Jubara (Kafriat), יום ג' 13.10.09, בוקר

9:15-10:00

Traffic flows at the checkpoint.  We asked to enter the village.  Although the soldiers were very surprised, they finally allowed us in.

We drove to the exit; two people who were in Israel illegally wait in the sun.  We asked to go through and walk around; the response:  “How you get around isn’t our problem.”  We managed somehow, parked and got out of the cars.  The soldiers keep shouting at the two youths, “Turn around! Turn around!”  We asked for an explanation and were told that they have to turn around so they won’t see the secret activities at the checkpoint.  Even when one of them lay down he was yelled at to sit up and turn around!  The sun is very strong; the soldiers offer water from time to time but are very jumpy and yell every few minutes.

We drove to Abu Hatam's, hoping to find them there, intending to come back to the exit from the village after the visit.  We knocked on the door and Shakiya opened it.  Everyone was very happy to see each other again.  Shakiya doesn’t leave the house, making up fasts days she missed during Ramadan. We wanted to leave but, of course, they wouldn’t let us; we had to eat something.  Abu Hatam is working his land, as usual.  Shakiya tells us that there were a few times when the key to the gate couldn’t be found and they had to drive to Tulkarm by making a long detour through Anabta.  She herself doesn’t leave very often; everything is too complicated, the village locked up with no key.  Apparently, despite all the promises, the gate won’t be opened.

We returned to the village exit and were glad to see that the youths had been released.  On the way back we drove through Qalqilya and met a bicycle tour – riding through the territories for peace, they said.  They were all glad to see us, and we were glad to demonstrate that people are working for peace on our side as well.  If only it would arrive.