The street that passes in front of the Qurtuba School and that leads to
the Cave of Machpela. When I first walked this street I thought all
the buildings were abandoned.
|
The walls built around the Cave of Machpelah by King Herod at the end
of the first century BCE. |
 The
Hall of Abraham next to the synagogue in the building within the walls
surrounding the Cave of Machpelah. Note the Arabic inscriptions, the
old lantern, and the florescent lights now added to the old room.
|
 The
synagogue within the Cave of Machpelah complex, which has been constructed
against one of the walls in the old courtyard using canvas for the roof
and other side.
|
 New
buildings constructed in the Old City to house Jewish settlers. The
land was cleared of Palestinian housing. The Old City of Hebron had
about 7,500 residents before these illegal Jewish settlement began.
Now the population of the Old City is about 1,500. |
 Beit
Hadassah, the first illegal Jewish settlement in the Old City, which is
directly across from the Qurtuba School, where about 90 Palestinian girls
must be protected by internationals in order to travel down the street and
up the stairs leading to the school.
|
Students walking to Qurtuba School down the street that passes the
Israeli army checkpoint, before it turns and leads to the school.
|
 Anna
Buren, an EA from Sweden, standing watch in front of the Israeli army
checkpoint that separates the H1 area of Hebron, which is under
Palestinian control, from the H2 area, where 1,500 Palestinians live next
to 500 heavily guarded Jewish settlers.
|
Thomas Mandal, an EA from Norway, two monitors with the Temporary
International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), and Anna Burden, an EA from
Sweden. |
Thomas and Anna standing in front of the stairs that the school girls
must climb to reach their school. Note the rough stones and the
varying heights of the steps. |
