'Anabta, 'Azzun, Qalqiliya, Tue 24.3.09, Morning

7:15  Anabta

There are 4 cars at the entrance and 2 at the exit. All the cars are checked very quickly. A bus, including the passengers' ID cards, is being checked. It takes 4 minutes. A cab is delayed for about 3 minutes. Roadwork is being performed. Passing tractors and bulldozers are delaying the traffic.

A driver waiting in line is talking to us. He tells us that at the checkpoint at Bet-Iba there is a soldier who uses abusive language. He called a driver "stupid donkey". When the driver reaches the checkpoint he is detained because he spoke to us. The driver, Abdallah Abed El-Rahim Ali, has to wait 25 minutes, including having his ID card checked. The soldier (who already asked him what there was for him to talk with us about) says that this was just a "routine check". Heavy equipment parking on the road on the far side of the checkpoint (the exit from Tulkarm) is creating a line of about 5 vehicles. Moreover, only one lane is open at the moment, so the line at the entrance to the town has grown. There are about 20 vehicles.

A driver arrives at the checkpoint.

The driver is ordered out of his car by a soldier.

The driver opens all the doors of his car.

The soldier checks the car.

The driver enters his car again.

The soldier pats the driver on his shoulder.

Coexistence.

7:55  We leave the checkpoint.

The entrance to Azzun is blocked.

8:35  Qalqiliya

There is a short line, which dissolves every few minutes. One car is being detained. The words "being tested" are written on it. The soldier explains to us that because the driver is not the owner of the car, and since the owner actually is Jewish...

8:50  The driver and we leave the checkpoint.