PHOTO REPORT – Palestine – Bullets, stones and water drops (Day 7 – Hebron with extremes and with my most impressive picture)

Hebron struck a sensible nerve: the situation is close to desperate. Palestinians here spoke about the Israeli occupation and violations more than anywhere else! The lack of water is angering and demoralizing the Palestinian population.

Even though it was the Jewish Passover or Pesach, we managed to enter the heavily defended Jewish neighborhood in Hebron with some extreme surprises.

Please click on the first photo! Take time going through them. Listen to some music…

Unlike these, children in general were not reluctant to take their photos…

We were decided to visit the Cave of the Patriarchs, also called the Cave of Machpelah and known by Muslims as the Sanctuary of Abraham or the Al-Ibrahimi Mosque. It was Passover, so only Christians were allowed in. We didn’t ask, but I strongly think this is business as usual. This particular day there was only entrance, because of security reasons. We found it with difficulty. We were told that this gate used to be open, but then they closed it. This made the merchants run out of income, because the tourists use the entrance under Israeli control… The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee writes extensively about the site here: http://www.hebronrc.ps/index.php/en/

While searching the main entrance to the Jewish compound/settlement/neighborhood, we stumbled upon the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee. I entered and met Mr. Rafi. He let us up on the roof. We finally had a glance at the mosque. According to tradition that has been associated with the Holy Books Torah, Bible and Quran, the cave and adjoining field were purchased by Abraham as a burial plot. Dating back over 2,000 years, the monumental Herodian compound is believed to be the oldest continuously used intact prayer structure in the world, and is the oldest major building in the world that still fulfills its original function

Hebron Rehabilitation Committee issued several reports about various illegalities committed by the Israeli authorities… Their site is at http://www.hebronrc.ps/index.php/en/

This is the most impressive photo I managed to take: an Israeli girl’s fruits spread on the ground inside the Jewish settlement. She was terrified and tried to put them back into her nylon bag as fast as possible. Palestinian children wanted to help… They were also intrigued about this unusual presence…

We wondered around for a long time when we reached a dead end. A surreal scene: two Israeli soldiers at the end of the street with an iron gate behind their backs. An Arab boy selling falafel. In the middle of nowhere. Curious eyes gazed at us from the buildings – mostly children. I approached the soldiers, telling them we want to enter the mos… the church, but we cannot find the main entrance, the others are all closed. I also told them that at a nearby checkpoint their colleague asked if we’re Jews, we said no, but we are Christians, so he said yes, we can enter, and indicated the general direction where to get in, but we are unable to locate it. One of them said, he can accompany us. I felt very uneasy: going back to the Arab merchants with an Israeli soldier makes us automatically Jews, but we told them we’re from Hungary and Romania. We traveled with these passports, we didn’t want to elaborate about our ethnical background and how come we’re both Hungarians from Romania, we travel with different travel documents… What if the soldier is attacked by some Arabs, and we’ll be prosecuted for “luring” him into the danger zone. At each corner he looked left, then right and advanced only then. After asking some Arabs where the entrance is, and them telling him it’s the one we’ve already been to, but it’s closed, her said he has to return to his colleague. An eerie silence followed. More Palestinians gathered around us. He left. We quickly did the same. The Palestinians looked at us with suspicion

The local Palestinian people told us, they had to put up some fences, because the Jewish settlers throw urine, stones, shit, garbage at them

This man told us that the situation is unbearable: the Jewish settlers harass them around the clock, throwing everything from tampons used by women to urine and garbage

We wondered around trying to find the main entrance to the Jewish settlement and the mosque. The area was surrounded like a fortress and looked like a military outpost with soldiers, guns, checkpoints, closed streets, machine guns. After a while we reached a walled-off street with a dead end. But what are the lonely geese doing here? We were told that the street used to be a thriving market. I had the feeing that the poor animals were left there in limbo as a reminder of what a wall and the subsequent separation can do…

They simply don’t understand what and why it happened

It used to be a busy market street, now Palestinians cannot sell anything…

No customers

Anyone here?

The Jewish settlement ruined their livelihood…

We accidentally met some Palestinian officials who told us where the main entrance is. Some ladies accompanied us close to Checkpoint Q, but said goodbye. If they see you with us, they might prevent you from entering the site, they told us. They also live inside the Jewish settlement, but have special permits. We went up on the road they indicated. They took a detour. We could hear people shouting and stones landing on roofs: there was an ongoing protest very close by. A car with two Palestinian men was stationed close to the crossroads. It was tense. We didn’t know what to do. An elderly Palestinian man approached the Israeli soldiers and started to argue with them. He was leaning against an abandoned, burned-down car. He shouted something. I turned back fearing they will hit him with the back of the gun or shoot him. The intensity of the protest nearby increased even though the Palestinians there could not see what is going on. Stones were flying. Eventually he was let through. We asked permission to approach. Slowly, the soldier gesticulated. Several more showed up, a black lady among them. Where do you want to go? To the Al-Ibrahimi mos… church, please. Are you Jewish? No, but Christian. OK, go, a soldier replied. Sure? – I asked. Yes, don’t worry, I’m not going to shoot you! – he replied with a grimace. The best reassurance I’ve ever received, what can I tell you… Photo: Megan Hanna (I didn’t dare taking one)

We carried on. Now we could see the protest: Israeli military vehicles parked and barring the protesters to get close to the checkpoint. I just had a glance. We saw a Palestinian man crouching next to a wall, an Israeli soldier next to him. He had handcuffs on his hands. Another Palestinian gave him a cigarette and a lighter. We were told to carry on. Bianka emptied her pockets carefully, I forgot my mobile phone on one of them, so the siren of security gate went off immediately. Time stood still. So did I. I raised my hands. The soldier behind the bullet proof glass sneered. Stupid tourist – said his eyes. We were through the gate… Photo by: Ludovica Iaccino (I didn’t dare taking one)

Entering the Jewish settlement was exactly as in the computer game Call of Duty.: a stark reminder of what is going on here.

Soldiers everywhere

The story…

The story…

The story…

The story…

Arab cemetery closed off

The story…

Jewish settlers having fun

Arab residents of the buildings looking on with frustration

Arab residents of the buildings looking on with frustration

Inside the Al-Ibrahimi mosque…

Inside the Al-Ibrahimi mosque…

Inside the Al-Ibrahimi mosque…

Inside the Al-Ibrahimi mosque…

Baby soldiers

Israeli soldiers guarding a newly occupied house…

We went in the newly occupied house which was featured in the Haaretz daily newspaper. They say they have all the papers… This man carried a pistol

Happiness

The second most impressive moment in Palestine. We went up the roof of the newly occupied house. It was Passover. On the top of the opposite structure we saw a Palestinian man and some children. I waved at them. They instinctively waved back. Children with pure heart. OMG! The Jews, thinking I was their own, looked on in anger: why is a Jew waving at the Palestinian children? The Arab man, probably their father, shouted something at them. Some of them went away, a few remained, but looked at us only from behind the water tanks. What a world!

Heavily defended

The Palestinian man looked in with frustration

Bianka hurt her toenail. We went to a stationary ambulance. The military doctor treated her and said: go home and carefully wash it with a lot of water. Little he knew that we were hosted by a Palestinian who barely had any. Above the toilet there was an inscription: if it’s yellow, let it mellow, it it’s brown, flush it down. We couldn’t have a shower, so we used wet wipes

A Palestinian looks on as Jewish people celebrating Pessah pass on in the settlement. An IDF soldier prevented us to visit the Arab cemetery

After visiting the Jewish cemetery in the settlement, we came upon this scene. A Jewish and a Palestinian man talking/arguing about something. Two IDF soldiers assisted. We went into the shop very close by. The soldiers looked amazed: why would to Jews buy from the Arabs. The Palestinians were also very surprised, but they served us without any problem…

The Jewish cemetery inside the Jewish settlement in Hebron

We went up to the observatory…

From left to right: Mo, our wonderful host in Hebron, Aimee, the British, Natalia, the Argentinian and Marianne, the Hungarian lady from… our city. We met her there…!