'Anata-Shu'afat, Al-Ezariya, Container (Wadi Nar)

Anata 

We arrived at Anata as the children from either side were returning home.  Traffic through the checkpoint proceeded without incident.

Wadi Nar

 As we drove on the one way road leading from Al - Ezariya to Wadi Nar, we noticed some cars coming back down (driving the wrong way on this steep narrow road).  As we got closer, we saw that there was a block up of traffic with about 25 vehicles ahead of us and nothing seemed to be moving.  Every two minutes or so, we were able to move a bit forward.  The meanwhile, more cars opted to make the dangerous turn around and go back down the one way street.  When we arrived at the traffic circle, there was a total mess of confusion.  Cars were coming from every direction.  Those coming north from Bethlehem were not checked at all.  In fact, there was no personnel on that side.  All were on the other side, slowly checking almost every vehicle.  All transports were checked as were trucks and many cars.

When the soldiers saw us standing at the corner, they appeared to speed up the checking process, but this might have been wishful thinking on our part.

 I called the office responsible for Wadi Nar and reported the situation.  The impatient drivers were illegally passing others in line and heading straight into other cars.  I was passed from one person to another and the final person told me that there was nothing to be done.  I said that another lane for checking could be open to speed up the checking, but his response that there are considerations “Shikulim” why this could not be done.

We were at the checkpoint from about 3:00 p.m. until close to 4:00 p.m., a time when there is usually sparse traffic.  This afternoon, the problem was not heavy traffic but conspicuously slow checking which led to the traffic jams.