'Azzun 'Atma, Mon 24.8.09, Morning

5.25 Azzun Atma. 19 workers wait at the southern exit. The checking is swift.

5.45 We go into the village through the gate. The soldier stops as saying that we may not so so and they cannot guard us. Rina takes out the letter signed by the colonel Moshe Kaplinsky which allows Israelis to enter. After a check through the communication device she allows us to do so. We went by car to the circle at the northern side.

6.00 At the northern gate there are about 25 people waiting to enter the village. The checking is slow. 8 minutes. Cars are checked as follows: The passengers get out and wait in a line to be checked. This is done quite quickly. The driver gives his ID to the soldier and then goes to be checked together with the other pedestrians. Even though this is a very round about way it is done fairly quickly. When the commander arrived he opened another checking post on the women's side. The elderly and the women with children are checked in a side lane which moves swiftly. We went back by car to the southern side. There we met a man who told us that his two children have had bone transplants  and he and his wife often visit them in Ramban. In the past they had problems but today thanks to the help of Elisheva and her friends as he calls them the problem has been solved and the passage is easy. Rina says Elisheva was once part of Machsomwatch. He also tells us that there are volunteers who take them to Ramban and back to the village. When we left we saw the couple and the children waiting for transport and greeted them.