The Area

The South Hebron Hills is a rural area located south of the Palestinian city of Yatta. Yatta is the economic and social hub of the region. The southern border of the South Hebron Hills is the Green Line (1949 border established between the West Bank and State of Israel). According to the Oslo agreements the South Hebron Hills falls almost exclusively in Area C, area under complete Israeli military control. Residents must obtain Israeli permits for any construction, including but not limited to homes, bathrooms, water lines, and power lines.

The Villages

The South Hebron Hills has been inhabited by shepherding/farmer communities for centuries. The hilly terrain reaches altitudes of 400-900 meters. Today approximately 1,000 Palestinians live in the South Hebron Hills. The populated villages of the area (Khirbet) are: At-Tuwani, UmmFaqarah, Tuba, Magheir al Abeed, Ar Rakeez, Isfey Foqa, Isfey Tihta, Khallet Athaba, Jinba, Al Fakheit, Mirkez, Al Majaz, At Tabban, She’b al Butom, Qawawis, and Saadet Tha’lah. The area is divided in two zones, the northern zone of Arqub (with At-Tuwani as hub) and the southern zone of Masafer Yatta (with the hub of Jinba). In recent years four other villages (Bir Al Idd, Sarura, Al Kharuba e At Tawamin) have been abandoned due to extremist settler violence. In November 2009 the Israeli High Court ruled that the people of Bir Al Idd should be allowed to return to their village. Because of ongoing settler violence only two Palestinian families have returned.

 

The Lifestyle

The South Hebron Hills has been inhabited by shepherding/farmer communities for centuries. The hilly terrain reaches altitudes of 400-900 meters. Today approximately 1,000 Palestinians live in the South Hebron Hills. The populated villages of the area (Khirbet) are: At-Tuwani, UmmFaqarah, Tuba, Magheir al Abeed, Ar Rakeez, Isfey Foqa, Isfey Tihta, Khallet Athaba, Jinba, Al Fakheit, Mirkez, Al Majaz, At Tabban, She’b al Butom, Qawawis, and Saadet Tha’lah. The area is divided in two zones, the northern zone of Arqub (with At-Tuwani as hub) and the southern zone of Masafer Yatta (with the hub of Jinba). In recent years four other villages (Bir Al Idd, Sarura, Al Kharuba e At Tawamin) have been abandoned due to extremist settler violence. In November 2009 the Israeli High Court ruled that the people of Bir Al Idd should be allowed to return to their village. Because of ongoing settler violence only two Palestinian families have returned.

The Violence

Since the 1980s, extremist Israeli settlers have been living in the South Hebron Hills under the authorization and protection of the Israeli military. Both the military and the settlers aim to annex the South Hebron Hills and expel the local population. To this end, settlers and the military use various forms of violence to prevent the people from accessing their land and resources.

The main settlements in the area are Ma’on and Karmel and the outposts are Hill 833 (Havat Ma'on), AviGail, Mizpe Yair and Lucifer Farm (Yatir Farm). Considered some of the most militant settlers in West Bank, these settlers have used violence against the indigenous Palestinian population since the foundation of their settlements. Settlers have poisoned Palestinian fields and water cisterns, shot sheep and goats, and beat up elders, women, and men. Settlers continue to stone, chase, and threaten Palestinian children en route to school.

The Israeli military and Israeli Civil Administration oppress the local population through harassment, arbitrary arrest, closed military zones preventing shepherds and farmers from accessing their land, and denial of permission for community development (the people are forbidden to build houses, toilets, schools, clinics and cisterns and cannot connect to power grids and water lines). Furthermore Israeli police rarely pursue perpetrators of violence against Palestinian people and property.

In the context of such violence and oppression, the caves, fields, and the peoples lifestyle are at serious risk of disappearing.

 

 

Further Information:

An annual OCHA Report. "An area with many needs" defines this area as one of the poorest in the West Bank.

At-Tuwani power point presentation about the Israeli occupation of their land

 

DATA - *COMING SOON*

land confiscation, settler violence, violence against school children, Israeli military violence, closed military zones, Israeli police violence, palestinian nonviolent actions

(compiled from information collected by CPT/OD)