'Anabta, Eliyahu Crossing, Habla, Jit, Shave Shomron, Te'enim Crossing, Mon 4.7.11, Morning

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Hablacheckpoint

07:03  The gates opened and the first five people entered.  Twenty people had crossed by 07:14.  The crossing continued operating smoothly and by 07:21 a total of 35 people had crossed.  An additional vehicle and a man on a donkey went through quickly.

Eliyahu gate.  Approximately ten people waiting.

Falamya gate:

07:45  No one is here except for a young Bedouin to whom we gave a ride from Jayyus.  His family lives on the Israeli side of the fence, not far from the crossing.  He moved to Jayyus but also works in his family’s fields and groves; they came here in 1948 and belong to the ‘Arab Ramadin tribe.  He told us that the fence will soon be relocated west (from Sal’it to Jayyus); this was the first we’d heard of it.

A taxi driver with three Ecumenicals also arrived.  He also told us that the fence will be moved west, and about the problems that uprooting the olive trees will cause.  It isn’t clear who receives the revenue from the sale of the uprooted trees, and how much they’ll get.

Moving the fence will allow Jayyus to use its wells.  On the other hand, lands belonging to Jayyus, Falamya and others will still be on the other side of the fence and people will need crossing permits to cultivate them.  They’ll also lose additional agricultural land because of the fence.

We stopped at Jit to meet someone who’s forbidden to enter Israel; he signed documents to try to void the prohibition.

08:45  Shavei Shomron.  There’s no checkpoint.

'Anabta checkpoint:  It’s open.  We see a military vehicle and a small water truck near the pillbox.  The soldiers are apparently engaged in observation and aren’t visible.

Te’anim crossing is quiet.  People go through quickly.