‘Azzun ‘Atma

06.20 A line of about 50 Palestinians crowded in the net sleeve.

In place of a commander, there are a soldier and (apparently) a military policeman sitting in the computerized cubby.  Only the m.p. checks and progress is very slow.  The commander is on a long ‘important’ telephone conversation and the soldier sits and stares ahead, without any intention of helping. Even when youths arrived from the opposite direction and want to enter the village he doesn’t bother to open the gate for them and sends them to the crowded sleeve.

When the commander ends his conversation he joins the checking and tells the soldier to open the additional gate for movement in the opposite direction – although he doesn’t go as far as joining in checking.

We timed the flow:  when two were checking, waiting time was 15 minutes.  Meanwhile the contractors were waiting patiently.

Because of Ramadan, ‘business’ at the checkpoints is quiet.  All the cafes are closed, and the regular coffee and fig seller are absent.