite Dirat, walking along the dirt path toward Yatta.
Hebron
Beit Hameriva still appears to be an IDF base. No detainees
at any of the checkpoints or roadblocks.
Cave of the Patriarchs
A few detainees at the Palestinian entrance, but they’re immediately released.
Buses let out Singaporean tourists at the entrance and quickly drive to their assigned parking spots.
Tel Rumeida
The work, directed by Emanuel Eisenberg, continues.
When Natanya, who’d worked on a dig with him in Jerusalem, goes over to say hello and tell him why she’s here he informs her he disagrees with Machsom Watch.
Today he’s arranged for aerial photographs. A special crew arrives with special equipment.
They spend a long time inflating the balloon and installing the camera, then send it aloft to document the site. Soon we’ll read a serious, scholarly article about the importance of the dig and the findings.
We’ll send photos separately.
While watching the operation we spoke with two young women participating in the dig on behalf of the Antiquities Authority. Before they knew who we were they told us that nothing significant had been found here. What followed was a dialogue of the deaf. The two of them live in Kiryat Arba; they criticize all the peace organizations. They and all the other settlers are victims; we don’t understand anything.
Another depressing experience.