Hebron, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills, Zif Junction
We chose to leave at a late morning hour because this is the first week of Ramadan and people get up late.
10:00 a.m. at Sansana Checkpoint compound, the parking lot is packed full. Workers have long gone over into Israel.
First we follow our Bezal'el guests' request, to photograph public buildings at Zif village. On our way we passed Susya and Carmel, and in both settlements we saw new neighborhoods ready to be inhabited.
After fulfilling our mission in the village, we visited the kindergarten across the road. The teacher took it upon herself to create a most impressive kindergarten. She took a personal loan from the bank, a considerable sum that she is committed to pay back within the coming decade. The kindergarten has a large yard with swings and a slide. The yard floor is padded with rubber tiles. There is also special access for wheels – the teacher explained that some of the children are disabled. She plans to add special bathrooms for them in addition to the ones she has already installed. The kindergarten itself consists of two colorful rooms that still need more equipment for children, especially games. We promised ourselves to visit again and try to be of more help.
At the entrance to Kiryat Arba settlement we noticed that the shack still stands in place, on top of Avichai outpost. In what the settlers call Chazon David synagogue, upon Palestinian-owned land, where the settlers' structure was put up and demolished a few weeks ago following a High Court ruling, a kind of plastic tent has been erected, with a table and several stools. Apparently the settlers are back in place.
We introduced our guests to the anomaly of Hebron: We took them to see the "house of peace/contention", the Prayers' Route (an army vehicle was in place), 160 Curve, and the "Policeman's Barrier" that enable only pedestrian crossing, without consideration for the needs of Palestinians living within the enclave controlled by the Israeli army and the settlers. We walked with our guests along deserted Shuhada Street and they took more and more photos.
On our way back, along road 60 at noon, we saw very little army presence.
Crossing Sansana Checkpoint back into Israel around 14:30, we saw workers on their way back from work.