'Azzun 'Atma, Kufr alDik, Za'tara (Tapuah), Zeta, Mon 27.5.13, Morning

 At Azun Atme there was a new unit which was not succeeding in organizing the checkpoint;  pushing and crowding, because the turnstile was not operating (for a change!). 

The reason for this was that the turnstile was not operating and people were pushed up to the gate.  The passage was not efficient:  each time just one person, and then a halt.  So, little by little, the line was shoving and pushing and the women were pushed into the gate and then - there was no further passage through, until they all moved backward there would be no more progress.  And they didn't move, only shoved more, and the tension was growing.  A phone call to the DCO;  a car arrived with more soldiers, but they didn't interfere with the situation.  All the soldiers were worried, but there was no initiative to improve the chaos.  Only after about half an hour, a Palestinian came out, after talking with the soldiers, and began to organize the passage and everything calmed down;  he watched over the line, each time allowing two people to pass, and they got to work despite everything.  The soldiers were new and very young and it really wasn't right that they were put in this situation there.  The checkpoint kids selling coffee were wandering about and every once in a while a soldier who would open the gate for the school children or from the nearby neighborhood outside the fence, allowing them to go through the vehicles' gate.