A new fence will be erected along the settler road that runs on the edges of Beit âUmmar. This move will not only hamper the movement of the residents, but will also further extend military control over the village.
At the beginning of March, Occupation forces distributed a military order announcing their intentions to erect a 295-meter fence along (settler) Road 60 which runs through Beit âUmmar, located north of Hebron. The stated purpose of this fence is to offer further protection to settlers, who use the road to move between the Gush Etzion bloc and Hebron settlements.
***image1***The residents of the village are strongly opposed to the order, which will serve to close alternative routes to the main road. With the completion of the fence, all residents will be re-routed to main entrance of the village. A military watchtower stands at the main entrance, and the forced re-routing of traffic will allow soldiers to easily engage in surveillance and monitor the movements of residents. Those using the main entrance are already subjected to degrading searches and delays by the soldiers stationed at the tower.
Beit âUmmar has a history of attacks at the hands of local soldiers, who carry out near-daily raids, firing rubber and live bullets which have led to many injuries and constantly endanger the lives of residents. Soldiers have also been reported to fire at the windows of the Zahara school, located east of the village, in addition to shooting holes in village water tanks and targeting the minaret of the local mosque.