Tayasir, Tue 20.9.11, Afternoon

13:20-15:30

13:20 Bezeq CP– We went through, passed the Palestinian worker who cleans the environs of the CP.It is hot!!!! Dry!!!

The children from El Pharsiya get out of the minibus running to their encampment.

13:40 Hamra CP

A giant shoveldozer is parked in the middle of the central path. Eight cars are waiting to go through – cars with workers returning from a day's work, including two midibuses and a minibus. A few (more than usual) wave to us happily from the window. Within five minutes, while we are still advancing toward the open space of the CP, all the cars go through and are on their way. A soldier (on whose cap there is the slogan 'God is 1') and a woman soldier from the military police both in full bulletproof dress came up to us to ask if we need any help and to suggest that we drink a lot of water. (It was indeed very hot and the sun's rays are pitiless.) Those emerging from the terminal with their belts in hand are all smiling and look happy. One of them invites to join them. The atmosphere in the CP is calm, by contrast with the frightening threats publicized in the media (THEY WILL BUTCHER US!) quoted to us by one of the commanders last week. After ten minutes there is again a queue of waiting cars and this queue also is overcome shortly. A driver of a minibus who is very upset stops. The passengers – young people who work in the date groves of the Jiftlik (one a student of administration), who seemed to be in a very good mood – tried to explain what happened. It turned out that there were two people with them who were not allowed to go through. One with an ID who looks younger than his age, and the second, about 15 years old who does not have an ID but looks older. After about five minutes the father of the younger one (who looks older) arrived and freed his son. Then the older one (who looks younger) also came out; all of them tightened their belts and continued on their way. And then (14:10) we saw a queue of 15 waiting cars and a dozen workers walking on the road in the direction of the CP; then they went through. A midibus with workers went north.

14:20 – all of them went through and we left.

The Alon Road is 'out of breath' in the heat of the day. The embankment and the two gates are still there.

14:45 Tyasir CP 

There are barbs all along the road between the two traffic islands on the road.

The midibus that went north from the Hamra junction arrives at this CP. They give him a sign to approach; stop, and then all the passengers get out. We were happy to see that they were not lined up, but were let go immediately. The soldier in the post on the road thrusts a bottle of water tthrough the front window of the minibus and receives it from the tail end. This happened twice and then the bottle was apparently empty. We went up to the upper post and were not rebuked. Traffic is thin ( it seems that we spent the rush hour at the Hamra CP).

15:15 We left

15:30 Bezeq CP – we went through.