May 3 ~ Judy & Jee Sook Kutz
This morning after a hearty breakfast at the Holy Land Hotel in Bethlehem, we climbed aboard our bus and headed to Hebron, nestled high in the in the Judean mountains. Along the way we observed settlements on both sides of the highway. They are built on stolen Palestinian land and serviced by Settler only roads.
On our way into town we stopped at a ceramic and glass blowing factory. It was fascinating to watch the young men paint intricate and colorful designs on plates, bowls and cups. Pastor Luke got to try his hand at blowing glass. He ended up with a big ball. We all enjoyed a shopping frenzy.
Glassblower, member of a family with hundreds of years of history in Hebron
Hebron is a beautiful and ancient city and was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. It is the largest Palestinian district (governorate) in the West Bank with 700,000 Palestinian residents.
Old City of Hebron, seen from a rooftop
It is the only Palestinian city that has settlements in the heart of the old city. There are 20 settlements in Hebron district. The settlers are known to kick Palestinian families out of their home and take them for themselves. The displaced families have no recourse.
1500 Israeli soldiers are stationed in Hebron for the sole purpose of protecting the Settlers who are required to carry guns under Israeli law. As we enjoyed a cup of coffee with a Palestinian shop keeper and his sons we observed a settler with a gun tucked in the back of his pants.
In the Ibrahimi Mosque, Herod-era stones in the wall behind our group
The Ibrahimi Mosque is in the heart of the old city. The walls of the mosque were built using large stones from the time of Herod.
In 1984, Baruch Goldstein, an American Israeli doctor carried out a shooting massacre inside the mosque killing 30 worshippers and injuring 125. The Israeli government took extreme measures against the Palestinians following the massacre. They were banned from certain streets in Hebron, such as Shuhada Street, the main shopping street in town. we walked down this street but our Palestinian guide had to return to the bus by another route. The military put in curfews and closed the market and the mosque for 7 months. 1800 shops were closed in the market, 1400 offices were closed. Another consequences was deciding the mosque was dividing the mosque between the Jewish settlers and the Palestinians.
Christian Peace Maker teams have been stationed in Hebron for 20 years. They accompany children to school and document incidents of violence. Their presence makes life safer.
