'Azzun, 'Azzun 'Atma, Habla, Tue 4.12.12, Afternoon

Share:
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email
Observers: 
Nava M., Karin L. Translator: Charles K.
Dec-4-2012
|
Afternoon

 

We thought of going to Kufr a-Dik to learn more about what happened there the previous night, but I saw that Dalya was going there to document what occurred so we chose a different route.

 

13:30 Habla

Three horse carts wait on our side, the large gate is open and a soldier with weapon drawn guards the crossing. People cross according to the usual procedure. Some people go through on foot in each directions, as well as a group of three not very young children, apparently returning from school.

 

13:40 The first school bus goes through, not before the soldier and female officer boarded and then exited from it. Recently there have been very few pupils on the bus. This time we received an explanation: the residents of the village of Arab a-Ramadan have opened a new school, in a tent, for the little children. Next time we’ll go visit them.

All this while a huge truck stands there, heavily loaded with building material for a greenhouse on the Habla side. The coordinator (between the DCO and the soldiers at the gate) complains he’d already obtained a permit the previous day, but he was forced to contact the DCO again and wait even though the truck arrived before the gate opened. The officer gets on the truck and then gets off, as does one of the soldiers.

 

14:10 The large truck manoeuvers through the gatesinfo-icon and crosses; then it’s the turn of the second bus transporting the girls in their school uniforms.

 

14:20 Eliyahu gate. A number of cars wait at the exit in the northern lane; perhaps they’ll be sent for inspection.

 

14:30 Azzun

The barbed wire fences are prominent all along the way beyond Nabi Elias. Lots of activity in Azzun’s main street; things are being brought to Zaharan’s new shop. Today he’s scheduled to be examined at Ichilov hospital.

 

We return to Highway 55 and drive through Emanuel to Highway 5, enter Hars for an update but the shops are closed and we hadn’t made an appointment with anyone at the municipality.

We continue toward Azzun Atma. A few cars are being inspected in the facility at the Shomron gate.

Buses go through the Oranim terminal but we saw no Palestinians. We continued to Azzun Atma.

 

15:30 Azzun Atma

The large tent we saw being erected last week has been completed, and a metal fence has also been erected along the road to the left of the crossing. We don’t know what it’s concealing. About eight Palestinians waiting next to the building go through pretty quickly. From time to time additional Palestinians who have permits to work in Israel or in the settlements arrive in Israeli vehicles, in groups of 10 or 20, and go through the checkpoint with no delays.