By: Becky
For a week now the security checks on Palestinians and internationals in Hebron has maintained it’s tightest grip since our arrival.
Soldiers who a month ago limited themselves to their posts now extend their jurisdiction along whole streets; patrolling and watching in a paranoid attempt to preempt some fictitious attack. They scan the roof tops with their rifles; plausibly in case of Palestinian fighters, of which their are none in Hebron.
Yellow lines have been painted on the road indicating where locals should stop and line up before being searched. Whereas before soldiers would ask some men and youths to lift their shirts and turn around, now all members of the community, in each individual case, are being inconvenienced by more rigorous searches. These include full pat down body searches on the men; feet apart hands up against a wall; women being scanned with hand held metal detectors and in many cases emptying entire bags of groceries onto the pavement for inspection.
Further harassment and intimidation have included threatening internationals with arrest for simply watching, let alone filming. Preventing women and shop keepers from sweeping their doorways, and moving congregations of the street in a sort of mini curfew.