CPTnet
May 7, 2001
Hebron: Staying Put

by Bob Holmes

On May Day, Palestinian journalist Kawther Salaam and I climbed the hill to
Tel Rumeida, where some archeologists believe that ruins dating back to the
time of King David's reign in Hebron may be found. It is also the site of a
small Israeli settlement - four
trailer homes stacked two high - in the middle of a Palestinian
neighbourhood. The settlers in this settlement are followers of the late
Rabbi Kach who advocated the forced removal of all Arabs from Judea and
Samaria (the West Bank).

A month ago, an International Nongovernmental Organization reported to CPT
that the Abu Heikel family was terrified in their house. There was curfew
and settlers were trying to break down the door of their home. Greg Rollins,
Rick Polhamus and Dianne Roe went up to Tel Rumeida and were yelled at by
settlers as
they arrived at the house. Roe stayed overnight and walked 10 year-old Wisam
past the settlers and soldiers to attend school in the morning in defiance
of the curfew.

Two weeks ago, Anne Montgomery, Polhamus and I were prevented from crossing
through downtown Hebron to our apartment in the old city by heavy Israeli
gunfire from Tel Rumeida. Just above the settlement there, with a commanding
view of downtown Hebron, is an Israeli military camp. One wonders if the
camp is there to protect the settlement or the settlement is there to
provide a reason for military occupation of the hilltop.

A week ago, Roe, Rollins, Anita Fast and I visited Diana who lives next door
to the Tel Rumeida settlers. While the family was away last month on the
Haj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, settlers broke into her home and
vandalized it. She took us through her house to document the damage.

This day, Salaam and I were following up on a report of violence on Tel
Rumeida the day before. Motlak Ganem took us into her home for tea and told
us the story. About 4 PM she heard shooting and went to the door. Two
settlers were in the street shooting at Palestinian homes. When they aimed
their guns at her she quickly closed the door and they then proceeded to
shoot through the windows. We saw the bullet holes. Where were the soldiers?
She didn't see any.

Crossing the street we met 58 year-old Rodi who had a bandage on his right
ear. He told us he had been beaten by a mob of settler teenagers about an
hour after the shooting incident. The soldiers observed but did nothing, he
said.

The settler violence is not random. It is calculated. It has as its goal
driving Palestinian people out of the neighbourhood, out of Hebron, out of
the West Bank. As the often seen bumper sticker on settler cars says, "No
Arabs. No Problem."

But the Abu Heikels, Diana, Motlak and Rodi are not moving.

And, CPT is seriously considering having two members reside on Tel Rumeida.