'Azzun 'Atma, Bruqin, Deir Ballut, Haris, Kifl Harith, Qira

Qira, Kifl Haris, Highway 446, Highway 5 and the Barkan Industrial Zone’s sewage, ‘Azzun ‘Atma

We had two missions:

1.      The weekly activity with the women and girls in Qira and a tour of the area.

2.      Filming the activity in the Qira club and examining the alternatives for the ‘Azzun ‘Atma checkpoint.

10:00  Qira.  As they do each Sunday, Sally-Ann and Michal meet the group of women for physical activity and art.  This time there was also a group of girls on a break from school.

Sally-Ann engages the older women in movement and Michal begins with the girls making bowls from basic, inexpensive materials.  Everyone is happy despite the difficult conditions:  the roof leaks, part of the floor is flooded, there’s no electricity in the dark rooms – some without windows. 

This time we collected money to “buy electricity” to provide light, at least during the activities.  There’s no possibility of heat.  Everyone’s wrapped in multiple layers of clothing.

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Sally-Ann’s report:

Today the entrance to Qira was blocked by army cars so we had to drive through Haris.

We did a nice dance/stretching class and Michal did art work with the children creating papier mache bowls which they will paint later.

 Today Dvorka and Dalia came . They filmed and interviewed the children and women.

 After leaving Qira we continued on Highway 5  to  see what happens to the sewage from the Barkan wine factory.

There is a beautiful waterfall on the side of the road, but this waterfall is pure sewerage and chemicals. 

If you open the window you smell it.  It flows down the side of the road and under the bridge to a Palestinian village.

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Kifl Haris is blocked.  On the way to Qira we drove via Kifl Haris.  Right before the entrance to the village  a soldier stopped us (from the Haruv unit) and announced that the road is closed because of infrastructure work by the army.  We weren’t able to receive an answer from him regarding how long we’d have to wait (that’s probably the result of the army’s way of treating the Palestinians, whose time, of course, isn’t important).

The soldier on the road asked us where we were going, and when we said Qira he said we’re not allowed to enter the village because it’s Area A.  The lieutenant was called over to help, went to find out something and came back with the same answer – it’s Area A, you can’t enter.  It wasn’t clear to us whether it was ignorance or an additional Israeli trick to prevent any contact between Israelis and Palestinians.  We retraced our steps and drove to Qira via Haris.  On our way back we went east to the road leading back to the entrance to Kifl Haris.  The same soldiers stood at the junction.  We stopped next to them and suggested they check their maps and see that Qira, like all the other villages, is located in Area B.

12:00  Highway 446 from Highway 5 and Bruqin to Deir Balut. 

After finishing at Qira we drove toward Bruqin, Kufr ad Dik, Alei Zahav and Fadu’el until the road to Deir Balut.  In the past it had been possible to enter the village;  in the past year a sign was erected also at the entrance to the road to Deir Balut declaring it to be Area A – forbidden to Israelis (who aren’t Palestinian citizens of Israel).

Construction continues on the ridges along both sides of Highway 446.  Leshem is expanding on the Alei Zahav ridge, and on the slopes of Fadu’el’s ridge more and more buildings are under construction.

12:45  On Highway 5 the sewage from the Barkan Industrial Zone is flowing heavily to the channel under the highway which brings it right to the village of Bruqin; that used to be the ‘Azzun ‘Atma checkpoint. We also drove along the decorative wall leading directly to Sha’arei Tiqwa which bypasses and completely conceals the entrance and the checkpoint that used to be there.

As has already been said, the Palestinians who work in Israel will have to spend more hours each day to reach the Eyal checkpoint and from there on Highway 444, in Israel, to reach their jobs in the seam zone.

We were told that landowners in the area will receive a special permit to cross directly through an agricultural gate.  The permits will be individual, by name.Qira, Kifl Haris, Highway 446, Highway 5 and the Barkan Industrial Zone’s sewage, ‘Azzun ‘Atma, 19.1.15, morning

Observers:  Sally-Ann, Michal R. (photographing), Dalya G., Dvorka A. (reporting), Nadim (driving)

Translator:  Charles K.

We had two missions:

1.      The weekly activity with the women and girls in Qira and a tour of the area.

2.      Filming the activity in the Qira club and examining the alternatives for the ‘Azzun ‘Atma checkpoint.

10:00  Qira.  As they do each Sunday, Sally-Ann and Michal meet the group of women for physical activity and art.  This time there was also a group of girls on a break from school.

Sally-Ann engages the older women in movement and Michal begins with the girls making bowls from basic, inexpensive materials.  Everyone is happy despite the difficult conditions:  the roof leaks, part of the floor is flooded, there’s no electricity in the dark rooms – some without windows. 

This time we collected money to “buy electricity” to provide light, at least during the activities.  There’s no possibility of heat.  Everyone’s wrapped in multiple layers of clothing.

------------------

Sally-Ann’s report:

Today the entrance to Qira was blocked by army cars so we had to drive through Haris.

We did a nice dance/stretching class and Michal did art work with the children creating papier mache bowls which they will paint later.

 Today Dvorka and Dalia came . They filmed and interviewed the children and women.

 After leaving Qira we continued on Highway 5  to  see what happens to the sewage from the Barkan wine factory.

There is a beautiful waterfall on the side of the road, but this waterfall is pure sewerage and chemicals. 

If you open the window you smell it.  It flows down the side of the road and under the bridge to a Palestinian village.

-------------------

Kifl Haris is blocked.  On the way to Qira we drove via Kifl Haris.  Right before the entrance to the village  a soldier stopped us (from the Haruv unit) and announced that the road is closed because of infrastructure work by the army.  We weren’t able to receive an answer from him regarding how long we’d have to wait (that’s probably the result of the army’s way of treating the Palestinians, whose time, of course, isn’t important).

The soldier on the road asked us where we were going, and when we said Qira he said we’re not allowed to enter the village because it’s Area A.  The lieutenant was called over to help, went to find out something and came back with the same answer – it’s Area A, you can’t enter.  It wasn’t clear to us whether it was ignorance or an additional Israeli trick to prevent any contact between Israelis and Palestinians.  We retraced our steps and drove to Qira via Haris.  On our way back we went east to the road leading back to the entrance to Kifl Haris.  The same soldiers stood at the junction.  We stopped next to them and suggested they check their maps and see that Qira, like all the other villages, is located in Area B.

12:00  Highway 446 from Highway 5 and Bruqin to Deir Balut. 

After finishing at Qira we drove toward Bruqin, Kufr ad Dik, Alei Zahav and Fadu’el until the road to Deir Balut.  In the past it had been possible to enter the village;  in the past year a sign was erected also at the entrance to the road to Deir Balut declaring it to be Area A – forbidden to Israelis (who aren’t Palestinian citizens of Israel).

Construction continues on the ridges along both sides of Highway 446.  Leshem is expanding on the Alei Zahav ridge, and on the slopes of Fadu’el’s ridge more and more buildings are under construction.

12:45  On Highway 5 the sewage from the Barkan Industrial Zone is flowing heavily to the channel under the highway which brings it right to the village of Bruqin; that used to be the ‘Azzun ‘Atma checkpoint. We also drove along the decorative wall leading directly to Sha’arei Tiqwa which bypasses and completely conceals the entrance and the checkpoint that used to be there.

As has already been said, the Palestinians who work in Israel will have to spend more hours each day to reach the Eyal checkpoint and from there on Highway 444, in Israel, to reach their jobs in the seam zone.

We were told that landowners in the area will receive a special permit to cross directly through an agricultural gate.  The permits will be individual, by name.