Hebron Update: April 16 - 29, 2001

Monday, April 16
H2 was under curfew. Anne Montgomery, Bob Holmes, Rick Polhamus, and
Greg Rollins went to Beir Zeit to join Palestinians and
internationals in removing a dirt roadblock, or "Mahksoum", but upon
arrival found that the army had already removed it. The removal was
then changed to a nonviolent march, and after sending a small
delegation to talk to the soldiers, the group marched through the
roadblock. On the other side a few speeches were made before the
group turned around and went back through. This march was considered
a success because although the Mahksoum had been cleared by the
Israeli Defense Force (IDF), they were not allowing anyone to pass
though.

Dianne Roe went to the hospital to visit members of the Abu Hilaui
family who had been injured by Israeli fire in retaliation to
Palestinian snipers on Abu Sneineh.

Tuesday, April 17
Curfew was lifted from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m..On the way home from a
meeting in Bethlehem, Montgomery, Holmes and Polhamus were caught
between heavy Israeli and Palestinian gunfire (see release: Under
Fire). They, along with dozens of others were there nearly four hours
before the shooting stopped long enough for them to continue on to
Hebron. When they got to Baab Azawia they were cut off from getting
home by more gunfire, and had to spend the night at a friend's place
in H1.

In Hebron, heavy shooting started around 10:30 p.m., and continued
until 2:00 a.m..

Wednesday, April 18
Montgomery, Holmes, Polhamus, and Rollins, joined about 200
Palestinians, Israelis and internationals to help remove two
Mahksoums blocking the Palestinian town of Bidya. When the first
Mahksoum was almost low enough to drive over, Israeli police moved in
and arrested fifteen people, including CPTers, Holmes and Rollins.
Those who were not arrested pulled back to the second Mahksoum and
began to remove it with the help of a bulldozer, but did not get it
dug all the way to the road. Despite the fact that the action was
nonviolent, soldiers began to shoot tear gas and throw percussion
grenades at those retreating. At the police station in Ariel, the
fifteen people arrested refused to sign anything, or leave without
their friend Neta Golan, who was to be kept and charged. After four
hours the police let everyone go without charges, including Golan.
(See release: Rolling Stones)

Thursday, April 19
Curfew was lifted from 8:00 a.m., until 5:00 p.m.. Settlers attacked
anyone who passed by their camp at the bottom of Abu Sneineh,
including reporters and a member of TIPH (Temporary International
Presence in Hebron).

Friday, April 20
Curfew was announced at 3:00 a.m.. At 3:30 a.m. Anita Fast heard
yelling outside the CPT apartment, and from the roof, watched as
police and soldiers prevented about one hundred Israeli settlers from
entering the Palestinian neighborhood of Abu Sneineh. At 5:00 a.m.
the team was awakened by a bulldozer that was placing cement barriers
across the street in front of the CPT apartment, blocking off the
chicken market from Shuhada St. Later that day the team learned that
twenty-four settlers had been arrested overnight, and noticed that
they moved their camp about one hundred meters up Shuhada St. to a
location less vulnerable to Palestinian gunfire.

Saturday, April 21
Curfew was lifted. Fast, Holmes, Roe, and Rollins visited a few
Palestinian families on Tel Rumeida.. Because the Palestinian homes
on Tel Rumeida are right next to a settlement, the families in the
area complained of settlers throwing rocks at them or trying to break
into their homes. One particular home the team visited had been
broken into a few weeks earlier while the family was on the Haj (the
Muslin pilgrimage to Mecca), and was vandalized heavily. CPTers saw
the remains of their TV, which was smashed, and boxes of dishes which
were to replace ones which had been broken. CPTers also documented
the beginnings of a new building for the settlers, being built on top
of the archeological site on Tel Rumeida.

Wednesday, April 25
A friend of the team called from Beit Ummar to inform them that
fifteen new home demolition orders had been received in and around
the village. He was planning to get the people together to take the
demolition orders to court.

At 11:00 a.m. Rollins took a Swedish friend on a tour of Hebron.
During the tour, heavy shooting took place for about five minutes.
Shortly thereafter, curfew was imposed. During the shooting a bottle
of acid was dropped from an Israeli settlement, Avraham Avinu, into
the Palestinian market below. No one was hurt.

Thursday, April 26
H2 was under curfew. Rick Carter and Lingle took a group from Boston
on a tour of the city. During the tour the group was told by soldiers
they could not enter the old city because it was under curfew, but
they ignored the soldiers and continued anyway. While in the city,
they met a man taking his wife and baby to the doctor. The group
surrounded the family so they would not be seen by soldiers, and
walked them out of H2.

Friday, April 27, 2001
Curfew was lifted. Carter and Fast went out to Al Bweireh valley
where settlers from Harsina have set up a tent and camper on top of a
hill, claiming the hilltop as theirs. This is usually how a new
settlement gets started. CPTers were told that on April 26 the
settlers on the hill attacked an elderly Palestinian man and broke
his arm. Although the land is owned by a group of Palestinian
businessmen, the Israeli government does not acknowledge this and
considers it to be disputed land. Settlers tried to claim the hill
several years ago but were removed after the owners took it to court.
They hope that the settlers will once more be removed at the demand
of the Israeli courts.

Saturday, April 28, 2001
Lingle, Montgomery, and Rollins went to Beit Ummar to look at a house
that members of the team could stay in for the next several weeks.
Because of the fifteen new home demolition orders, and fears that the
bulldozers may come soon, a friend from the municipality of Beit
Ummar has asked whether the team would be able to maintain a presence
in the town for several weeks.

Sunday, April 29
In the evening, outside the team's apartment, settler children
started throwing rocks at Palestinian children. When Rollins went
down to the street, a Palestinian man motioned for him to remain
inside. The Palestinian children did not throw any rocks in return,
and the settler boys left after 10 minutes when soldiers came by.