Hakvasim (sheep) Junction, Sansana (Meitar Crossing), South Hebron Hills, Zif Junction

Sunday at Meitar Checkpoint is more crowded than usual, tensions mount following augmented army and Border Police presence and more checkpoints. Driving on road 60 is frightening – drivers cross the double line, speed excessively, both Israelis and Palestinians. Death wish?

Increased number of flying checkpoints at Samu’a Junction, Dahariya, Abda, Hursah, Dura Al Fawwar, (3! Near the entry to the village and at the Dura entrance), Sheep Junction, Beit Haggai at the eastern entrance to Hebron, the junction of roads 60 and 317, and the entrance to Bani Naim. Surprisingly, the Halhul Junction is open. We noticed that in addition to greater army forces, many more Border Policemen are present. On road 317 there is a checkpoint at Kfar Zif (divided between Areas A and C both by the road and by the entrance to A-Tuwani (Border Police). Our impression is that the inspections at the junctions are not thorough but suffice to delay people on their way and make everyone nervous, which is the apparent reason. There were no “detainees” on our shift, just a stream of cars passing as slow as snails.