Evening

Tonight (actually, yesterday by now), we received news that settlers may be manning the checkpoint leading to H1, with Israeli soldiers. Although the settlers are technically civilians, they are allowed to carry guns in Hebron, unlike Palestinians. They have a great relationship (usually) with the IDF, which gives them a free hand to do what they want to Palestinans... although this is in most cases short of murder. Palestinians have at times been shot dead by settlers, however. Home invasions, crippling beatings, and property destruction are usually the M.O.

Some ISMers went on our daily patrol, and we saw a large group of settlers walking on Shuhada Street, like 20 young men. I've never seen them before in groups this big. That is approximately how many of them there were when they attacked the Sharabati family on Saturday night.

Nothing happened, and we came back to the apartment. After some hanging out, we went to respond to the news that settlers may be at checkpoints with soldiers. 

Usually when they do so, that means that Palestinians walking through them are subjected to more abuse- though most of it is confined to swearing and insults. The vicious beatings happen when the soldiers are not around. By the time they arrive at the scene, the settlers usually have had their fun, so the soldiers escort them back to their destination, then threaten the victims' angry neighbours.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm.

There were no settlers at the checkpoint, only two soldiers. Thank God that the news turned out not to be true.

A car driven by a settler speeds down the street in Tel Rumeida (our neighborhod). Driving at this speed in an area where there are pedestrians would be punished with at least a fine, where I am from. However, Israeli settlers are allowed to do so here with impunity. 

Palestinians are prohibited in driving in this area, even if many of them live here. The same is true of many other areas in H2.