Etzion DCL, Hebron, Mon 17.12.07, Afternoon

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Observers: 
Ruth O., Orit Y. and Ilana D. (reporting)
Dec-17-2007
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Afternoon

 

From 12:30 till 5:00 PM

Hebron, Etzion DCL

 

We left early in the hope to catch the children coming home from school at the Tarpat CP, but when we approached the city we saw many children near their homes with backpacks and realized we were late. Therefore we continued by car past the square and the Gross Square CP and were almost stuck behind a huge semi trailer, but managed to pass it in the left lane of the Shuhada St. (there are no traffic rules for Jewish drivers) and were allowed to park near the CP. Then we moved a little when a man who had carried huge parcels and bottles back and forth through the CP had to fasten his donkey on the fence next to our car. It was early and we saw few settlers, but many more soldiers than ever before. It turned out that there was a 'Changing of the Guards'; the Givati regiment (with black boots) had just finished its two months' stint and were moving to the North and were being replaced by a special unit of the Shimshon regiment (with brown/red boots) who were being initiated by their predecessors as their two months' Hebron service was about to begin. The large trucks brought and took their kitbags and other things.   School ends at 12:00 and after 12:30 there are no more schoolchildren at the CP, so we will try next time to come even earlier. We drew the attention of a soldier at the CP to the fact that whereas the puddle in front of the soldiers' entrance was covered with a large wooden box, the Palestinians had to balance their way through the mud on small bricks which make passage difficult for older people.

We drove up to the corner of Tel Romeida and saw more soldiers and more trucks coming and going. It turns out that four companies (squadrons) are stationed across the street from Tel Rumeida to guard over the thirty inhabitants. One of the soldiers asked whether we wouldn't want to be guarded if we would live there and when we replied that we would not want to live there, he said, 'Neither would I'. Another one said, but there is this whole area called Abu-Snein and when we asked: "What about it?" He replied: "That's the enemy." A Border Police officer told us in no uncertain terms to leave since the area is a closed military zone. We queried this, since we were Israelis and civilians live here. He threatened to call the police, but nevertheless called his superiors and left us with his subordinate who after a while (with great relief) was 'allowed' over the telephone to let us through. We had called Hanna B. who told us that there is no reason to chase us away, but that we better not enter, since the settlers can be dangerous.

We drove the same way back via no-entry signs and into one-way streets, feeling almost like the Lords of the City, despite the fact that our car carried none of the appropriate stickers. At none of the CP's anyone queried our presence or asked for identification.

On the way out we turned towards Porcelain Hill (Givat Hakharsina) and saw the new neighborhood of Patriarchs' Hill (Givat Ha'avot) and a soldier guarding its entrance and keeping the gate locked to Palestinian vehicles from the other side. We didn't find the place where settlers harass the local population.

On the way out of K. Arba we saw the newest extension called Nofei Mamrei; a well-planned area, which is already inhabited.

At the DCL two men who had already been summoned last week to see Captain Dudu were again waiting. They are students from Tunis who on their way home to Hebron had been summoned at the Allenby bridge on November 7 th and have since been told numerous times to return to the DCL – to no avail; they have still not seen the 'Captain'. Another Palestinian came later; he was summoned to Captain Eitan and was reprimanded for being late (he had been expected to arrive from the Container CP within half an hour) – handed in his papers and was told to wait. A tourist guide came to collect his permit, which was awaiting him, and it took a lot of shouting on our part until he was allowed in. There was no reply to our tel. calls. The police window was closed (for two weeks) because of the upcoming Festival (Eid al-Adkha), but there was no sign announcing this. Maher's wife answered his mobile phone.   A super-polite printed note in Hebrew explains to applicants that if they have to wait, this is due to the fact that adequate attention is given to the requests of those who entered before him (sic!).