Deir Sharaf, Jit, Wed 29.4.09, Afternoon

General: 
We went out on Independence Day to see how much freedom of
movement there was on that day, in view of the settlers’ various events and
celebrations.  In sum:  Unlike the past two years, this year the settlers’
celebrations seemed to have been carried out with minimal disturbance to the
Palestinians.  With one large exception – we weren’t here in the morning, before
the march began, and we don’t know whether there were roads which were blocked
before the march, or when it ended.  There wasn’t much traffic of Israeli
vehicles when we were in the area, compared to previous years.

12:44  Traffic flows freely at Jit junction.

12:50  Barrels checkpoint before Deir Sharaf.  Much traffic to and from
Nablus, and its
hard to cross the road. (Note:  I’ve never been so glad to have trouble
crossing the road because of traffic)  At the exit from Nablus the soldiers stop a car at the side of
the road for an inspection lasting a few minutes; the other cars continue
without being inspected.  Apparently there’s no pilgrimage to Khomesh this
year.

13:00  On the way back from the barrels checkpoint to Jit junction is a
roadblock delaying taxis going west (to Qalqilya) because of a march by
settlers along the Qaneh stream.  A taxi has already been held there for half
an hour, one that in fact came from Qalqilya.  We called the humanitarian
center to complain about a pointless delay of a taxi and a checkpoint whose
purpose is to harass and delay.

13:20  The taxis that have been held up are released to continue on
their way, the jeep and the roadblock leave.