Hebron is a city in the West Bank, home to almost 300 000 Palestinians, and around 8oo Jewish settlers. It is one of the holy cities for both Jews and Muslims (it was traditionally viewed as one of the “four holy cities of Islam”).  Following the 1997 Hebron agreement, the city was split into two sectors: H1 is controlled by the Palestinian Authority and H2 controlled by Israel.  

However, around 30,000 Palestinians along with around 800 Israelis remain under Israeli military control in H2. The Palestinian population there has greatly declined due to the impact of Israeli security measures which include extended curfews, strict restrictions on movement, etc. The Jewish settlement is widely considered to be illegal by the international community, although the Israeli government continues to dispute this.

All that aside, Hebron and its people – live, survive. The city is a busy hub of the West Bank trade, well known for its grapes, figs, limestone, pottery workshops and glassblowing factories, and is the location of the major dairy product manufacturer, al-Junaidi.

Some months ago, Palestinian Photo Club published an album of rare photos of Hebron/Khalil, and that is what I want to share with you today. 

all images © Palestinian Photo Club

For more, visit Palestinian Photo Club facebook page.