'Azzun

Driving in the territories

We didn't drive to Eyal at dawn because of the very cold weather. For the same reason, we also thought that there wouldn't be many workers.  At noon we drove through the area. The sun was shining generously. Everything looked fresh and pure after the rain had cleaned the last signs of autumn away, a clear view of an untroubled landscape, if you ignored the barbed wire fences, the red-tiled roofs, the black containers, etc. It was freezing cold, the sky was blue.

While patrolling, we realized that due to the throwing of Molotov cocktails the army prevents people from purchasing oil in the territories. Those who usually heat their houses with oil are unable to do so. We did not verify this information in any way. However, we were informed that due to the withholding of Palestinian tax money, the Palestinian authorities had not paid teachers their salaries, neither had people entitled to various payments received their money.

We were told that because a Molotov cocktail had been thrown on the road from Ma'ale Shomron the army had closed the road in the wadi below and the shepherds were not allowed to pass through with their herds on their way to Wadi Kana as they had been doing until now. We were also told that one of the reasons boys throw stones and Molotov cocktails is the fact that the moment a young boy is put in jail, the Palestinian authorities pay his family money to and this has become a way to survive (while the young family member is paying the price).

As usual, an army Jeep was parking at the entrance to ‘Azzun. Nowhere else did we see anything worth reporting.