'Awarta, 'Azzun 'Atma, Beit Furik, Burin (Yitzhar), Huwwara, Shomron Crossing, Za'tara (Tapuah), Thu 4.8.11, Morning

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Observers: 
Observers and reporting: Esti W., and Nava E.
Aug-4-2011
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Morning

 Translator: Hanna K.

 

The Ramadan has begun – the workers set out early for work, the shops open late.

06:20 Azzun Atma:A very long queue although not crowded. About sixty workmen are waiting for a long time. Many contractors are waiting for the workmen. All wish to begin working early because of the Ramadan fast. There is a large group of armored forces soldiers on the spot.They stretched a yellow ribbon on the ground in order to delineate the checkpoint area "to maintain order". One complains that our presence disrupts the "work" of the soldiers, while it is the military policewoman who does the work while the soldiers stand around with hands in their pockets.

We enquired about the opening hours of the agricultural gate. According to them all the area around the agricultural gate is a closed military zone and we are not at all allowed to be there. They open the gate three times a day "at changing times which are fixed by the DCO".

After most of the soldiers got on the vehicle and went away, we drove to the agricultural gate. The first gate was open.

06:40We reached the gate that leads to the earth track (near the tower) and it was locked with a chain. When we turned to leave the armored forces soldiers arrived and reprimanded us for entering a closed military zone (of course we didn't see any signpost saying so and they didn't have any document proving this). They tried to frighten us by saying that the Palestinians could throw stones, above the high fence, in the direction of the remote road, and we might get hurt. They asked us to leave the zone and told us about our friends who didn't want to leave a few days ago, and that they had to call the blue police.

There weren't any Palestinians who wished to pass through the gate, so we continued on our way. Later we phone the Qalqiliya DCO and talked to Kfir. He checked the matter and said thus: "this of course isn't a closed military zone. There are fixed times for the opening of the gate and the Palestinians are informed of this. This morning the soldiers were late in opening the gate because they were on a "security event". (This of course implies their argument with us). We asked him to have a talk with the armored forces soldiers and pacify them so that they shouldn't regard every Palestinian farmer as a security threat. We hope this will help.

 06:50 At the Samaria Crossing  the blue police stands at the exit from Israel.

The entrances to Marda and Zeita are open.

07:10 Za'tara/Tapuah: There are no soldiers at the posts, not in the square and not in the post opposite. At the parking area thera is one military vehicle.

Burin/Yitzhar CPs: A military vehicle parks there and doesn't interfere with the traffic.

 07:20 Huwwara CP:The traffic flows as always. There are no soldiers on the way to the Bracha settlement, neither at the post opposite the hitchhikers station.

 Awarta: The yellow arm is still lowered and blocks the passage to Nablus.

 07:40 Beit Furik:  There are no soldiers at the CP and the traffic flows without any disturbance.

07:45 On the way back at the Huwwara CP there are no disturbances to the traffic.

 Burin /Yitzhar:  The military vehicles left and went to park opposite Beita, on the other side of Huwwara. The soldiers are of the Kefir regiment.

08:10 Za'tara/Tapuah:  The posts are still unmanned and in the parking lot stands the military vehicle.

 At the Samaria crossing: the checking is superficial as usual.