Transcript for Palfest 2009: al-Khalil / Hebron

In Hebron, in the old city, we have around 400 settlers

But, they are protected and supported by around 1500 soldiers

Each settler has at least four or five soldiers to protect and support him

And unfortunately settlers themselves are armed people, they are civilians with weapons

We are in the only entrance into the old city

All the other entrances, and there were very many, have been closed

And this is the only entrance into Hebron Old City now

And here, it's not a free entrance, as you can see, you have to pass through these iron gates

They are going to check for the camera

You have to put the camera here

You can put it here. When we exit you can take it back

Ok...

the commander says we have to move from here, very fast, this is a checkpoint here

It's a command area so we are not able to stay here

You can hear the call to prayer at Abraham's mosque, which is behind this Judaic gift centre

Which is playing Zionist music, sometimes at a slow pace,

and sometimes at an ear cancer techno pace

They don't even turn it off for the call to prayer

...Hebron songs, ah so these are like historic Hebron songs right?

So these are all historic songs from Hebron, is that the idea?

They are songs about Hebron

So these are all Israeli singers?

Yes

So no Arab singers, no?

No no

Some of it is voluntary closure

because, of course, there is nobody buying anything because people can't come here

because of the closures

and some of it is actually closure by order of the military

and in that case you find that the doors are welded

"Be prepared for revenge"

Be prepared for what, sorry?

"Be prepared for revenge"

See how calm she is through it all

This is Aya

We walk very fast here, we can't stay like this,

because every time they throw stones, dirty water [excrement] from here

you can see the rubbish even here

To the right here nobody allowed to come and rent out this house

It's a military zone

That means no Palestinian is allowed to renovate or inhabit this house

The idea is to expand this settlement to be here

One of the Israeli occupied area is there

And another settlement is there, that white building there

you see the Israeli flag and the settlement, the white one

part of al Shohada street is here,

shops left and right and nobody allowed to open here by military order

Just only settlers and army guards can use this area

And we are here, if we want to cross to the other side, it would take two minutes

If we want to do it right now we have to travel about 12 kilometers to circle around

12 Kilometres?

Sorry - to get here?

To get here. On the other side.

How have you found the week?

I found it enormously shocking in one way of course

At the same time also encouraging

Because I see that the resistance among the Palestinians is so strong

is so profound

so there is a big hope

One can say that the Israelis have maybe taken everything,

the land and everything

But they haven't taken the dreams from the Palestinians

And as long as the Palestinans have their dreams

they also have their fate in their own hands

So

if I live a long life enough, i guess that

with no doubt in my heart and in my mind

the Palestinians shall be free

Thank you very much

Thank you