Eliyahu Crossing, Falamiya, Habla, Jayyus

Falamya, Jayyus, Habla,

Life as usual for residents in the occupied territories, if your permits have not been renewed it does not matter if you are a respected old man, you will not enter Israel – you will not reach your olive trees today.

06:15 The Eliyahu Gate – There are about twenty workers waiting to pass through on foot.

06:50  Falamya south, gate 935. The gate opens on time and only one tractor is waiting. Two more tractors with a few passengers arrive before the gate closes again. We wonder if the rain keeps the workers away or maybe they have completed the olive picking in this region. The soldiers want us to leave but a call to the DCO makes it clear to them that we have permission to be here. They also want to close the gate 15 minutes early but since we intervene they recheck their instructions and close the gate according to the schedule, at 07:20. 

07:30  Jayyus 965 – From there we hurry to Jayyus north, where the soldiers are going to open the gate. Here the situation is different. Lots of people are waiting with their tractors, vans, wagons and donkeys. Everybody passes through before the gate closes at 07:45. An old couple is not allowed to pass since their permits are not valid any longer.  Angry and frustrated the couple drives north with their wagon, along the fence. They are probably going to some other trees of theirs.  At 07:50 the gate closes.

We do not see any olive pickers but the trees look good and there are lots of cut branches on the ground waiting to be taken away.

At the entrance to ‘Azzun there are no soldiers – great.

08:15 Habla 1393 – The gate is open, many people are waiting in line, but when the gate closes at 09:00 everybody has passed through.