'Azzun 'Atma, Tue 19.1.10, Afternoon

'Azzun  'Atma 

We arrived at about 13:45  just at the ”changing of the guard”. It looked as if the boys were being replaced by the girls as a lot of good looking IDF female soldiers reported for duty.This check point fences in the village as well as a number of surrounding villages.  It is a very busy point of exit very early in the morning when people leave for work and again in the late afternoon when they return.  In between the inhabitants activities proceed, such as re-provisioning with necessary things for daily living, such as food supplies, utensils, electronics, replacement parts, as well as equipment of all sorts to ensure as good a life as possible, given the conditions of prolonged occupation under which these people live. We observed a father being refused exit since he appeared to be without the necessary ID, but his young son was allowed to leave in order to get on to perform the chores he was entrusted with. This seemed as helpful as it can get.  Of course the IDF personnel who man these checkpoints are not to be envied either, since they work in primitive and frequently boring conditions.