'Azzun, Far'un, Kufr Jammal

An Incessable wanton abuse of the farmers of Farun. An agricultural gate which is opened with unbearable delays.

We began the shift in the shop of Z. at AZUN. At the entrance to and the exit from Azun no soldiers were seen.

12.00We stopped at the grocery of Z., at Kafr Jamal. The passage permit has been taken from his son arbitrarily, although he received it for two years, and since then he is at home. We have already reported in the past about the raid on their home, in the middle of the night, the breaking of the gates, the interrogation at the DCO, and the attempts to force him to speak. The only thing the young man asks for is an permit to reach his family's plots. Politics doesn't interest him. The za’atar fields wait for him, and he sits idly at home.

We photographed the permit he had, good until November 2016, and passed it on to Gony to take care of. Will common sense prevail? Perhaps the young man, whose only wish is to set out in the morning to work in his field, will get back the permit which was taken from him for no reason?

We continued to Farun. At the entrance to the village there were Palestinian policemen, who paid no attention to the car with the Israeli number plates. We continue to gate 708 which is due to be opened at 13:15.

arun gate 708

We met S. and heard from him stories of the abuse of the people of Farun by the army:

200 people from Farun still haven't received permits to pass through the CP for the olive harvest. When the Palestinian DCO tried to investigate the matter they were told that the requests were passed on, and that the Israeli DCO told them that the requests hadn't arrived.  This is not bureaucracy – this is plain abuse dictated from above. There’s no other explanation.

The olive groves of S. are near the Jabara CP, but he has received a passage permit for the Farun CP. Here there is neither shed nor container. The army has no funds. The Palestinians wait for the opening of the gate in the scorching heat or in the rain, as it happened this morning.

The Palestinians are required to submit requests to obtain permits. Passage on a tractor  requires a permit. To play football on the field they have built in 1978 they are obliged to submit a request for a permit. The sports field is located 50 meters from the fence and the gate. The field was renovated with money received from European funds. They had intended to have teams of villagers and children use it in their leisure time, but were forbidden to because of its proximity to the fence. Each time they tried to have a game, an IDF vehicle would arrive and drive them away. This is the method of the harassing occupation whose only aim is to remind the Palestinians who the sovereign in the area is.

The gate will be opened today on time, S. tells us. How do you know? I know them. The lookout soldier in the tower can see you, and they will arrive on time. At 13:05 a military jeep passes on its way to Jabara, and returns immediately with the military policemen equipped with a lap-top. The gate is opened five minutes before its time and 5 people pass through to their plots.  

The gate will be opened on time today

There are many people passing in the morning. In order to avoid problems they hired the services of an usher who prevents commotion.

A Palestinian from Faun, who owns 30 dunams of za’atar, hadn’t receive a passage permit and decided in his despair to abandon the field. After the end of the olive harvest the gate will be opened only 3 days a week, on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

The farmers ask that the CP be opened every day during the whole year, so that they can grow other crops. Can't the great IDF bear this burden?

Yesterdy, Monday, the gate wasn't opened at noon. The reason is unknown.

We pass by the Te'enim-Jabara CP, back to Israel.

14:00Back to Rosh Ha'Ayin.