'Anabta, 'Azzun, 'Azzun 'Atma, Eliyahu Crossing, Habla

06:10  ‘Azzun ‘Atma

A few people are already waiting outside and the line is longer than recently at this hour.  About 50-60 waiting in line, and the process takes about 25 minutes.  What a nightmare to wait, day after day, in this line after already waiting in the previous line, at the entrance to the village.  What people do in order to make a living.  , According to the local residents.the gate at the north of the village (entrance from the West Bank‘Azzun ‘Atma

which is fenced off) is manned and operating. Four coffee kids are around trying to get the attention of those going through.  How difficult it must be for these kids, 10-12 years old, to get attention when the people going through here make themselves  invisible, just like the people passing by beggars and street musicians on the road.  What kind of life experience will they earn by this kind of "work".  One's heart breaks.

The line proceeds, but new people keep joining at the same pace, so it doesn't really get any shorter by the time we leave at about 07:00.

​The road being paved around the new local fence, in order​ to make things easier for the residents of the settlements, is progressing quickly.  The infrastructure looks finished and there is even lighting already.  What one still doesn't know is whether there will be a gate/checkpoint from‘Azzun ‘Atma to this road enabling the local residents to get to work.

07:15  Habla

There is no line, whoever arrives goes through.  Teachers from Habla were going through on the way to school in Arav Ramadin.  In the school, which opened this year, there are 47 students from 6 - 11 years old.  Five teachers (one from Kfar Bara) and a principal.  The Israeli authorities are opposed to the new school.  We'll see what happens and if it will continue to operate.  The older children continue to study in Habla and their bus brings them (about 17 children) through at 07:30.

The story of the pump next to the Habla checkpoint continues.  Right now they expect "news", God willing, after the holidays.  But the smell and the noise in the area of the checkpoint are unbearable.  It gets worse and worse.  They asked us to wait until after the holidays before we try to make a fuss about solving this problem.  At 08:00 the gate closed and everyone left.

Starting from 1.10, the gate at Habla will be open from 07:00-9:00, 13:15 - 14:15, 17:30 - 18:30.  But it is not clear if this is according to Israeli time, which only changes on 26.10, or according to Palestinian time, which changes on 1.10.  We will try to clear this up next week, when we see what actually happens.

They will open the gates in Wadi Rasha for the olive harvest, also in Ras at Tira and Salman, starting from 1.10, but we don't know the hours yet.

Eliyahu Gate- vehicles being inspected, no pedestrians.

‘Azzun- no military vehicle at the entrance!

‘Anabta- checkpoint is not manned, free crossing.

Shufa- the checkpoint between Shufa and Izbit Shufa is manned and only the residents of Shufa go through, the teachers from Tulkarm received special permits to pass at Shufa but, in spite of this, there are occasional problems at the crossing.  All this started after the murder of the 3 boys in Gush Etzion in July.  Until then, from 2012, the road between the 2 villages, allowing the residents of Shufa to get to Tulkarm quickly (the city which provides all their services) was open by order of the High Court.  Before that, the road was closed for 10 years.  Now, everyone who wants to get to Shufa from Tulkarm - workers providing services for the villagers or their families etc. - have to travel by way of ‘Anabta, which lengthens their trip by more than 25 kilometers.