'Azzun 'Atma, Eliyahu Crossing, Habla, Mon 10.12.12, Morning

Ordinary day of occupation.  A lot of requests concerning opportunities for employment in Israel, there is no work in the West Bank.  The opening hours of the gate at Habla have been changed.

06:15 'Azzun 'Atma

A police car is at the entrance to the checkpoint with a few Palestinians waiting next to it.  We are told that they were illegals who were being returned by way of the checkpoint but, after a few minutes, the police had disappeared and the Palestinians had continued to stand around until they too disappeared.  There are a lot of people outside waiting for their transport and a relatively small number of people in line, not more than 50 who, by 06:30, had almost all gone through.  Some people are waiting by the container at 'Azzun 'Atma - we are told that they are waiting for their friends, etc.  This checkpoint is becoming established;  now,  in addition to the shed, there are also roofs next to the inspection booths, a roof above the lane for those waiting to leave the West Bank and, also, along the road there is an area covered with a roof meant in general for people waiting and apparently for those returning (although it is not connected to the checkpoint and one has to run through the rain from it to the shed at the far end).  The boy selling coffee (12 years old, but looks 10) complained about the troubles of his family;  he sells coffee at the checkpoint before he goes to school.  He is a very intelligent boy with excellent Hebrew.

06:40  A military car arrives to open the gate and immediately locks it.  Meanwhile, we see people arriving from the checkpoint on the road which is locked on both ends.   We couldn't understand how they expect people to go out through the locked gate - there is a solution! - they push it forward and then the space which is created between the 2 parts of the gate is large enough so a man can go through.  This whole gate and the closing of the road along the fence is idiotic because whoever passed along the fence through the gate was allowed through by the army, so he can also continue by way of the fields (and this is what the farmers do) if he wants to sneak through, so why bother locking it?  Just to make an impression.

Those arriving are the last who went out, among the few who went out, most of whom are on the way to Oranit.  The next time, if someone arrives in the morning, it is worthwhile to check out the situation from the direction of Oranit.  The work on the new fence on the northern side of the road to Elkana continues, and they are working now on clearing the southern side of the road to Elkana.  Will the fence continue to there or will they make another crossing point there?  It isn't clear, but the work is being done over a large area and, naturally, more olive groves are hitting the ground.

07:05  Habla

The gate is open and many are going through.  It seems that the gate has been in use since 1.12.12 from 06:30 until 08:00, and in the afternoon from 13:00-14:00; at night, from 17:00-17:30, for your information.  Cars, a donkey with a car, tractors and  pedestrians are moving in both directions.  The line is short (we arrived at the back) and  passing is relatively fast, 18 people in 10 minutes.  A bus of boys passed (only 8 boys) and then a bus of girls when we were leaving.

07:45  Eliyahu gate

We continued to Nebi Elias for a discussion with the head of the town council who wanted to meet us and he had a lot of requests for permits for residents of the village, to  cross the border and also to the seam area, who were on the police list and the GSS list.  We hope to get help from  all of you who are experienced in these matters.

Then we went to the village of Madama, where we had to have someone sign on a document in preparation for a court case after being detained by the GSS.  We hope that he will be released from detention.