Hebron

We reached Hebron via Highway 371, which was empty.  Spring’s vegetation was newly green and the emerging blossoms displayed an optimism at odds with what we felt in our guts.

Hebron is filled with groups of Golani soldiers arriving in buses and being taken around the city in preparation for relieving Nahal soldiers.  A group of officers sits in the park opposite Beit Hadassah, listening to lecture by local settlers.  Is there any chance they’ll also hear another side of this complicated story?

No tourists near the Cave of the Patriarchs, but the souvenir shops report they have customers, and tell us horror stories of the Chinese who brought the corona virus.

Shuhadah Street is getting ready for Purim, homemade signs hung on the buildings (photos attached) to make the holiday more joyous.  The coffee bar established by the setters, led by Anat Cohen, has become official, with a fashionable sign – Café Anat.

Our circuit went peacefully until we reached the Cave of Patriarchs parking lot.  An ambulance with Ofer Ohana passed us; he photographed us and our car.  When we reached the gate at the entrance to Kiryat Arba we were denied entry, our IDs were checked and we were detained.  It was clear who had instigated the delay, and the relationship between the setters and the army once again reared annoyingly.  Eventually the local operations officer, who knows our driver, appeared out of nowhere, and ordered the soldier at the gate to release us, and Zion was finally redeemed.