'Anabta, 'Azzun, Eliyahu Crossing, Jubara (Kafriat), Qalqiliya, Mon 1.6.09, Morning
Translation: Galia S.
Eliyahu Passage
06:35 – Most of the workers that go through this passage work in Alfe Menashe and few of them work in their own agricultural lands that are located in the seam-line zone. They invite us to come into the "pen" that has been built for them. It has a roof and concrete benches and also a cart selling hot and cold drinks and various food items. The place is filthy.
The workers are organized and one of them keep the line ordered. When it's his turn to enter, he passes the list to someone else. In this way there is no stress and no pushing. Every few minutes, three workers go through the gate and start the series of checks while the next in line are already waiting by the gate. All the workers are from the neighboring area but they still get here very early because the check is very slow.
Qalqiliya
07:00 – Palestinians have free entry into the city but cars with Israeli licence plates are checked against a list. While a car is being checked, the line gets longer but then it dissolves quickly.
A soldier with a pointed weapon stands on the tower made up of concrete cubes and watches those who leave the city.
The reservists here are civil. One of them approaches us. He wants to know who we are. I tell him about our Web site and he seems to be very interested.
A civilian vehicle arrives and stops next to the checkpoint. Soldiers (or policemen) get out of it and have a friendly conversation with the checkpoint soldiers, which delays the drivers that arrive here and don't dare to go on without the familiar hand gesture.
07:15 – Azzun passage is open.
On the way back to Anabta from the Barrels Checkpoint we enter the village of Beit Lid. The village is beautiful and the road leading to it is being widened. We pass by the now closed oil-mill and talk with the many taxi drivers parked in the main street, jobless. We go on to Anabta, where the chaos rules.
08:40 – The checkpoint has temporarily moved forward because they are still working and tarring the place. Only one lane is open and the reservists act as traffic police. From time to time the lines get so long that it's impossible to see their end. In addition to that, there is a squad of policemen in the jammed checkpoint looking for stolen cars. They stop cars on their way to enter Tulkarm on the roadside, check documents and in suspicious cars they also check the engine and the vehicle identification numbers. Some of the Israeli Arabs who are stopped feel extremely hurt while others accept it. The policemen are civil and don't delay anyone unnecessarily.
Jubara
09:50 – The reservists want to know who we are and inquire over the phone whether we are allowed to pass, after which the gate is opened.
At gate 753 we are told that the area beyond the fence is Zone A and nobody is allowed to pass. Our explanations are to no avail. We can see that where Ar-Ras checkpoint used to be there is some activity. It turns out that there, too, there is police activity against vehicle thieves.
10:00 – We go back home.