CPTnet
October 17, 2002
Hebron Update: September 25-October 1, 2002

Wednesday, September 25
Curfew H1 and H2

Donna Hicks, along with one of the World Council of Churches Ecumenical
Accompaniers, and a visiting photographer from the United Kingdom met two
Israeli
soldiers from the Nahal brigade near the H1/H2 barricade on the Yatta Road.
After asking for identification, one soldier said it was not right for the
soldiers to be in Hebron. Just past the barricade, Hicks observed that a
side street had been newly barricaded. A patrol of three soldiers came down
the hill. When they asked Hicks and the people with her what they were
doing there, the Ecumenical Accompanier replied, "To bring a little peace
and justice and nonviolence."

Thursday, September 26
Curfew imposed 9:30am

Joanne "Jake" Kaufman observed soldiers at the Bab alBaladiyye standing
beside an elderly Palestinian man. Two Israeli settler boys came marching
from the Old City market. Soon after, two men, a woman, and some others
followed. One of the soldiers argued with them. Then he let the elderly
man go. All of a sudden, rocks came skittering down from the market
area. The soldier called the Palestinian man back. Half a dozen or so
10-17 year old settler boys came up the market. The soldier grabbed the
most aggressive settler boy by the front of his collar and almost shook him,
chewing him out thoroughly in Hebrew. The rest of the boys sauntered out as
a squad of six or seven soldiers went into the market. The soldiers mildly
reproved them but went off in search of others deeper into the market. The
soldier told the Palestinian man to take a different road. Kaufman
asked,"Why can I go but they can't?" The soldier replied, "It's not safe
for them."

While approaching the boundary between H1 and H2, Anita Fast observed some
Palestinian women with a little boy. They asked if she would take the
little boy home. He was crying and afraid because it was curfew and the
soldiers had been shooting rubber bullets and tear gas earlier into the
market. Fast explained who she was and that she would walk him home. He
was crying most of the way, and held tightly to her hand.

Friday, September 27
Curfew H1 and H2

Kaufman, Bourke Kennedy, and Jim Roynon observed a television crew from
Israel Channel 1 filming in the Bab iZawiyyeh. The crew explained they were
exploring the effects of the curfew and interviewed the CPTers.

Christine Caton and Hicks walked with a Palestinian man down Shallala Street
towards the Bab iZawiyyeh. He explained in broken English and hand gestures
soldiers had taken his taxi keys.

When they reached Talpot Junction, they observed soldiers holding three
Palestinian teenagers. When asked why they were being held and for how
long, a soldier replied, "For throwing stones", and told them the boys would
be released at 4 pm. The CPTers returned just before 4pm to see the soldier
release the teenagers as he said he would.

Saturday, September 28
Curfew H1 and H2

On school patrol shortly after 7am, Hicks and Kennedy found about a dozen
girls waiting outside Khadija Girls' School, but not many boys around. Two
settler boys were hanging around the checkpoint at the head of the street.
Although the gate to the schoolyard was open, the school building itself was
locked.

More girls arrived. The CPTers moved towards the gate to the schoolyard,
and the students came along and walked into the schoolyard. Suddenly army
jeeps arrived. Hicks and Kennedy went to meet them. The soldier in charge
kept telling Hicks, "Go away!" Hicks kept asking, "Do you mean them [the
students]?" One of the girls marched up to the officer, looked him in the
eye, and asked him exactly what he meant. After listening to his reply, she
shepherded the other girls away from the school and towards home around 8
am.

Two army jeeps and a police van made repeated passes up and down the street
calling curfew and telling students to go home. When the jeeps stopped,
boys hurled some stones from a rooftop. The jeeps sped around the corner,
six soldiers jumped out, and
began searching the road and doorways. The CPTers left after the jeeps
departed. Hicks spoke with the headmistress of the school by telephone
later in the day and learned that soldiers had prevented her from getting in
her car and coming to school.

The team learned later in the day that the army had come into the Bab
iZawiyyeh area the night before and demolished all the market stalls.
Municipal workers were allowed in to clean up the area.

Sunday, September 29
Curfew called at 6am in H2 and parts of H1

Some of the team heard shots fired around 4 am. Kaufman, Kennedy, and CPT
delegation member Elizabeth Garcia went on school patrol at 7 am. Army
jeeps were announcing "Curfew, no school, go home!" Soldiers drove one of
the jeeps through the schoolyards. Neighborhood boys wired one of the gates
shut. Two soldiers had to get out and untwine the wires. They stopped at
one of the boys' schools and berated a teacher and the students who were
still there. The teacher confronted the soldiers and said, "We are going
home. I am walking the girls home." The jeeps kept racing up and down the
street, bullhorns blaring.

While out later in the day, Kennedy observed soldiers detaining Palestinian
adults and children, because they were breaking curfew. One attempted to
search Kennedy's shopping bag. "I will take your bag," he said. "Oh, are
you hungry? I can share my toast and juice," Kennedy replied. The soldier
declined and took the student he was detaining through the gate.

Monday, September 30
No curfew

An Israeli public works official and a worker were exploring underground
utilities on Shuhada Street outside the team's apartment late in the
afternoon. Kaufman called the police station below the Ibrahimi Mosque to
ask about it. The police said they would investigate.

Tuesday, October 1
No curfew

Utilities work continued on Shuhada Street, with what appeared to be a water
line
is being dug. CPTers noted that one of the barricades at an exit to the old
wholesale vegetable market has been strengthened.