'Anabta, Eliyahu Crossing, Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim), Qalqiliya, Mon 22.6.09, Afternoon

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Observers: 
Bilha A., Yona A.
Jun-22-2009
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Afternoon

14:30 We passed through the Eliyahu Passage. There were few cars passing in both directions and we saw no pedestrians. We continued to the entrance to Qalqiliya and we were happy to see a post without soldiers and cars galloping to the town and out of it. 

Deir Sharaf 

14:45 we approached the concrete blocks which were about twenty meters west of the soldiers' post. A military van stood at the side of the road and two soldiers were busy doing what looked like maintenance work for the generator. The soldiers' posts looked abandoned and cars passed without delay in both directions. Later a soldiers came out from one of the posts and gesticulated to the coming cars to continue driving.

Antaba

15:15 There is a lively traffic in the direction of Tulkarm and from it. Soldiers man the two posts, two soldiers in each post. They make signs to the vehicles to slow down near the post, and from time to time they talk with the driver and check the car, but no queues are created. One of the soldiers finds time to explain to us where he wants us to stand so as not to create a disturbance, but after he had his say he let us stand where we wished.

Irtah 

16:00 After we parked the car, left is and entered the shaded shed, a security person came up to us and this is the conversation that ensued: "Machsom-Watch women are forbidden to be in this area", "why?" "this is a private location"' "to whom does it belong?" "it belongs to the Ministry of Defence. Just a minute I'm going to find out whether you are allowed to be here" the soldier makes a few steps and returns and says: "you are allowed to be here but I ask you not to create any provocation". 

Thus the conversation between us ended. The soldier returned to his post and we watched the many workers who arrived in cars, taxis and busses after a day's work and hurried to the turnstile in order to enter the building and to pass on their way home.