'Azzun, Eyal Crossing

Eyal at Dawn, ‘Azzun, Deir Istiya, 

05:45 – The Eyal CP welcomes us with bonfires and workmen waiting for their transporation.

A group of workmen sitting around the bonfire makes us join them and answer our questions. Some of them work at the establishment of the Military Training Camps town in the Negev (near Yeruham), and perform various masonry tasks. They earn between 300 to 400 shekels per day. 2000 shekel are deducted each month to finance the taxes imposed on the employer. Thus the pay slip they get marks 10-12 workdays out of the 22-24 actual ones. To our regret they refused to bring us a pay slip out of fear from the employer. They also indicate the daily difficulties of the passage. According to them the workers of the security company detain the passers on purpose in order to make the passage more difficult and longer. In addition, those who work far from their homes do not receive confirmations of overnight stay. The abundance of these things and others criminally offend the rights of the worker and the human rights of those people. The daily quip: "all countries are democratic, but in your case part of the money goes to Abdallah and most goes to Allah, in our case all goes to Allah (Abdallah-slave, allah=government).

A group of women who were sitting at a distance from them, without a bonfire (it is very cold this morning) told us that they were all from Kilkilya, doing housework in Alfey Menashe for many years, and that they had to go roundabout through the CP in order return to the settlement. In the past they used to go through the Eliyahu gate and not through the CP. Yes, they are not allowed to walk about on their own in the settlements, therefore their employer drives them in and out. They work every day in another house in Musthewana (????). They earn about 200 shekel per day. They complain bitterly about the attitude at the CP. About having to stay in the rooms, and being forced to undress for the security check.

 nearly

Around 06:45 the CP there are nearly no people going in, however the "announcer" continues shouting into space and admonishing to hurry, etc.

At the entrance to ‘Azzun: a military vehicle and soldiers checking a departing car. They stop us and tell us adamantly that the area is hostile and closed and that we are forbidden to enter. After it is made clear that we are members of a human rights organization, their arguments lose their validity. On the way our there are again the same soldiers checking citizens, and they exchange harsh words with us.

 Yesterday we received a message from Aviv Tatersky from Ir Amin, who belongs to the drama group (??????) for social involvement which is connected to Deir Istiya, that again the entrance to the village had been blocked. The entrance is indeed blocked with a heap of earth and stones as it has been a month or lessago. And in addition to this closure, there is a daily entrance of the army to the village. On Saturday they threw smoke grenades and others into the houses. They detained two young men and released them later.It seems the village became a priority in the work schedule of the army in the area. One has to check which settlement is planning what development these days. In order to enter the village one has to go round through Haris and thus the route for those coming and leaving is extended by kilometers. We talked with the contact from the village and agreed to meet on the future shifts. Whoever patrols in the area of the village is invited to write to me and I shall send her his telephone number (a very nice person, who we met on a past visit).