Settler Tour

Today at around 10:15 in the morning, we got a call that a large group of Israeli military were in the market. We came down, and got there as they were going to the Ibrahimi Mosque.

A group of around fifty soldiers, police officers, Border Police (BP) and Border Police Special Forces converged in front of the mosque. There were three women among them, one of whom had a muzzled dog. Both members of our group and the Palestinians with us were surprised, we had never seen this big of a show of force before.

Then the reason for the massive buildup became clear to us. A group of about one hundred Israeli settlers; men, women and children left the Synagogue, and began going towards the market. The military and police personnel spread out, some going in front of them, others behind, others fanning out to both sides.
The procession walked through the market slowly, and one of the men gave a tour to the group.

There were some Palestinians with us who were trying to go to their stalls to work, or to their homes. The Border Police and soldiers initially blocked them. Some of them started asking the soldiers to let them through, and were told they have to wait. A few of us began to speak to the soldiers also, pointing out that these people live and work here. There were some members of TIPH (Temporary International Presence in Hebron) who also were present and observing the situation. One of the Border Police officers then let the men through, and after that, also other Palestinians- though each of them first had to ask for permission and explain themselves. There was more freedom of movement for Palestinians than during the last two times I was here, although it was still controlled entirely by the Israeli Army and BP.

I would like to think that the greater freedom of movement granted by the military was done out of courtesy and the realization that it is arrogant to hold people up in their own neighbourhood, so that others who are not from there (many of the settlers were tourists from outside of Hebron, and the ones who live here should not be here according to international law, something that many Israelis also realize and state) can walk through on a tour. However, it is also likely that the BP and Army showed the consideration that they did because internationals (who also are not from here) intervened on behalf of the Palestinians and were filming the situation.

After about half an hour of the tour, the settlers and the armed men and women guarding them returned to the military base and settlement by Bab al Baladia. Another Saturday.

Photos and video to come later.