'Azzun 'Atma, Habla
Translator: Charles K.
“I’m l just doing my job” and “I’m just a cog in the wheel” (a female soldier at Azzun Atma). And: “If I handcuff him and he resists, and there’s violence, you’ll say I beat him.” (a soldier at Habla).
But both of their “jobs” are part of Israel’s regime of controlling the Palestinians, violating their right to freedom of movement and to live with dignity.
05:45 Azzun Atma checkpoint
Again we see the little children who’ve woken up early to sell cups of tea and coffee for a shekel to help their families. And also the small bonfires around which Palestinians gather to warm themselves and light the darkness while waiting for transportation to their jobs throughout Israel and the settlements.
The line of people waiting to go through the checkpoint is shorter at this hour than at other times.
Today the checkpoint is “OK” says a man waiting in the shed. He’s from Bidya, which is very near his workplace in Sha’arei Tikva, the settlement on the other side of the fence. But to get there he has to take a roundabout route – go through Siniriya, reach Beit Amin and go all the way through Azzun Atma to the checkpoint.
A military vehicle entered the village while we were at the checkpoint and left a few minutes later.
06:20 We left
06:45 Habla checkpoint
It’s operating. A few dozen people stand at the gate and fence nearest Habla. A tall man loudly yells at the soldiers: “What do you want from me, I have to go to work!...” “You’re making the noise [to a female soldier who told him to quiet down]. You’re ruining our lives…You’re turning people into animals.”
A., one of the owners of the plant nurseries on Highway 505, arrives and also tells the soldiers that “You’re penning us into cages.”
People who’ve been inspected inside the room are called to be inspected again by soldiers next to the exit gate. Not everyone is checked again but, “as usual,” they don’t know whom the soldiers will select. Randomness/arbitrariness is, after all, the best way to maintain control.
07:17 The school bus from Arab al-Ramadin arrives. The driver gets out, goes to be inspected. A few minutes later the bus drives off.
The man demanding they let him go to work refuses to leave. At 07:58 the female soldier tells the soldier on guard to close the gate. About 15 more people are still waiting to go through. They’re angry. The soldier: “What’s the matter – are you being shot at or something?”
A. waits for his workers, telephones the DCO. So do the soldiers. One explains, “The old man is making trouble. We have orders to close…they can go to 109 [the Eliyahu crossing].” In other words, via Qalqilya. But they don’t have permits to cross there… The soldiers’ explanation for closing the checkpoint even though not everyone could be inspected is “They’re making trouble, causing a disturbance…it’s enough if even one makes trouble.” And now there’s a kind of negotiation between A. and the soldiers. A female MP tells A. to move away from the checkpoint; then they’ll let people cross. A. refuses.
08:13 Some of those waiting gave up and left.
A soldier dances provocatively in the face of those still waiting.
08:15 The DCO representatives arrive. The MP says to A. to tell those who gave up and left that they should come back.
09:05 A.’s workers went through. They’ve all gone.
We left.