A-Tuwani, South Hebron Hills, Umm Al Kheir

Place:

A-Tuwani

South Hebron Hills

Umm Al Kheir

Tags:

Activity with Palestinian Children

Ramadan

Observers:

Muhammad (photographing) and Ariela (reporting); Translator: Natanya

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Mar-23-2023

Morning

Hashem alDarej - in Huda's kendergarten

Photo:

Muhammad D

It was the first day of Ramadan. The parking lot on the Palestinian side was full. According to Mohammad, who was at the checkpoint in the early hours of the morning, the workers leave earlier so they can return early.

Soldiers patrolled the parking lot and there was a high military presence along the fence.

On the way, new signs about “national agreement for settlement in the Jordan Valley” are hung in various places such as at the Meiter junction and in front of Susiya and also at the entrance to At-Tuwani.

The farm of Israel Kaplan, the settler who lives in an isolated farm and harasses our friend Abu Safi is expanding, as is the illegal outpost Asael. On the other hand, they carried out new demolitions near Avigail.

We arrived at Huda’s kindergarten with the electric kettle Huda requested. I still haven't found a big enough pot that will be enough for all the kindergarten children. Maybe on the next visit to the garden.

The children welcomed us with great joy. Muhammad brought them cookies and juice, and what kid doesn't like that? That day they made Ramadan lanterns which are part of the holiday tradition.

Returning from Hashem al Darej, it is impossible to ignore the distance of light years between the settlement of Carmel and Umm al-Kheir.

A stranger at the Meitar checkpoint at 1:00 p.m., a very long convoy of vehicles from the Israeli direction returning the workers who had finished their work early because of the holiday.

Yehudit Elkanah

-------- Forwarded Message --------

Shift report for the south of Mount Hebron, March 23, 2023

: Muhammad and Ariela(Photographing). Report: Ariela

It was the first day of Ramadan. The parking lot on the Palestinian side was full. According to Mohammed, who was at the checkpoint in the early hours of the morning, the workers leave earlier so they can return early.

Soldiers patrolled the parking lot and there was a high military presence along the fence.

On the way, new signs about a national agreement for settlement in the Jordan Valley have been hung in various places such as at the Meiter junction and in front of Susya where the photo was taken and also at the entrance to A-Tawani..

Israel Kaplan's farm, the settler who lives in an illegal farm and harasses our friends Abu Safi, is expanding his territory , as does Asael. On the other hand, new demolitions of Palestinian homes have been carried out near Abigail.

We arrived at Gan Hoda with the electric kettle Hoda requested. I still haven't found a pot big enough for all the children. The children welcomed us with great joy. Muhammad brought them cookies and juice, and what kid doesn't like that? That day they made Ramadan lanterns which are part of the holiday tradition.

Returning from Hashem to Darj H it is impossible to ignore the distance of light years in the conditions which exist between the settlement of Carmel and Umm al-Khir.

Back at the Meitar checkpoint at 1:00 p.m., a very long convoy of vehicles from the Israeli direction brought back the workers who had finished their work early because of the holiday.

Location Description

Yata / Southern Hebron hills

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Yatta is a city located in the South Hebron Hills region. It is located in the border zone between the fertile area of Hebron and its surroundings and the desert of the Hebron Hills. Yatta has about 64,000 inhabitants. The surrounding villages are called Masafar Yatta (Yatta's daughter villages). Their inhabitants subsist on livestock and agriculture. Agriculture is possible only in small plots, especially near streams. Most of the area consists of rocky terraces.

Since the beginning of the 1980s, a number of settlements have been established on the agricultural land cultivated by the Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills region: Carmel, Maon, Susia, Masadot Yehuda, Othniel, and more. Since the settlements were established and Palestinians cultivation areas have been reduced; the residents of the South Hebron Hills have been suffering from harassment by the settlers. Attempts to evict and demolish houses have continued, along with the withholding of water and electricity. The military and police usually refrain from intervening in violent incidents between settlers and Palestinians do not enforce the law when it comes to the investigation of extensive violent Jewish settlers. The harassment in the South Hebron Hills includes attacking and attempting to burn residential tents, harassing dogs, harming herds, and preventing access to pastures.

There are several checkpoints in the South Hebron Hills, on Routes 317 and 60. In most of them, no military presence is apparent, but rather an array of pillboxes monitor the villages. Road blocks are frequently set up according to the settlers and the army's needs. These are located at the Zif Junction, the Dura-al Fawwar crossing, and the Sheep Junction at the southern entrance to Hebron.

Updated April 2022

Apr-10-2024

Muhammad D.

Sa'ir - Yael and Ahmad

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Um Al Hir

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A Palestinian village in the southern Hebron governorate, populated by five families. The Palestinian residents settled there decades ago, after Israel expelled them from the Arad desert and purchased the land from the residents of the Palestinian village of Yatta. The village suffers from the violence of nearby Carmel settlers, from water shortage and is subject to frequent demolition of buildings by the Civil Administration info-icon .

At-Tuwani

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The locals came to At-Tuwani during the 20th century from the village of Yatta. They settled in abandoned ruins, utilizing the arable land, pastures for grazing sheep and the abundance of natural caves for habitation. The residents who settled in the caves came from families who could not purchase land for houses in the mother villages, as well as shepherds who did not have enough land to graze. They were joined by clan members who quarreled with other families in the mother locality.
Some of the residents today live in concrete buildings built above the caves. In the area of the village are several water cisterns and an ancient water well called Ein at-Tuwani. Local residents are forced to buy water in containers and transport them through many road blocks to the village. With the help of international organizations, an electrical system was installed in the village. In the late 90s of the 20th century, an elementary school was established in the serving several small villages in the area.
In 2004, MachsomWatch began visiting and reporting from the Khirbet Tuwani cave village, which suffers badly from the settlers of nearby outposts, and especially from the extremist Ma'on outpost. . The settlers contaminate cisterns, poison the flocks and uproot trees.

Particularly notable is the harassment of children from the surrounding villages on their way to school in at-Tuwani, so much so that military escort of children is required to separate them from the attackers (this was arranged following an initiative of the organization's members). In the past year, the escort has been without the vital presence of overseas volunteers.

Near at-Tuwani there are several families who have returned to the caves due to the incessant demolitions of the civil administration info-icon (as there is a total construction ban in all of area C). Destroyed are not only residential and agricultural buildings, but also water pipes, machinery. Even water cisterns are clogged up. at-Tuwani residents have created an association for non-violent demolition protests, but in the past year the army’s harsh harassment and settler violence have intensified and escalated. The incident of the small generator confiscation, which left a young man paralyzed, is one of many examples - any legitimate protection of property rights leads to violence and even shootings by the army and the civil administration.

Updated April 2022

Apr-10-2024

Muhammad D.

Sa'ir - Yael and Ahmad

View the full album