Hebron: nothing new with the occupation at the moment. The Palestinians are building. The Jews are destroying

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Observers: 
Observing and photographing:  Hagit Bak Translator:  Charles K.
Feb-27-2020
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Morning

The Southern Hebron Hills were designated a military firing area in the early 1980’s.  Since then, settlements and illegal outposts have been established there.  The army continues its efforts to transfer the inhabitants of the area.

Many structures in Khirbet Mufaqra (the cave village Umm al Faqra) have been demolished under the auspices of the destructive Israeli occupation bureaucracy.  The bureaucratic process creating a wave of demolitions has been going on much longer: in the spring of 2000 Palestinian residents of the village returned after having been expelled in the winter of 1999.  The Supreme Court’s interim order that allowed their return prevents them from building anything until a final decision is issued.  The years passed and a final decision has not yet arrived.  The construction freeze has prevented any possible development in Khirbet Mufaqra, including connecting to the electrical grid.

About ten years ago the inhabitants of Khirbet Mufaqra began to violate the freeze and dared construct a small stone mosque for the residents’ use.  At the same time Mahmud Hamadeh, the village mukhtar, added a two-room structure above his cave, for his extended family.  The struggle to build has continued since, in the face of repeated demolitions by the army and the civil administrationinfo-icon.

We visited today to bring clothing that had been collected for the residents.  The European Union has adopted the village and provided water tanks and solar panels.

They continue trying to build, and their struggle to preserve their way of life is admirable.

We then drove on to Hebron.  There’s nothing new with the occupation at present.