'Anabta, 'Azzun, Eliyahu Crossing, Habla, Ras 'Atiya, Te'enim Crossing, Sun 4.4.10, Afternoon

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Observers: 
Nava M., Karin L. (reporting) (Chana S. translating)
Apr-4-2010
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Afternoon


Western route

 

Erev Pesach, closureinfo-icon, quiet, little traffic.

 

13.00 Te’enim. Leaving Israel, no delays and little traffic. Towards Israel, a short quick line.

 

13.10  Travelling towards Avnei Hefetz, we saw the large blockage to Shufa and reached Shufa from the opposite direction.  No one in the streets apart from a few women departing in a taxi. Many buildings have posters of donor organisations and states.

 

13.50    Anabta.  No personnel in the stations. Lively traffic in both directions. Travellers toward Tulkarm slow down, expecting someone (perhaps in the tower?) to call them to stop, but then continue.

G’it junction is open.

 

14.10    Haviot checkpoint.  No sign of a checkpoint at Deir Sharaf.  Cars, some with Israeli plates, pass freely in both directions.  We went as far as the gate of Shave Shomron.

 

14.30    Travelled from Al Pundak to Hag’ah.  No army presence.

Entrances to Azzun are open.

 

14.40    Maavar Eliyahu.  Free exit towards Israel.  At the entrance to the territories, there is a long line of cars.  Soldiers and police check cars, documents.  Unclear whether this check is random or according to the drivers.

 

15.00  Ras Atiah.  The building of the new separation fence south of Alfei Menashe, which in large part is a wall separating the inhabitants of Ras-atirah from some of their fields, is proceeding rapidly. There is already an (open) yellow gate.  They are supposed ultimately to demolish part of the old fence and to join the villages in this pocket to other parts of the Palestinian side, but not to include all their lands.

The soldiers at Ras Atiah checkpoint did not know when this would happen and what exactly the plan was.

 Very few people or cars passed.  Drivers coming from Hablah are checked in the cars.  Their passengers get out and are checked in the hut and reenter the cars after the checkpoint.

 

15.30  Hablah farmers' gate.  Contrary to previous times when we met farmers with loaded donkeys, as well  as some women returning from work in hothouses, today they were not waiting for the gate to open at 16.45.  and no soldiers were to be seen.