'Anabta, Deir Sharaf, Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim), Jubara (Kafriat), Tue 10.11.09, Afternoon

3:15  Barrels checkpoint – Traffic flows in both directions.  The soldiers are under the awning.

3:30  Anabta – Traffic flows in both directions.  No soldiers on the road

3:40  Jubara – About 50 cars loaded with Palestinian Israelis are waiting on two lines to enter Israel.  We’re in the VIP lane.  Pretending innocence, we asked the soldier why there are two lanes, letting us go through while others wait their turn.  He replied that our line was for “permanent residents of the area” (the settlers).  We didn’t go on to ask, “So why also for us?”

3:45  Irtach crossing – Only one position was open when we arrived, but the laborers arrived in waves, not many in each, and didn’t have to wait.  Larger groups began arriving after 4:00, and a line formed.  We spoke to the guard at the rear entrance, who rudely refused to address the situation, but then his supervisor arrived and said he’d open a second position, and did.  The laborers didn’t have to wait for more than a few minutes.  Many, many of them told us:  Thank you, but it’s important for you to be here in the morning…It was awful in the morning, we waited on line for two hours.