by the Hebron Team.
The conflict between Israel and Palestine is very visible in the city of Hebron due to its division into two parts H1 and H2. The city has been divided since 1997 and it is the only city on the West bank, except for East Jerusalem, where Israeli settlers and Israeli military live and operate in the city centre. H1 is administered by the Palestinian authority and H2 the smaller part of the city is under Israeli military control. Several areas in H2 are restricted for Palestinians and especially those close to Israeli settlements.
The images below offer an insight into what life is like for Palestinians living under military occupation and give a glimpse of the harsh realities that they face on a daily basis.
KEY FACTS
- Pursuant to a 1997 agreement with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Israel has continued to exercise full control over 20% of Hebron City, known as H2.
- The population of H2 includes approximately 40,000 Palestinians living alongside several hundred Israeli settlers, who reside in four separate settlements.
- Current legal proceedings may lead to the establishment of a fifth settlement (the “Rajabi House”) in one of the most sensitive areas of H2.
- Over 6,000 Palestinians live in neighbourhoods adjacent to the four settlements, including the bulk of Hebron’s Old City (hereafter: the restricted areas).
- There are over 120 physical obstacles, deployed by the Israeli military, which segregate the restricted areas from the rest of the city, including 18 permanently staffed checkpoints.
- Several streets in the restricted areas that lead to the Israeli settlements are prohibited for Palestinian traffic and some also for pedestrian movement.
- 512 Palestinian businesses in the restricted areas have been closed by Israeli military orders and at least 1,100 others have shut down due to restricted access for customers and suppliers (Hebron Rehabilitation Committee).
- More than 1,000 Palestinian homes in the restricted areas, over 40% of the area’s residences, had been abandoned, according to a survey (B’Tselem & ACRI).
- Since the beginning of 2012, approximately 700 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces or Israeli settlers in Hebron city, and 44 Israelis were injured by Palestinians.
*Source UNOCHA: The Humanitarian Impact of Israeli Settlements in Hebron City
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Thank you for posting. It is easy to see that things are worsening from the time I was there in 2011. Yesterday a Palestinian man in my city asked my Why? Why does the world do nothing for us? I had no reply.
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