'Anin, Mon 19.8.13, Morning

Naomi Gal translating

06:10 'Anin Checkpoint 
Passage had just began; the soldiers are checking people who pass at the lower end of the checkpoint. Passage is swift; the passers don’t carry bags so only documents are being checked. Most of them are young people in their 20s. A father and his two young children are passing. He tells us: “I took them to the olive groves to show them the trees, so that they’ll know that this is our land and they will not forget!"

Among the dozens of people passing there are also five tractors but A. does not pass today. This hardworking farmer, whose olive grove is 120-acre, neat and well cultivated – had his permit confiscated. For three years he was going through without any problems, even managed to get a permit to cross at Turah Checkpoint when ‘Anin Checkpoint is closed, but without his tractor, which he leaves in Turah and walks or hitchhikes to his olive grove (a huge detour). Last week he crossed at Turah Checkpoint while the computer was out of order. The soldiers made a handwritten list and it may have been lost, since there is no record of his coming back. Yesterday, when he again tried to cross through Turah Checkpoint the soldiers confiscated his permit. Today A. arrived at Anin Checkpoint hoping they will let him pass. Pitian, a DCO officer, said he is not allowed to pass. Should I go the DCO to arrange for a new permit? (Although the old one is still in effect), A. asked. Pitian said: there is no need, they will let you know. And when will I get it? A. asked. To this officer Pitian responded: Maybe in a week, maybe in two weeks, maybe in a month…

07:00 Reihan-Barta’a Checkpoint 
Five vans with agricultural goods are waiting and within fifteen minutes are invited to come up to the checking area. The few workers who arrive quickly disappear in the terminal. 
Drivers tell us that the passage at Ya’bad Checkpoint has worsened. Soldiers arrive at seven in the morning or a little later and carefully check drivers’ documents and permits. This creates a long line of people waiting but the soldiers are indifferent. They take their time. At 8 pm the soldiers leave and everyone can pass freely. 
Yesterday A, a taxi driver from Barta’a, who regularly works at the checkpoint area was honking impatiently while waiting in line. As punishment for his insolence they handcuffed him, blindfolded him and threw him on a dirt road for two hours, until the soldiers released him.

At Ya’bad they closed the side road leading to and from the village because of recurrent stone throwing. 30,000 villagers are being collectively punished. Talks and clarifications with the mayor did not help. In order to leave from the large settlement by car the drivers need to bypass it and cross through Ya’bad-Dotan Checkpoint. The IDF recently piled mounds of dirt on paths within the groves to prevent residents from finding other shortcuts. That is how the big powerful enlightened IDF fights Ya’bad’s residents who oppose the occupation, how it fights children who throw stones. That’s how it guarantees our security.

7:30we left on our way to Rambam Hospital with the boy Ali.