South Hebron

Sout Hebron, Thursday 17.2.05, AMYe`ela (reporting Hebrew), Leah SH. (reporting English) 06:40-11:00 a.m. 1)Before the Arad Blockade, reserve soldiers stop a Palestinian vehicle that had tried to avoid the blockade. Driver, curtain maker, has work permit in Israel and even a printed business card in Hebrew, but tried to sneak in his sons for work. Soldiers unpack his car for checking and sends him on his way with warning. Officer actually incited his men against Machsom Watch: when I tried to give them our info sheet, he refused, on the grounds that they`d better not learn about us so they can do their job properly. He later said that we are opposed to the security work they do, and ignored my protest that this proves he knows nothing about us and SHOULD read the info sheet. His name is El-Hai and I think the top command in the area should make sure that even reserve duty soldiers know about us, because as the disengagement gets near we will see more of them around!2)As pre-arranged, we stopped by Hirbat Tawani to take J' and three others, witnesses of the violent incident of yesterday, to the police station to give witness. The station is on the Giv`at ha`Avot, a Jewish neighborhood west of Kiryat Arba, accessible to Israelis only through K.A. and to Palestinians only through Hebron. The guard at the entrance to K.A. looked at the ID`s of all of us and checked by phone what to do with two Jews, one Israeli Arab (our driver, I') and four Palestinians. First he said, the Palestinians should go all around from Hebron and you can get in this way. Fortunately, a police van passed just then, and after checking with superiors agreed to escort our vehicle intact through K.A. ... At the police station, they took forever preparing for the interrogation of the four we brought, checking thoroughly the vieo Monica had taken of the incident. They wanted to speak with Johannes, but Paula was planning to take him to Jerusalem for treatment of his broken jaw, so police took contact phone number for them and said they would see him there. One cop told me that they identified at least one of the attackers and hope this time to prepare a tight-fit case against him that would get the court in Jerusalem to deal with him. We had to leave J' & co. there to complete their mission. 3)Sa`ir junction: police and army around an accident – a military intensive care ambulance at the side facing norty, doors open, and in the middle of the road, facing south, a yellow Palestinian taxi. Trafiic jam, another policeman directs the traffic. Palestinian witnesses report that the ambulance drove north too fast, right into the taxi in front of it. It is possible that the taxi was slowing in order to make a left turn to Halhul, and the ambulance had not kept the necessary distance. One cop, Eliyahu Madmoni, yelled at us and at the Palestinians to go away. We suspected that he was going to buy the story the soldier driver of the ambulance tried to make up – dump it on the taxi – and insisted we stay. We took pictures all around: ambulance front (engine) completely crushed, taxi suffered crushed tin in the back where it was hit, but also in the front where it was pushed right into the tin sideroad barrier, which also suffered marks of the blow and stained with the taxi’s tellow paint. Fortunately, the taxi did not have any passengers, and the driver was buckled… An armed young civilian pushed against us and rudely told us to go away. I told him this is C zone and if he can be there so can I. So he said he was a soldier. I asked, why not in uniform? So he said he was the “ravshatz” (security man) of Karmei Tzur, a settlement to our north, and ceded his name, Yair Maimon. I think those ravshatzim share the wireless police net, he heard of the incident, and flew right in, Wild West style, to meddle with the “action”. I crossed the road and kept yelling “The ravshatz has abandoned Karmei Tzur! It’s in great danger!” until he turned his 4X4 around and took off. Other military ambulances came for the medical equipment on the damaged one. The taxi driver was finally released with a formal note telling him to come to Jerusalem with licenses for mecanical check-up of the taxi: no one was surprised at this routine which costs money and loss of many work-days. I tried calling the DCO but was told that they have no power over the police. A Palestinian policeman arrived on the scene and was rudely pushed away by Madmoni. We stayed until a tow truck arrived and took the taxi away, though it was perfectly capable of continuing on its own with its owner. We worry that justice may not be done, and that the army won’t pay the damages.4)On the way back, Dura / el-Fawar: blockade of the eastern road. Passers-by say this happens every day at irregular hours. This time – traffic jam: only one soldier checks vehicles that go both ways and also passers-by. One car at the side, its three passengers (obviously because they are young) stopped for a half hour until their id’s are returned to them after checking with security.