A-Tuwani, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills
Gaps in the fence:
After all the difficult events and everything that has been said on the subject, it was interesting to see what the breaches in the fence near the Meitar checkpoint now look like.
The loopholes have been blocked with barbed wire and every hundred meters or so, cement blocks have also been placed, with a soldier on duty standing on each of them.
We will see for how long the way of the breadwinners will be blocked and they will have no other way out but through the checkpoints. Only those with permits will be able to go through. Many of those who do not have such will have no way of earning a living.
We drove to the Awauda family, who live in the wadi next to the buildings of the Meitarim Regional Council in the southern Hebron Mountains. They call their place of residence Wadadi. The family is composed of the two wives of one man and his unmarried sister. They are part of a population spread in the area. They are half shepherds and half farmers. Each family settles in some wadi, grazes their flock and grows mainly barley.
They originate from Sam’u but they spend most of the year in this place, and return to Sam’u rarely.
Together they have about fifteen children, who study in Sam’u, and therefore hardly come home. In the winter they are in the caves nearby. We saw them from the road, not far from the high pillbox that stands at the turn to Shani. And in the summer in the "tents" where we had been.
We had lots of clothes, games and equipment for the school. The women, with one little girl, were very happy to have it all. When we asked about the conduct of the authorities, they said that no one was bothering them and that this had been the family's way of life for at least seventy years.
At-Tuwani
We went to visit the family of Basel and Nasser Adra from At-Tuwani. Ramadan fasting affects everyone's agenda – they get up late and are looking more tired than usual. They say they suffer from the settlers of Havat Maon almost daily.
For example, yesterday, Sunday, seven settlers came down into the wadi to chase the shepherd. Luckily, there were also three Israeli activists there, who volunteer to be there all the time and accompany the shepherds. The activists stood in front of the rioters and began photographing them. Then they ran away. The army comes sometimes but what really helps is the presence of the volunteers.