'Awarta, 'Azzun, Beit Furik, Eliyahu Crossing, Huwwara, Jit Junction , Shomron Crossing, Sun 15.9.13, Morning

9:30  We entered the territories through the Shomron Gate. There was nothing unusual.

 

Za'tara (Tapuah Junction)  In the central area we saw Border police and Israeli police. They were checking a car. On the road coming from Nablus there was a long line of cars. Soldiers in the booth were stopping cars and checking. The other roads were open.

 

Huwwara was as usual bustling with people and commerce. The checkpoint was empty, as usual. There were soldiers only in the towers. The parking lot that had been blocked off with barbed wire was now half open. There didn't seem to be any reason for blocking it or for half opening it.

 

The Awarta checkpoint and the Beit Furik checkpoint were both open and empty, as usual. The valley along the road to Beit Dajan  was empty and brown. No flocks were grazing, probably because there was nothing left to graze on. A passing taxi driver reported to Nadim that the area was quiet.

 

On our way toward Jit junction we discussed the  idea of "one state for all its citizens, or two states, Israel and Palestine."  Nadim and Aliyah were in complete agreement that one state would be a disaster for the Palestinians, as it would be an apartheid state. As difficult as the discrimination against the Palestinian citizens of Israel is today, the apartheid of an enlarged Israel would be far, far worse. What that would mean for the future of Israel is terrible to imagine. But Nadim is pessimistic about the founding of a State of Palestine. He doesn't believe Israel will allow it to come about. We left the discussion on that note.

 

There was nothing of note on the road from Jit, through Funduq. By Ramat Gilad the telephone poles were being replaced. The entrance to Azzun was open. At 11:15 we left through Eliyahu Gate.