Breaking the Silence cautiously welcomes the IDF's decision to open a-Shuhada Street in H2 Hebron to Palestinian movement. Through this decision, they strengthen the rule of law in the city. The decision states that in the first stage, the street will be opened to vehicular traffic on the road that connects Kiryat Arba to the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This first stage will serve as a test for the possibility of opening a-Shuhada Street to traffic as well, along with permits to open around 100 of the sealed businesses on the street. The IDF's decision comes on the heels of years of strategic work by Israeli and Palestinian human rights organizations, including Breaking the Silence, who have called for the enforcement of the rule of law in H2 Hebron. The IDF's decision is an encouraging sign of the effectiveness of our work in the city; we will con tinue our work in Hebron and in other cities to expose the effects of Israeli military control in the occupied territories.
Acknowledging the significance of this decision, nevertheless, this is not the first time that the IDF has announced changes in its policy of restrictions on Palestinian movement on a-Shuhada Street. We see in the declaration that is before us a test for the rule of law in Hebron. The decision will be successful only if the Israeli security forces are able to actualize the opening of the street with the assurance of secure movement for Palestinians along the route even in face of settler violence. In addition, it is important to remember that this decision is but one step in the process of returning Palestinian life in the city to its vibrant routine.
