The Story of Hebron

February 24^th marked an important anniversary in the life of Hebron, the ancient biblical site and largest city in the West Bank. Since first visiting Hebron last October I've wanted to share the story of this place. Considering this anniversary and recent events, this seems like the right time.

The Bible first mentions Hebron in Genesis 23 when Abraham purchased a plot of land to serve as a burial cave for his wife Sarah. 

Interior of Ibrahimi Mosque

That burial site, known as the Cave of the Patriarchs and now enclosed by the Ibrahimi Mosque, is the traditional burial place of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. David was also anointed King of Israel in Hebron. The city has played a role in many wars, being conquered by the Romans, the Arabs in 636, the Crusaders in 1099, Saladin in 1187 and it became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 1500’s.

Hebron has changed hands many times in the 20^th century, as well, and is now under Israeli military control as part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the West Bank. Hebron is one of Judaism’s holiest cities and also a sacred site for Muslims. It is also one of the most intense locations in the struggle between extremist Jewish settlers, the occupying Israeli forces that protect them and the Palestinian community that has resided in Hebron for centuries.

On February 24^th in 1994 American-born doctor and Israeli settler Baruch Goldstein walked into the Ibrahimi Mosque, full during the Ramadan feast, waited for worshipers to kneel in prayer, and opened fire with his military issued rifle. He killed 29 Palestinians and injured 125 more before being beaten to death by other worshipers. Israel, the Diaspora Jewish community and the international community condemned the attack as an act of terror. Yet some hailed his actions as heroic and have made his grave a place of pilgrimage. 

Wire added to protect businesses from settler trash

In the ensuing months and years, things have changed in Hebron but only to the detriment of the victims of this massacre, Palestinians. Immediately following the attack, over 500 Palestinian businesses on Shuhada Street, the main shopping district in Hebron, were forced to close and had their doors welded shut by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). These shops are still closed 20 years later. 

Parts of Shuhada Street are completely off limits to Palestinians, forcing some families to climb ladders and crawl over walls to gain access into their homes from the rear. What was once a vibrant shopping area now resembles a ghost town where settlers who live above the street regularly pelt Palestinians below with trash and debris.

Israel divided the Ibrahimi Mosque into two halves, one for Muslims and one for the Jewish settlers in Hebron, the extremist community of which Goldstein had been a member. Numerous new checkpoints have been established throughout Hebron, severely restricting the ability of Palestinians to go about daily life, checkpoints that only Palestinians are forced to use. Palestinian children have to pass through these to attend school and are often denied access.

Hebron’s Old City is home to 500 illegal Jewish settlers along with 1500 IDF, border patrol and police to protect and secure their presence. Settlers in Hebron routinely attack and harass Palestinians. Palestinian property (like olive trees) are damaged or destroyed on a regular basis.  Palestinian children are not immune from such abuse, either, as the IDF regularly fires stun grenades and tear gas at school children and their schools.

CPT volunteer walking children to school

They are also harassed and assaulted, by adult settlers, on their way to school. Different laws apply to Jewish settlers than to Palestinians in Hebron.  The IDF can arrest any Palestinian starting at age 12 yet they cannot touch a Jewish settler for any reason.  In fact, the IDF often stands by and watches while Palestinians and their property are attacked by the settlers. Some of the greatest restrictions against and harassment of Palestinians occur in Hebron.

Fortunately, all of these abuses are well documented by bold and heroic volunteers who serve with several peacemaking organizations that operate in Israel and Palestine.  Christian Peacemaker Teams and Evangelical Accompaniment Program of Israel and Palestine are two of these. They “offer protection through their non-violent presence”, document human rights abuses and work to end violence and oppression.  Both operate in Hebron, accompanying children to school, watching and documenting the actions of soldiers at checkpoints, and supporting peaceful protests. In addition, Breaking the Silence is an organization of former IDF soldiers who tell stories of their military service in the Occupied Territories.

Which brings me to the reason I felt compelled to write this post, at this time.  I visited Hebron in October with a group of Americans.  We had the opportunity to visit the Ibrahimi Mosque.  As we exited and headed towards Shuhada Street, we stopped by a shop located right outside the Mosque. The shop owner, Abed, offered us tea and coffee.  I selected scarves, magnets and some trinkets for my niece while negotiating prices and payment with Muhammed, the shop owner’s son.  In all of my encounters with Palestinians I find them warm and friendly but the folks in this shop were particularly delightful and charming.  

Abed, the shop owner  

Muhammed (L), owner's son

But on February 25^th their shop was attacked.  As reported by Christian Peacemaker Teams on their Facebook page, “This afternoon, Israeli settlers and journalists approached Abed's shop on Shuhada Street in Hebron. One of the settlers, Baruch Marzel, is running in the current Knesset elections. The settlers tried to enter by force and when they were told they weren't welcome, they proceeded to throw around the merchandise, breaking and ruining it. Abed was hit on the head, and his son Mohammed had his hand cut in the attack.”  This is life in Hebron, where a would-be politician can bring his supporters and reporters into a business, trash it and injure the owners…and NOTHING HAPPENS TO HIM.

Abed's store after the attack

When well meaning friends and acquaintances say to me…”if Palestinians just wanted peace, they could have it” or, “what do you expect Israel to do when they are constantly under attack”, I just shake my head and say “no, no, NO.” 

Graffiti on a school in Hebron

That is not how it is.  Who in Hebron is actually under attack?  Who are the victims?  Who are the attackers?

Palestinians, not only in Hebron, but throughout the West Bank and Gaza want to live a normal life.  A life where they can work, send their children to school, have full access to food, water, housing, and freedom of movement in their own communities and country.  A life in which they don’t live in fear of harassment, arrest, destruction of their property, or whether they will be killed by a tear gas canister or stray bullet shot by an overzealous teenage soldier.  

The vast, vast majority of Palestinians don’t fight back against the injustices they suffer daily.  Their everyday lives are an ongoing example of non-violent resistance, something that is rarely reported and for which Palestinians are seldom given credit. And, I have to wonder, as Israel continues to try to crush the life out of Palestinians, what right do they have to complain when Palestinians do fight back?  What would you do in such a situation?

Where does this leave me?  Grieving when I hear stories of suffering and destruction, on both sides of this conflict.  Both sides have suffered.  But only one side has the power to stop it.