by Diana, Hebron team

Hebron’s appearance is slowly changing… while carrying out are usual EAPPI tasks, we can observe both – the Israeli settler’s and the Palestinian resident’s efforts to transform the city.

Israeli settler efforts are concentrated mainly on Shuhada Street and Tel Rumeida hill. They tend to highlight the ancient Jewish heritage in Hebron. That’s why they paint graffiti on the door of closed palestinian shops, they arrange gardens in place of streets formerly leading to the old city market, they put informative signs and mark tourist paths. Recently, they also renamed the streets in the area of settlements in the old city. On the top of Tel Rumeida hill the ongoing archaeological excavations will create a Biblical Park explaining the Jewish history of the site and the city.

On the other hand, the Palestinian Hebron Rehabilitation Committee (HRC) focuses its efforts on the Old City of Hebron. They rebuild houses demolished by Israeli forces, restore the former look of historical sites of the old city, and make better everyday life of its inhabitants, many of whom have moved out of the Old City after its closure. Lastly, HRC also strongly promotes tourism and other sectors of Hebron’s economy.

This graffiti was recently painted on a shop door in Shuhada Street. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Grafitti on Shuhada Street saying, “Happy Hebron Coop.” Photo EAPPI/D. Peschel.

A tree swing located where a street used to be before the closure of Hebron. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

A garden on Shuhada Street created by Israeli urban management. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Israeli names on Shuhada Street area. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Israeli tourist signs on Shuhada Street. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Israeli settlers hung up a new sign renaming the legendary Shuhada Street. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

A new street sign marks the new Israeli tourist path climbing up Tel Rumeida hill. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Tourist signs by the Checkpoint 56. Photo EAPPI/D. Peschel.

EAs by a map of the ‘Biblical Park’ being built by Israeli authorities. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Archaeological excavations on Tel Rumeida hill. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Excavation work on Tel Rumeida hill. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

An Israeli tourist path on Tel Rumeida hill. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Surely the ‘Biblical Park’ won’t be Palestinian. Photo EAPPI/D. Peschel.

The ‘Friendship Garden’ made through HRC and Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH) cooperation . Photo EAPPI/D. Peschel.

HRC office – Hebron. Photo EAPPI/D. Peschel.

HRC began renovating the street leading to Kiryat Arba settlement. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

A building once destroyed by Israeli forces is now being restored by HRC. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Renovated by HRC street leading to Kiryat Arba settlement. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Renovations made by HRC . Photo EAPPI/D. Peschel.

One side of the story. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

Now Palestinian efforts are concentrated on promoting tourism, which declined drastically after Shuhada Street was closed down. Photo EAPPI/D.Peschel.

*Read more about the Archeological Excavations in Hebron.

*Check out our Three-part series about Shuhada Street.