Hebron, South Hebron Hills
On the way I decided to take a closer look at Meitarim. From Route 60 turn right towards Susya, immediately at the corner of the entrance. A large complex of industrial buildings, a large supermarket, and the buildings of the Southern Hebron Regional Council (Photos 1). The complex is well maintained of course. The name Meitarim is meant to burn into the consciousness that the occupation is erased, Meitar and the southern Hebron Mountains are the same. This is indeed the case in the consciousness of the national religious public in the area, Beit Yatir and Meitar from exactly the same root, everything is fine.
2. Visit to Simia. Photo 2: Here the two buildings, the nursery and the animal corner, were demolished. Figure 5: A greenhouse is now being quickly built over the field beyond the cistern. When Jews are building the country it is excellent, when Palestinians are building it is a problem.
3. A visit to the mother of Ata Jaber and his sister (Ata is not at his house on the hill across the road). It is clear that Road 60, when paved as a bypass of Hebron, was paved on Palestnian family lands. The constant taking over of their lands continues. After all the winery up built higher up was on their lands and their own passage to the top was blocked. The entrance junction to Kiryat Arba was recently expanded. The excavation works covered crops with dust that killed them. From their lands about 5 feet was confiscated , without compensation. When they the farmland was uprooted to pave a road, they asked for at least this good land for their other fields be left but received no answer. The land was stolen from them. Also the irrigation pipe which led to the fields was damaged and since then the only irrigation is from the pit which is under the house. In addition, next to the entrance path to the house there is a vineyard, from which the settlers stole a lot of precious fruit while sabotaging and destroying everything around them. Atta erected an Ascor fence there in an attempt to protect the vineyard. M. Points to the new house next to the old house and says that Atta paid tens of thousands of shekels in bribes to the settlers so that they would not destroy a house he built on his private land.
4. At the entrance to Kiryat Arba, 2 new ads. The two soldiers there are interested in why I'm filming. I say I'm from the Watch checkpoint. The response is recorded on their faces but they do not respond with words. I'm interested in where they are from. One from a moshav in the western Negev, is surprised that I even know the moshavim there and know where it is. The other from Sakhnin, asks if I know where it is. I recommended he do an education series for his friend about what happened there on the first time the Arabs held a Land demonstration. No Comment.
5. Later in the day, at the home of my children in Gush Etzion, I saw “Hebron in our hearts, a Shabbat Hebron special edition” (for the upcoming Hayyei Sara weekly Torah portion) distributed to Makor Rishon subscribers. Its contents included: “Activities of the organization for ‘Renewing Hebron’s Jewish Community’”; “Activities of the ‘Enlarge thy Tent’ group” (who buy buildings from Arabs, thereby “redeeming” the structures); “For Rabbanit Miriam Levinger of blessed memory”; “Steadfastly maintaining our forefathers’ rights – despite everything”; “A uniquely empowering festival at the Cave of the Patriarchs”; “Aerial view of Greater Hebron showing all Jewish settlements”; “The secret negotiations and renovations – How Hebron buildings were acquired”; “Redemption of Hebron’s ancient Jewish quarter (the ‘shuq’)”; “’And you shall possess it and dwell therein’, including a quote from Ussishkin, one of those who redeemed Emeq Hefer”. It’s filled with vibrant color photos. And, in fact, much of the large parking lot between the pharmacy, the girls’ school and the boys’ school, Beit Hamachpela and the Cave of the Patriarchs has already been fenced off. M. notes it’s intended for a huge tent for those attending the upcoming Shabbat Hayyei Sarah.
Much activity on the street uphill past the Tel Rumeida grocery. Well-built men in tailored suits and even a similarly stylish woman stand together in discussion with Palestinians who live on that street. I attached my Machsom Watch tag, showing it to them. M. notes we’re the only human rights organization which continues to appear here during the COVID epidemic. The silent security personnel finally relent to explain they’re from the United States embassy. I can’t resist telling them in English that since Biden won it’s necessary to replace the US ambassador to Israel, who’s a right-wing Jew with a settler’s mentality. I didn’t expect an answer but one responded, “There’ll be changes, but it’s not up to me.” Their fancy vehicles drive down from Tel Rumeida, the people themselves descend on foot. We don’t know whether they also met with settlers.