'Azzun 'Atma, Habla
On the way to 'Azzun 'Atma, it was possible to see the new fence being built; the wall is progressing, parallel to the entrance road to Elkana. At the 'Azzun checkpoint there is now a DCO officer who says that once the new fence is built, one won't be able to leave by way of 'Azzun 'Atma but will have to go through the Eyal passage, and from there to travel in buses to the "seam" towns where there is work. It will certainly be a problem for some of the people who have a permit only to the seam area
. And what about the owners of the groves which are outside the fence? How will they get to their lands - not clear; worrisome.
06:20 'Azzun 'Atma checkpoint
There are very few people outside, getting warm near small bonfires. A long line of people are waiting, about 60. Some of them are standing outside the shed. Passage is quick. The gate on the north side of the village is still manned and people must change taxis there in order to travel through the village to the 'Azzun checkpoint on the seam: that is, one taxi up to 'Azzun 'Atma and one through 'Azzun 'Atma. We measure the time needed to get through the checkpoint - about 20 minutes. By 07:00 the line was noticeably shorter.
07:25 Habla checkpoint
The gate is open, the children's buses go through. Already a lot of people have gone through, but about 20 are waiting in line. Quick passage, nevertheless the line grew since new people are arriving all the time. From the Israeli side, a group of men arrives, a night guard from the nursery and others. They wait a little while and go through. A lot of vehicles pass in both directions.
07:35
Still a lot of people are waiting. More than when we arrived. Two women with a young girl came and went through, they live in the Bedouin "village" on the seam and now they must find some transport home.
07:45
Still more than 30 people in line. 15 people went through in 5 minutes.
08:00
Everyone went through and the soldiers begin to close the gates. As far as we know, the closing hour is 07:45 and during the last weeks they closed "on time" and left people outside, not letting them pass through, so we complained in many ways (phone to DCO and letter of complaint to IDF). According to the soldiers, they only close when everyone has gone through. Did they change this procedure or is there simply a more humane group of soldiers here now? Not clear.