Very impressive tour in Hebron by Breaking the Silence. It is an organisation of former soldiers who give tours through places they have served. Some facts:
Hebrons city centers economy is destroyed, the streets are desolate. 850 settlers live in two handfull of buildings and 35000 Palestinians can not use the main roads anymore.
Some frontdoors of Palestinian houses have been sealed and they have to leave their home by crossing roof tops. Palestinians can walk certain streets to get to the holy tomb of Abraham, but cannot drive vehicles.
The central busstation has been transformed into an army base. On this army base live 6 settler families.
A 7-years-old kid tried to trow a raw egg at our tourguide but did not dare in the end because we could be hit too.
We passed through a checkpoint in a desolete street and were suddenly in the middle of Palestinian city life. The contrast was immense.
The meet market, the fruit meket, the jewelry market, the vegetable market: all destroyed or abandonned.
All the main routes from North to South in the city center have been closed of blocked.
Palestinian children have to be protected on their way to school by an international organization (Tiph). The 850 settlers have to be protected by an army of 600 soldiers.
The last time an Israeli was killed in Hebron was in 2003. Almost ten years later this is no reason to lift some of the restictions for Palestinians.
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