moving

Monday was another interesting day in Hebron. We began by moving. The house we stayed in Tel Rumeida, has due to pressure from the Israeli military unfortunately been made not possible anymore to live in for us as ISMers.

We had to move out the things we wanted to keep, and took some of it to another place. In Canada as well as most other parts of the world (including parts of the West Bank outside of H2 Hebron)- for people who can afford it- this would entail hiring a moving van or using one's own car to transport the stuff.

However, we were in H2. So we got a (very small) taste of what life is like for our Palestinian friends in Tel Rumeida. We carried the things we decided to take- bookshelves, chairs, other furniture possible to transport for us- manually down to the checkpoint and out to Bab E Zawiyeh (H1). Any other way was out of question, since Palestinians in Tel Rumeida are not allowed to use vehicles. Once we got to the checkpoint we managed to rent a car to go to as close as is possible to the other location, which is in H2. The driver had to take a very long way around, since driving directly to certain locations under the system of occupation is impossible. 

We did not get to the house itself, but to another unmanned checkpoint a few meters away, where we had to unload the furniture. Fortunately, our Palestinian friends were able to arrange a horse cart, and after loading it with the furniture we were able to go down to the apartment.

Driving of course was out of the question, since Palestinians in that part of H2 are not allowed to drive cars either. Such privileges exist only for Israeli settlers.

It was still a relief however, since in Tel Rumeida even getting a horse cart would not be possible.