Irtah, Thur. 17.03.11 morning

Irtach 17March 2011

Irtach, dawn shift

The roadblock works quietly and quickly,

At 5:30 a.m., there was a stream of people entering quickly without waiting at the eastern entrance.  They go through the rooms quickly and there are no complaints.

At the Jit – Kdumim road to the east, two soldiers stopped Palestinian cars and sent them back.  We asked why and were told that there was about to be prayers on the road in sympathy with the murders in Itamar.  We waited at the Kdumim petrol station to observe.  Very slowly some people with all the prayer equipment arrived and waited for a 'minyan'.

Meanwhile an armoured personnel carrier (or some other kind of large IDF vehicle) stopped the traffic at Jit from the north and another one stopped cars from the direction of Punduk from the south.  There was also a police patrol car and all of this to avoid friction between the sides, i.e.: "The settlers who are praying may throw stones at passing Palestinian cars, so we won't allow Palestinian cars to pass".  The officer at Jit said that it may take about half an hour.  There is a long queue of cars.