CPTNet
Hebron Update: December 22 -- 29

Friday, December 22
Curfew was lifted and for the first time in almost three months
Palestinians were permitted into the Ibrahimi Mosque to worship.
Anita Fast and Jamey Bouwmeester visited the home of Nazeeha
Abu Daoud whose home is adjacent to Avraham Avinu settlement
and whose roof is used by the army as a 24 hour observation post.

Nazeeha reported that the soldiers had broken the pipes on her
roof leaving the house without any water. She had called the Hebron
Municipality, but they need permission from the army to come to the
house and so far no one had come. Pierre Shantz tried to call
the IDF to obtain permission for the pipes to be fixed, but the
offices were closed for the Chanukah holiday and Shabbat.

Soldiers confronted Gary Brooks in the evening as he was walking
home from a visit. One soldier leveled his gun at Brooks and forced
him up against a wall. Brooks was released about five minutes
later after the soldiers radioed into headquarters for instructions.

Saturday, December 23
Fast and Brooks came upon some soldiers who were detaining some
Palestinian men who were trying to deliver food relief to the Old
City which was again under curfew. When the soldiers saw the CPTers
they allowed the men to pass.

Sunday, December 24
The team celebrated Christmas Eve in Bethlehem with the Beit
Jala team and other friends.

Monday, December 25
On the way to Jerusalem for Christmas Morning services Bouwmeester,
Fast and Rick Carter were stopped at the checkpoint. Several old
Palestinian men and women wishing to pray at Al Aqsa mosque
were stopped there also. The soldiers were telling them to turn
around and go home. The soldiers then turned to the CPTers,
asked to see their passports, apologized for making them stand
in the rain, and wished them a good day in Jerusalem.

Fast asked why the Palestinians were not allowed in. A soldier
replied, "They are under quarantine."

Tuesday, December 26
The team returned to Hebron in the morning and were stopped by
soldiers in front of Beit Hadassah settlement. They were informed
that no one but settlers are allowed to walk there. Everyone else must
detour around the settlement. As one of the soldiers explained,
"The settlers don't want anyone to be here, so no one is allowed.
" Bouwmeester asked, "So, the settlers get whatever they want?"

"I've only been here for two days," the soldier replied, "I don't know all
the rules yet."

Wednesday, December 27
On an afternoon patrol, Brooks witnessed two incidents of soldier
violence. Near the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs a
soldier questioning a Palestinian teenager spread his hand across
the boy's face and pushed him down. Brooks stood near the
boy and waited until he was released 15 minutes
later.

Then, at the Duboyya St. checkpoint between H1 and H2
a soldier pushed a Palestinian man against a wall, cocked
his rifle and pointed it at the man. Again, Brooks stood
next to the man who was released a few minutes later.

Thursday, December 28
At about 6:30 the team received a call from the Beqa'a valley
saying that settlers were again massing near the home of
Atta Jaber. The team called the Israeli police
who informed them that the IDF had given the settlers
permission to pray for one hour on the land.

The Jaber family has not been allowed into their house or
onto their land since settlers occupied it on December 8th.
(See Hebron Update Dec. 1 -- 10). Carter and Shantz went
immediately to the scene. When they arrived, settlers began stoning
the house in which they were staying. Again Shantz called the
police. A police jeep arrived a few minutes later and the
settlers disbursed. One police officer asked the family,
"Are you sure it was settlers who threw the stones at
you, not Palestinians?"

Friday, December 29
Soldiers stopped Brooks and Bouwmeester in front of Beit Hadassah
settlement. "Where are you from?" asked a soldier. "We're
from here," replied Bouwmeester. "Okay, you can go," said the
soldier, allowing them to pass in front of the settlement. As
they began walking, the soldiers stopped an elderly Palestinian
woman and made her take the detour around the settlement. Brooks and
Bouwmeester turned around and confronted the soldiers. "Why
isn't she allowed to walk here?" asked Bouwmeester. The soldier
began spreading egg salad on a piece of white bread and made
no response.

"If we're from here and she's from here, why are we allowed to
walk here, but she isn't?" Still no response from the soldier.
"Is it because we're men and she's a woman? Is it a sexist thing?"
The soldier began to eat his sandwich and turned away from Bouwmeester.