Jit Junction

Habla and the roads leading to Dir Sharaf and 'Anabta

06:45  Agricultural Gate, Habla

The Palestinians report that the gate opened on time, at 06:30.  Very rainy and muddy.  The crossing is quick, one group of 5 waits at the turnstile and another leaves the building after about 2.5 minutes.

07:05

One man goes through and there are no more waiting.  A slow dribble of people and a dribble of rain.  In a conversation with a Palestinian who was going from Habla in  the direction of the nurseries, but was waiting, we found out that he was waiting for his grandson, who was supposed to bring some special tools for work in the hothouse.  The grandfather had already risen at 3 AM and had taken care of the flock of valuable sheep which he has in Habla (his sheep do not go out to graze), but now he is angry with his grandson who is keeping him waiting.  He hopes that there will be livelihood for all, and doesn't enter into politics...

07:20

Two buses of children arrive, the drivers get out to have documents checked, meanwhile the soldiers open the gate for a wagon coming from Habla.

07:30

The buses leave.  3 vans, full of small plants, leave Habla, inspected and passed.  The elderly guard of the nursery arrives in his nephew's car, they go through quickly.

07:35

We left.

07:45  Eliyahu Gate

At the police station, at the entrance to the checkpoint from the direction of Israel, there were a number of trucks standing and it seemed as though their documents were being checked.  The crossing point of the workers was empty and in the area of vehicles' inspection we saw only 2 cars.

08:05

At the isolated house, which used to be called "Shvut Ami" (my nation returns), one could still see Independence Day decorations.  Is that a sign of something to come?  At the turn in the road before Kedumim there was a military vehicle.

One armed soldier was guarding the hitchhiker's station of Kedumim.

Opposite the entrance to the village of J'at there  a military vehicle was parked.  At the crossroads itself, there wasn't any IDF.

Beneath Kedumim, they are paving a new road which seems to be preparation for further expansion.

We traveled in the direction of Dir Sharaf and went onto highway #60.  Opposite the remains of the checkpoint which had been there at the turnoff to the village of Nakura, there was a military jeep.  Further along highway #60 (in the direction of Jenin) there was a street sign, "National Park of Samaria, Sebastia".

The question should be asked, who is allowed to go to this "Park", since, at the turnoff, there is also a red sign saying that it is forbidden for Israelis to travel on this road, since it leads to the area under the control of the Palestinian Authority...

08:30

We traveled to Dir Sharaf to visit our old friend, the shop/bakery owner.  We stopped for coffee and falafel and a talk about what's happening...his son finished his second degree, with distinction, at the University in Nablus and was accepted for further studies in Germany towards his doctorate.  It turns out that all of his children, including those who help him all the time in the shop, are excellent students and his wife also completed her second degree at the University, but doesn't work outside the house.  He is the only one in the family who didn't study, but provides very well for his family.  He told us that, during the closure, "in honor of your holiday", there were a lot of soldiers and military vehicles everywhere, as though they were just waiting for something to happen.

Again, there was a conspicuous lack of compatibility between the abilities of people to adapt themselves to every situation and the existence which they are forced to endure.

We traveled to the checkpoint of 'Anabta, where he reported that there were exchanges of fire 2 weeks ago. (we also read about that in the paper).

09:20 'Anabta checkpoint

At the entrance to the turnoff, there was a large sign warning Israeli citizens, in red letters, that the road leads to areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, and the entrance is forbidden for Israelis.

An Israeli flag was flying on the guard tower, and there were soldiers there who didn't come down, even when we approached in our car. There is  an endless stream, undisturbed, of Palestinian cars going in both directions.  We didn't see that the road to the village of Ramin from this crossroad had been fixed or renovated as had been promised a few months ago.

We continued on highway #557, in the direction of Jabara.  All the turnoffs to the villages on the way had the same large red signs warning Israelis not to enter the villages (demonization?), which, of course, were not named.

On the contrary, the road to the village of Shufa was renovated and there is a sign with the village's name in Hebrew (before the turnoff to the settlement of Avnei Hefetz).  We turned off toward Avnei Hefetz, to check if the blockage before Izbat Shufa had really been removed permanently;  we were happy to see a lot of traffic of Palestinian cars as well as Israeli Arabs passing through there with no problem.  We continued in the direction of Avnei Hefetz and met up with a military jeep observing the road.  We continued to the checkpoint of Te'enim and saw the new fence being slowly constructed around the house of the late Abu Hatam.

The soldier at the checkpoint asked us where we had been, and we answered that we had been on the roads and at the checkpoints and inspected them.  Without any answer, he opened the checkpoint for us...

I lengthened this description because I  always feel that everything is fine, while really everything is not fine;  so very not fine, but I can't get this feeling across...

.

09:30  We left from the Rosh Ha’ayin train station.  There’s no English class today because the club is being used for local elections.

The circuit:

10:00  Tapuach junction.  A few soldiers man the checkpoint but aren’t checking vehicles; traffic flows.  (A few hours later we heard on the radio about a serious incident there.  It turns out that the quiet is only temporary and apparent; a conflagration can erupt at any moment).

10:15  To Huwwara.  The town is full of life.  Some shops have elegant shop windows.  Americanization infiltrates here also.  Colorful advertisements, some in English.  Even images of Bob Sponge Pants.  On the other side of town – the checkpoint.  Adjoining it – a new plaza, with a structure made of three arches, olive trees planted around it.  Piles of sand and gravel indicate that construction at the plaza hasn’t been completed yet.  We don’t see any laborers.  The rain must have delayed the work.  How wonderful that the Israeli occupation invests in esthetics…

The checkpoint is open and traffic flows.

10:40  The rain stopped as we drove to the Jit junction; the sun shines pleasantly.  Almond trees follow nature’s orders, blossoming white and pink along the road.  Funduq is quiet.  Little traffic in the street, and few pedestrians.

11:00  Nabi Elias.  Full of life.  People come out to the streets after the rain stops. 

Then to the Eliyahu crossing.  Solitary Palestinian vehicles go through without inspection.

11:15  We return to Rosh Ha’ayin.

 Natanya translating.

13.50 Habla checkpoint.  There is a little traffic. A Palestinian tried to take a used fridge

 through to Habla village but the soldiers would not allow him to do so.

14.00 The Eliyahu crossing.Police are present and a dog manager and dog.

14.15Next to the village of Azzun.

  There is smoke on both sides of the road. It is not clear where the origin is.

There is a smell of burnt rubber.

All along the descent to Nablus (from the village All along the descent to Nablus (from the village   

All along the descent to Nablus (from the village

of Sara) 20 Palestinian vehicles wait in line without moving. 

(The passage to Nablus continues with no problem).

In answer to our question the commander says, "It is an order of the last few days". He asks, "What are you doing here?"  We reply, "Reporting on what we see."  There were 5 soldiers stopping the traffic, road spikes and signs to stop. As we stand there photographing,  the road spikes and signs are being collected and 10s of vehicles are allowed to pass with no checking.

IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE SHOULD BE THERE.  We phoned the operation room to check why this had been so and were told that they would check with the unit.  From there we got the answer, "There had been no checkpoint."

We told the operation room that if that had been a private enterprise of the soldiers it was  worth the unit knowing about it. We suggested we send photos.

14.50 Huwwara checkpoint.  At the sentry post we see a soldier. At the hitching post in the direction of Bracha settlement there is a new covered sentry post and inside is a soldier.  In  the building of the closed checkpoint (which had previously been used to check pedestrians) are two soldiers. The checking area of the cars is not manned.

For a change the banners which had been put up by settlers on the fence have been taken down.

15.00 Beit FurikCP…..not manned.

15.05 Awarta.The Iron bar is closed and locked.

15.10Next to the checkpoint of Burin-Huwwaraand road 60 is a jeep which is standing in the parking area in the direction of the village of Huwwara.

16.05 Za'tara/Tapuach CP…2 border police man the checking area but do not check.

16.33 Azzun Atma CP….The workers are returning. Sometimes a line forms and then empties.

 Translator:  Charles K.

A very hot day.

13:45  Habla/Gate 1393 – Palestinians on both sides wait in the burning sun to be inspected in the rooms.  A male and a female soldier signal them to advance: 5 people at a time from one side, then from the other.  Two more soldiers sit under the canopy.

A Palestinian:  “You’re not helping.”  We:  “We can’t help – we can only post reports on our website so the world will know.”  “I’ve seen them.  I look at your site.”

14:00  Eliyahu crossing/gate109 –Israeli police and private security guards at the checkpoint.  An army command car arrives from the direction of Nabi Elias.

14:15  Al Funduq –Near the village, an army jeep drives toward us.

14:27  Jit junction –An army jeep arrives and drives up the hill to lie in wait.

14:28  Yair ranch –An army jeep drives toward us near the Yair ranch settlement.

14:36  Burin –An army jeep drives toward us at Burin village.

14:37  An army jeep at the hitchhiking station at the exit from the Beracha settlement.

14:37  Huwwara checkpoint –We saw no soldiers at the inspection stations.

A soldier guards the hitchhiking station at the entrance to the Beracha settlement.

14:38  Awarta –The yellow iron bar blocks the road to Nablus, as usual.

An armored police vehicle drives in front of us on the apartheid road toward Beit Furik.

14:43 

Beit Furik checkpoint –An army jeep arrives, stops briefly and drives back the way it came.

15:15  Heavy traffic at Huwwara of vehicles coming from the direction of Ramallah.  An army jeep arrives from the same direction.

15:20  A command car joins the line of vehicles driving toward Nablus.

15:25  Za’tara checkpoint –Two soldiers leaning against one of the inspection booths, not conducting inspections.  No congestion.

Today we didn’t see the Israeli police which usually issue tickets at the plaza to Palestinians.

15:35  Hares –A command car, its lights flashing, drives by the Hares traffic light.

15:45  Azzun Atma checkpoint –Today we arrived relatively early, when the laborers return.  Now the line is relatively short.

06:20  'Azzun 'Atma.  About 100 people are in line; many are already sitting outside.  Crossing goes quickly;  two booths for document inspection and another outside to inspect belongings.  We timed how long it took someone who arrived when we did to go through – 40 minutes.  That’s not fast, but in terms of this checkpoint it’s not bad.  When we left before 07:00 only 30 people were in line.  There may be less congestion because many now go through the Tamar gate that’s open for half an hour from 06:15 to 06:45.  About 20 people sit waiting at the entrance to the checkpoint; they’d been sent back into Palestine.  We were told they were in Israel illegally, having crossed through a hole in the fence without a permit or had been caught in Israel; we couldn’t find out more.

The young twelve-year-old coffee seller sells coffee in small cups (the size of little plastic wine cups) to people who’ve crossed.  His younger brother, who’s 8, helps.  They’re very cute; the “elder” speaks very good Hebrew – it’s really amazing.

06:35  The line is much shorter already; in the past it hadn’t gotten shorter until 07:00.  It doesn’t seem that fewer people are coming; maybe there’s less pressure because some cross through the Tamar gate?

Part of the line passes between two fences (before going through the revolving gate); it’s always congested there, while outside the fences the line is very narrow.  The fence is torn in many places and looks like it’s about to collapse>  It leans outward; we hope it doesn’t fall on a passerby.

07:10  Habla.  The gates are open but only now does the first group enter for inspection.  In other words, the gate opened late – the soldiers arrived at 07:00, but the gate was to have opened at 07:00.

The first group comes through and a man chats with an MP – he says the soldier is good, he’s our friend.  Later we heard the opposite in the plant nursery; the worker there had many complaints about that soldier – as usual, it depends whom you ask, and there are always two sides.  About 40 people in line; more continue to arrive.  There’s a great deal of garbage around the shipping container on our side that provides shade – who’s responsible for cleaning up here?  Apparently no one.  It’s interesting that for years there wasn’t refuse here, and now the place has suddenly become a garbage can.  The shepherd arrives with his flock and runs them through to the Israeli side – very pastoral:  the flock, but not the crossing.

08:10 

Eliyahu crossing.  The gardeners work energetically, the location fills with annuals requiring a great deal of water, and they’ve already planted cedars – which, as you know, grow very slowly, but we’re here for good.  About 5 people on the pedestrian lane, and cars being inspected, as usual.

08:35  Jit/Sara junction.  No soldiers

Graffiti at the entrance to Yitzhar:  “Death to Arabs.”

08:40  Huwwara.  The crossing is open; no soldiers on the road except for the one always stationed at the road up to Har Beracha.

On the way back, there’s a military car at the junction where you drive up to Burin.  We drove in to see why; the soldiers were erecting a flying checkpoint on the way into Burin.

09:10  Za’tara/Tapuach junction.  Traffic going up is slow.  When we arrive a soldier emerges from his post on the road and walks to the junction/plaza.  Traffic at the junction seems to be slow because there’s heavy traffic coming from all directions.  It clears a few minutes later.  Soldiers always man the guard towers around the junction.

Before the plaza junction there’s an entrance to Ariel from Highway 5, a sign indicating the turn to Ariel and another sign reading “Turn here for Ariel University.”  And I thought that the Higher Education Budgeting Committee hadn’t yet granted them this title?  But the National Road Company already did so.

09:20  Entrance to Salfit.  The two gates are closed; one opens for a car coming from Salfit and when it closes the car is trapped between the two gates; the second opens and the car can drive on.  No inspection.  So why all the gates, opening, closing?  Now three cars arrived from the direction of the Ariel junction and both gates open simultaneously.  When they go through the gates close again and a car coming from Salfit has to go through the procedure of gates closing and opening.

At the entrance to Ariel they’re inspecting people entering the town – two employees of a security company and a soldier.  Is this why he was inducted into the army - to stand at the gate at the entrance to Ariel?Azzun Atma, Habla, Huwwara, Za’tara junction, Monday, 9.7.12, morning

Observers:  Shoshana Z., Nina S. (reporting)

Translator:  Charles K.

06:20  'Azzun 'Atma.  About 100 people are in line; many are already sitting outside.  Crossing goes quickly;  two booths for document inspection and another outside to inspect belongings.  We timed how long it took someone who arrived when we did to go through – 40 minutes.  That’s not fast, but in terms of this checkpoint it’s not bad.  When we left before 07:00 only 30 people were in line.  There may be less congestion because many now go through the Tamar gate that’s open for half an hour from 06:15 to 06:45.  About 20 people sit waiting at the entrance to the checkpoint; they’d been sent back into Palestine.  We were told they were in Israel illegally, having crossed through a hole in the fence without a permit or had been caught in Israel; we couldn’t find out more.

The young twelve-year-old coffee seller sells coffee in small cups (the size of little plastic wine cups) to people who’ve crossed.  His younger brother, who’s 8, helps.  They’re very cute; the “elder” speaks very good Hebrew – it’s really amazing.

06:35  The line is much shorter already; in the past it hadn’t gotten shorter until 07:00.  It doesn’t seem that fewer people are coming; maybe there’s less pressure because some cross through the Tamar gate?

Part of the line passes between two fences (before going through the revolving gate); it’s always congested there, while outside the fences the line is very narrow.  The fence is torn in many places and looks like it’s about to collapse>  It leans outward; we hope it doesn’t fall on a passerby.

07:10  Habla.  The gates are open but only now does the first group enter for inspection.  In other words, the gate opened late – the soldiers arrived at 07:00, but the gate was to have opened at 07:00.

The first group comes through and a man chats with an MP – he says the soldier is good, he’s our friend.  Later we heard the opposite in the plant nursery; the worker there had many complaints about that soldier – as usual, it depends whom you ask, and there are always two sides.  About 40 people in line; more continue to arrive.  There’s a great deal of garbage around the shipping container on our side that provides shade – who’s responsible for cleaning up here?  Apparently no one.  It’s interesting that for years there wasn’t refuse here, and now the place has suddenly become a garbage can.  The shepherd arrives with his flock and runs them through to the Israeli side – very pastoral:  the flock, but not the crossing.

08:10 

Eliyahu crossing.  The gardeners work energetically, the location fills with annuals requiring a great deal of water, and they’ve already planted cedars – which, as you know, grow very slowly, but we’re here for good.  About 5 people on the pedestrian lane, and cars being inspected, as usual.

08:35  Jit/Sara junction.  No soldiers

Graffiti at the entrance to Yitzhar:  “Death to Arabs.”

08:40  Huwwara.  The crossing is open; no soldiers on the road except for the one always stationed at the road up to Har Beracha.

On the way back, there’s a military car at the junction where you drive up to Burin.  We drove in to see why; the soldiers were erecting a flying checkpoint on the way into Burin.

09:10  Za’tara/Tapuach junction.  Traffic going up is slow.  When we arrive a soldier emerges from his post on the road and walks to the junction/plaza.  Traffic at the junction seems to be slow because there’s heavy traffic coming from all directions.  It clears a few minutes later.  Soldiers always man the guard towers around the junction.

Before the plaza junction there’s an entrance to Ariel from Highway 5, a sign indicating the turn to Ariel and another sign reading “Turn here for Ariel University.”  And I thought that the Higher Education Budgeting Committee hadn’t yet granted them this title?  But the National Road Company already did so.

09:20  Entrance to Salfit.  The two gates are closed; one opens for a car coming from Salfit and when it closes the car is trapped between the two gates; the second opens and the car can drive on.  No inspection.  So why all the gates, opening, closing?  Now three cars arrived from the direction of the Ariel junction and both gates open simultaneously.  When they go through the gates close again and a car coming from Salfit has to go through the procedure of gates closing and opening.

At the entrance to Ariel they’re inspecting people entering the town – two employees of a security company and a soldier.  Is this why he was inducted into the army - to stand at the gate at the entrance to Ariel?Azzun Atma, Habla, Huwwara, Za’tara junction, Monday, 9.7.12, morning

Observers:  Shoshana Z., Nina S. (reporting)

Translator:  Charles K.

06:20  'Azzun 'Atma.  About 100 people are in line; many are already sitting outside.  Crossing goes quickly;  two booths for document inspection and another outside to inspect belongings.  We timed how long it took someone who arrived when we did to go through – 40 minutes.  That’s not fast, but in terms of this checkpoint it’s not bad.  When we left before 07:00 only 30 people were in line.  There may be less congestion because many now go through the Tamar gate that’s open for half an hour from 06:15 to 06:45.  About 20 people sit waiting at the entrance to the checkpoint; they’d been sent back into Palestine.  We were told they were in Israel illegally, having crossed through a hole in the fence without a permit or had been caught in Israel; we couldn’t find out more.

The young twelve-year-old coffee seller sells coffee in small cups (the size of little plastic wine cups) to people who’ve crossed.  His younger brother, who’s 8, helps.  They’re very cute; the “elder” speaks very good Hebrew – it’s really amazing.

06:35  The line is much shorter already; in the past it hadn’t gotten shorter until 07:00.  It doesn’t seem that fewer people are coming; maybe there’s less pressure because some cross through the Tamar gate?

Part of the line passes between two fences (before going through the revolving gate); it’s always congested there, while outside the fences the line is very narrow.  The fence is torn in many places and looks like it’s about to collapse>  It leans outward; we hope it doesn’t fall on a passerby.

07:10  Habla.  The gates are open but only now does the first group enter for inspection.  In other words, the gate opened late – the soldiers arrived at 07:00, but the gate was to have opened at 07:00.

The first group comes through and a man chats with an MP – he says the soldier is good, he’s our friend.  Later we heard the opposite in the plant nursery; the worker there had many complaints about that soldier – as usual, it depends whom you ask, and there are always two sides.  About 40 people in line; more continue to arrive.  There’s a great deal of garbage around the shipping container on our side that provides shade – who’s responsible for cleaning up here?  Apparently no one.  It’s interesting that for years there wasn’t refuse here, and now the place has suddenly become a garbage can.  The shepherd arrives with his flock and runs them through to the Israeli side – very pastoral:  the flock, but not the crossing.

08:10 

Eliyahu crossing.  The gardeners work energetically, the location fills with seedlings requiring a great deal of water, and they’ve already planted cedars – which, as you know, grow very slowly, but we’re here for good.  About 5 people on the pedestrian lane, and cars being inspected, as usual.

08:35  Jit/Sara junction.  No soldiers

Graffiti at the entrance to Yitzhar:  “Death to Arabs.”

08:40  Huwwara.  The crossing is open; no soldiers on the road except for the one always stationed at the road up to Har Beracha.

On the way back, there’s a military car at the junction where you drive up to Burin.  We drove in to see why; the soldiers were erecting a flying checkpoint on the way into Burin.

09:10  Za’tara/Tapuach junction.  Traffic going up is slow.  When we arrive a soldier emerges from his post on the road and walks to the junction/plaza.  Traffic at the junction seems to be slow because there’s heavy traffic coming from all directions.  It clears a few minutes later.  Soldiers always man the guard towers around the junction.

Before the plaza junction there’s an entrance to Ariel from Highway 5, a sign indicating the turn to Ariel and another sign reading “Turn here for Ariel University.”  And I thought that the Higher Education Budgeting Committee hadn’t yet granted them this title?  But the National Road Company already did so.

09:20  Entrance to Salfit.  The two gates are closed; one opens for a car coming from Salfit and when it closes the car is trapped between the two gates; the second opens and the car can drive on.  No inspection.  So why all the gates, opening, closing?  Now three cars arrived from the direction of the Ariel junction and both gates open simultaneously.  When they go through the gates close again and a car coming from Salfit has to go through the procedure of gates closing and opening.

At the entrance to Ariel they’re inspecting people entering the town – two employees of a security company and a soldier.  Is this why he was inducted into the army - to stand at the gate at the entrance to Arie l?

Translator:  Charles K.

14:55  Eliyahu checkpoint.  No congestion

15:10  A soldier provides security for female settlers at the K’dumim hitchhiking station.

Jit junction.  Settlers have pasted offensive posters all over a large boulder next to the road:  “Israeli sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria.”

The Gil’ad Farm has upgraded the way it sends messages – with an electronic sign whose display constantly changes (we didn’t manage to read it).

15:20No army presence at the Burin-Huwwara-Highway 60 junction.

15:24  A soldier provides security for the hitchhiking station in front of the Huwwara checkpoint plaza.

15:26  The gate to Awarta is once again closed, as it has been for a long time, after being open for two days.

15:30  Beit Furik checkpoint.  We saw no soldiers at the checkpoint.

15:40  Huwwara checkpoint.  We saw no soldiers at the checkpoint.  A soldier now provides security for the hitchhiking station at the entrance to the Bracha settlement.  New settler slogans (banners) hang on the checkpoint fence, and at the Za’tara checkpoint as well.

Heavy traffic toward Nablus.

16:25  Za’tara-Tapuah checkpoint.  Two soldiers in the parking lot guard tower.  There were no soldiers at the inspection stations.

16:46  Azzun Atma checkpoint.  A line of some 40 laborers wait to be inspected before entering the village.

06:25  'Azzun 'Atma – A long line of about 80 people.  It’s Monday, but yesterday was a holiday so there are many people and equipment, as well as those coming for the entire week.

The soldiers warn us to stand behind the concrete barriers.

There are two inspection stations and a table outside to inspect belongings.  It looks as if there are also many laborers on the other side of the road, because of yesterday’s holiday.

06:30  The first schoolgirls arrive, cross from Israel to Palestine.  The line has grown longer even though people cross quickly and continuously.

The vehicle gate is locked after each opening and closing.  The line still grows longer even though people cross quickly, 30 during nine minutes.  There must be many arriving later.

07:10  Habla – The school buses arrived and the drivers go to be inspected.  There’s a long line on the other side, beyond the gate.  The drivers open the gate themselves and go through quickly.

A laborer complains he’s been blacklisted for some reason, so each time he wants to renew his crossing permit he has to wait on long lines and there are delays.  We couldn’t help him.  Crossing is slow – 10 people during eight minutes.

08:00  Eliyahu gate – About 10 people wait before the inspection station for pedestrians.  Five cars are being inspected.  There’s yelling at the checkpoint itself, and all the workers are tense.  Meanwhile, the Israeli truck that had been detained and that seems to have been the reason for the shouting was sent to wait on the side.  The driver opens the tool boxes underneath the truck, removes the fire extinguisher and goes to be inspected.

Other cars come through inspection in 8-10 minutes.

08:30  Falamya – Quiet and peaceful.  The blue kipodeni’shave begun flowering and we can smell the Za’atar.

A tractor returns to the Israeli side.  Donkey carts arrived from Jayyus.

A man from Jayyus says that recently the army hasn’t been coming at night.

09:20  Jit junction/Sara – A flying checkpoint on Highway 60 at the entrance to Sara; a line of about 20 cars forms coming from Nablus.  Apparently they’re checking documents; some are detained.  A car is sent to the side of the road and waits about 10 minutes to be released.  A taxi is stopped, passengers get out for a five minute inspection, get back in and drive on.  The normal, burdensome road routine – you never know when you’ll be stopped.

10:00  We pass Huwwara.  No soldiers at the checkpoint; crossing is unimpeded.

10:20  Tapuach/Za’tara.  One car is on the side being inspected by Border Police soldiers.  It’s released in a few minutes; the soldiers go over to the parking area to talk with people in a jeep that arrived.

We waited ten minutes; the soldiers haven’t returned to the checkpoint.

Translator: Hanna K. 

14:45 Habla/gate 1393:At this hour the gate is of course shut.  There are no soldiers at the CP. It will be opened at 18:15 for one hour only.

15:00A military jeep comes towards us (before the Ma'ale Shomron settlement)

15:14Jit intersection – there are no soldiers

15:15A military jeep come towards us (before the Yitzhar settlement) and immediately after it, another jeep.

15:20A military command-car arrives from the square near  the Huwwara CP.

15:21 Huwwara CP –We saw no soldiers at the CP.

15:30At the Beit Furik CP there are no soldiers.

15:31A military jeep arrives from the direction of the Itamar settlement. It is followed by a military truck.

15:35 Awarta gate –the gate is still open.

On the road leading to Awarta (from the east, not far from the DC

O) a military jeep stands across the road. On the other side of the road, near the DCO – there are military trucks. There are soldiers at the shooting range.

 16:10 Za'tara CP –as last time, this time too policemen worry about filling the treasury of the State of Israel by writing reports for Palestinian vehicles. We saw no soldiers at the checking posts. At the guard post – a changing of the guards takes place.

A lively traffic of Palestinican cars from Ramallah to Nablus.

16:15A military jeep arrives towards us from Zeita-Jamma'in.

16:40 Azzun Atma CP –                                                                                                             

a queue of about fifty Palestinian workmen who         

are waiting to be checked in order to reach home.