Hebron, South Hebron Hills, Tue 26.7.11, Morning

Translation: Bracha B.A.

Meytar Crossing

The crossing is packed with trucks at this hour and there are no workers.

Route 60

The observation balloon is floating very low over the area of Dahariyya. A new army base is being built on the hill facing the road to Negohot opposite the village of Dir Raza. There are a lot of heavy equipment vehicles leveling the hilltop to build or pave a road. There were a lot of soldiers climbing the hills and a lot of vehicles beneath Beit Hagai near the blocked entrance to Hebron. We were told a military exercise is taking place.   

The Tuesday sheep market is taking place at the Sheep Junction. Soldiers are standing there supervising, and we asked once again why there is a need to interfere in the lives of the local residents. The soldiers are reservists who behave politely and respectfully even when they stop cars. They know who we are: "You're not as bad as they say you are." They explained that they are there to make sure things remain orderly and that sometimes the sheep merchants block Route 60. It appears to us that they are making up a reason for their presence there and we ask them if it wouldn't be better if they were present at the protest sites. |They answer that they were there on Saturday. They smile cynically and report, "We don't have apartments, either"  He adds, "Between you and me, it's preferable that people like us are here."

Hebron

The Federman farm in the valley between Kiryat Arba and the neighborhoods in the city is populated with the settlers' children at a summer camp. The Border Patrol and the Shimshon Brigade are patrolling the city, which is empty and quiet. No one is detained and we are happy to leave the city quickly today.