Hebron is a “special” case – it is divided in 2 zones – Area C (called H2) where the about 700 settlers reside, and the rest of the town where some 166,000 Palestinians live in Area A.

The settlers of Hebron are known as the “worst” kind of settlers. While they are very welcoming for any right-winger coming to visit “their” town, they are extremely violent towards Israeli “left-wingers”, even if they do nothing but visit the place and look around. The same happens to International Peace-Groups or Tours.

Now, the approx. 3000 soldiers in Hebron are in charge of protecting the SETTLERS. So, if other Israelis, like us, the situation gets quite tricky. The settlers aggress such groups or people and the soldiers “cannot” intervene against them – as they are there to protect THEM.

To avoid such “difficult” situations, the army seeks to keep peace-groups and all so called “left-wingers” out of Hebron, also because we and others are a threat to them, as we tend to testify about what’s going on in Hebron, which is extremely unconfortable for the army… The movement “Breaking the Silence” (Israeli soldiers speaking out about what they have been made to do during their military service) has it’s roots in Hebron.

This day we were told that a group from Breaking the Silence had already “created troubles” earlier in the morning. To avoid other troubles, the army therefore declared Hebron “closed military zone” – but in fact ONLY for us (special “honor”! wow!).

What I mainly intended to show in my post is the arbitrary in which the whole West Bank is administered – as it is entirely under Military Rule (except, of course, for the settlers, who are sunjected to Israeli national law, while all Palestinians are subjected to Military Law of Exception)…

Had my first trip ever to an Arab village in the shtachim this past weekend. At some point will try to see Hevron but since I am afraid of everyone there (both sides have enough crazies), this will have to wait until I am brave and/or stupid enough to get up and go.

Gila