The school days come and go too fast and my day at the non-profit never seems to be long enough and between activities and Arabic and Hebrew, time is a valuable commodity. I have chosen to launch a tour in Rahat as my personal project. It is in the base designing stage, but I am really hoping that it is able to be a success, at least to me. I went on a trip to see Sderot (the capital of rocket-receiving in Israel) and Ayalon institute. I really liked the Ayalon Institute which was a secret underground bullet factory that the Haganah initiated when the British Mandate was controlling Palestine, as they would not allow people to have weapons and would even execute those that were manufacturing weapon accessories.
I want to talk about my trip to Hebron (Al Khaleel). I will say what I heard and learned for those of you that are not familiar with the issues. I am not too familiar with the state of events there before 1900. I do know before 1929 there was a fairly thriving Jewish community living in Hebron with the Muslim majority. Hadassah hospital even provided free medical care for the towns members and it was a fairly harmonious union. In 1929 Arab rioters slaughtered some 64 to 67 Jewish men, women and children (largely the Ashkenazi Jews, but also some Sepharidic) The majority that survived did so through the help of Arab neighbors who hid them in their home. Some Hebron Arabs, including Ahmad Rashid al-Hirbawi, president of Hebron chamber of commerce, supported the return of Jews after the massacre.
In 1968 Kiryat Arba ( A Jewish settlement that is internationally viewed as illegal established itself in occupied Hebron). I personally do not see why settlers can not just stay in Kiryat Arba (it is nice and big) instead of going to the center of Hebron and forcing people out of homes so Jewish settlers can live there.
Currnetly, there are 5 illegal settlements in Hebron. But, what angers me and many people is more of the actions of the settlers than the settlements. I will not explain everything, but there is often excessive police force, unjust arrest, home invasions and collective punishments. The settlers I do not think all are bad but many are. I want to go spend more time there, so I can get a better picture of how often there is settler violence. I know they routinely throw stones at the Palestinians homes and when Palestinians are working on there farmland settlers often attack them, and the occupying Israeli forces often do not arrest them, though if a Palestinian throws a stone all hell beaks loose. There is a shameful lack of accountability on the Israel side. With that being said I also do not think all the Israeli forces (occupying approximately 20% of the city) are all bad. There are also many Israeli organizations that do work with the Palestinians to try to prevent settler attacks, such as helping them shepherd sheep or pick olives, though they often end up arrested or attacked also.
I happened to be there for the Open Shuhada street demonstrations via YAS. Shuhada street is a hot point because after a Jewish settler killed more than 25 Palestinians while they were praying at a mosque the IDF subsequently closed it, forcible evicting many tenants and homeowners. Additionally, though out the old area of Hebron, settlers continue to violently harass local residents, without a doubt to make them want to move to the Palestinian controlled area. In 2007 the IDF ruled it illegally closed and it was opened for 3 days with settlers children throwing stones on passing Palestinians and internationals, with 0 arrest. Since then it remains closed simply, "citing disturbances".
I sadly feel, here in Israel, there is a complete under-education of the realities of occupying an area. I can also say that everyone I met (the Palestinians) were welcoming me of being Jewish, the only time I felt discriminated against was from the Israeli forces which barred me entry when stated I Jewish so I returned later when the soldiers rotated and learned to just state Atheism to the forces. (*Not all the soldiers were discriminatory) I found it very discriminatory to be asked of religion at a checkpoint.
I stayed at Salam Guest House
Hebron is Easy to arrive from Be'er Sheva or Jerusalem. For some facts:
http://www.btselem.org/topic/hebron
http://www.cpt.org/category/cptnet-categories/south-hebron-hills
Soldiers testimonies
