Israeli soldiers in Hebron are using religious symbols like the Star of David to humiliate Palestinian students and residents, exacerbating the daily struggles of life under military occupation.
Abdul Rahman Yasser, 12, must pass through three Israeli barriers every day to reach his school in the heart of the Old City of Hebron (Al-Khalil), which is normally only a few hundred meters from his home.
The Israeli barriers in an area of no more than a few kilometers in the southern region of Hebron exceed 120 checkpoints, which hinder the lives of residents who suffer daily in silence.
Entry into certain areas is prohibited except by Israeli decision, and leaving homes is allowed only during specific hours. When the residents are allowed to leave to meet their needs, they are subjected to humiliation at these checkpoints, most of which are electronic.
‘Torturous Mood’
A few days ago, Abdul Rahman was returning from school and was preparing to cross the Tel Rumeida checkpoint to get home.
He told the Palestine Chronicle that the Israeli soldiers were in a “torturous mood” at the time and detained the students for hours. They asked Abdul Rahman to empty his bag on the table, which he did.
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“One of the soldiers took an Islamic book and started photographing it and translating it via Google. Then he scribbled with a black pen the Palestinian flag on the book cover and drew a Star of David next to it,” he said.
This is the first time soldiers have drawn religious slogans on students’ books, while another soldier drew the star on a child’s hand as he passed through the barrier.
Many times, Abdul Rahman witnesses young men being arrested at this checkpoint, which he calls “the trap,” where Israeli soldiers excel at humiliating Palestinians, beating them, and detaining them for long hours.
“I imagine if the barrier didn’t exist, I would have been able to get to my school easily, and it wouldn’t have taken me so long to get there. I would have stayed in the surrounding area to have fun with my friends, but I have to get back quickly before the soldiers change their minds and close it,” he added.
Israel doesn’t allow anyone other than residents of the area to pass through these barriers, which contain a computer that holds photos and complete information about the residents. They are forced to hand over their ID cards to the soldiers so that they can be electronically checked and allowed to cross.
As for school students, they are subject to electronic inspection through a gate specially prepared for this purpose, in addition to manual inspection. The soldiers have all their photos.
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The Impossible Journey
Yasser Abu Markhia, father of Abdul Rahman, told us about the living conditions of the residents of the Old City under these barriers that were erected in 2000, which completely changed the lives of Palestinians.
After 2015, the restrictions on residents increased, and all outlets were completely closed to them. No one from outside these closed areas is allowed to enter them except after coordination and submitting a request to the military liaison. Approval may not be granted.
After October 2023, coinciding with the Israeli genocide on Gaza, a curfew was imposed on residents for 56 days in total. They were forced to file a case with the Israeli Supreme Court, so the barriers were opened for two hours a day, three days a week.
Abu Markhia describes reaching the Ibrahimi Mosque as an impossible journey, even though it is only 800 meters from his home. While he used to be able to reach it in five minutes, he can now only reach it in 40 minutes if he is allowed to enter.
“I took the risk and prayed in the mosque two days ago, but we were subjected to unprecedented searches, procrastination, and a ban on entry for those under 27 years old. Then they allowed a small number of worshippers to reach it and kept the rest outside to pray in the streets despite the cold,” he said.
There are streets such as Shuhada Street that Palestinians are forbidden from entering at all, while they are open to settlers with ease.
Moreover, Israel, contrary to what was agreed upon, refused to open the Ibrahimi Mosque completely to Muslims during the month of Ramadan and kept the eastern part under the control of settlers, who can storm it at any time.
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Hostages in Their Own City
The division of the southern area of Hebron into two areas, H1 and H2, after the terrible massacre committed by a settler in 1994 inside the Ibrahimi Mosque, which resulted in the killing of 29 worshippers and the wounding of dozens, is being exploited by Israel to displace Palestinians from the area.
The H2 area, which is inhabited by about 40,000 Palestinians, has come under full Israeli control according to this agreement, meaning ongoing attempts to expel the residents by making life difficult for them.
Issa Amro, coordinator of the Youth Against Settlements group, told the Palestine Chronicle that most of the barriers are closed all the time and that the residents of that area suffer from curfews, attacks by soldiers, theft of their property during their detention, daily abuse, and delays.
There is a night curfew in some areas of H2, with a deliberate lack of services. Israel prevents anyone from outside it from entering, even if it is to visit relatives.
“From Tel Rumeida to Shuhada Street and the Ibrahimi Mosque, all the way to the Kiryat Arba settlement, it has become an area completely isolated from Hebron, where more than a thousand families live, held hostage and prevented from entering or leaving,” Amro added.
Insults at these checkpoints have become a daily feature, where young men are forced to take off their clothes and remain tied up for hours for no reason. Women are verbally harassed, assaulted, and sometimes arrested.
“Drawing the Star of David on children’s books and hands is a racist policy par excellence. The abuse and misery of life there led to a wave of displacement from the area, and a group of families left their homes and emigrated from the heart of Hebron, which is the targeted area,” Amro explained.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Fayha’ Shalash is a Ramallah-based Palestinian journalist. She graduated from Birzeit University in 2008 and she has been working as a reporter and broadcaster ever since. Her articles appeared in several online publications. She contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle.
