CPTnet
January 30, 2000
Hebron Update: January 1-16, 2000

Saturday, January 1, 2000
CPTers visited Palestinian families in the Al Sendas area, spoke with
visiting delegations about their work, and maintained their presence with
the Sultan family in the Beqa'a Valley east of Hebron. Abdel Hadi Hantash
of the Land Defense Committee came to visit, bringing with him the latest
figures on demolition orders, stop work orders, evictions and land
confiscation in the Hebron District.

Jewish North American activists again spent the night at the Sultan family's
house, in case Israeli settlers came to harass them.

Thursday, January 6
CPTers, accompanied by Manchester College students, visited three families
in the Campaign for Secure Dwellings (CSD) on a visit to celebrate Epiphany,
the traditional Feast remembering the Three Magi visiting the Christ Child.
The visit, made on a cold, rainy day reminded the group that not all visits
seem hopeful. (See January 7 CPTnet release, "The Gifts of the Magi.")

Saturday, January 8
Art Gish, Reinhard Kober and Gary Brooks made rounds throughout Hebron
during the day. They saw many settlers and Palestinians by the Tomb of the
Patriarchs. Because it was the 'Eid, or the Feast time after Ramadan, many
people were out and children were playing on carousels set up in parking
lots near the Tomb.

Tuesday, January 11
While giving a tour, Pierre Shantz and Brooks noticed that no Palestinians
were being allowed to sit or stand on the steps at the closed wholesale
vegetable market. Soldiers harassed young Palestinian men who were just
sitting on
the steps and forced them to leave. CPTers saw an Israeli settler woman with
soldiers going through the market later in the afternoon. A Palestinian boy
told CPTers that settler girls had been arguing with some Palestinian boys,
telling them to leave the steps. One of the boys slapped a settler girl and
ran into the market. The settler woman wanted to identify the boy who ran
into he market. Palestinians are never permitted to walk into settlements
and point out settlers who commit acts of violence against them.

Gish visited the Sultan family in the Beqa'a. Omar told him that their home
is still a "military closed zone," presumably to keep Israeli settlers from
harassing them. Soldiers have not stopped or harassed Gish or other CPTers
who visit the Sultan family.

Saturday, January 15
Pierre Shantz, Gary Brooks, and Art Gish visited the Moussa Abu Speher
family, just south of Hebron. The family lives as Bedouins, herding sheep
which they graze on the steep, rocky hills. Much of their income is from
cheese which they make from sheep milk. The family has had one house
demolished and have a stop work order for any further building. This
family, like many Palestinian families, is hoping their land will come under
the control of the Palestinian Authority.