afternoon

Jabarra: Monday, 8.12.03 afternoon Observers: DG,AL,DG,TC We arrived at the gate of Jabarra Village at 13:30. The children were already at the gate and the soldiers opened it for them. We spoke with the children about the opening of the gate. Some of the soldiers come on time and some delay at times. The soldiers contend that the moment the children arrive, they get there immediately. However, sometimes, something happens and they are late. We suggested that they erect a protective covering but there was no indication that it would be done. We went down to the checkpoint on the road, parked our car near the house at the entry to the village, and found there the son of the owner of the house who lives in an adjoining village, but who is forbidden to enter Jabarra and his father's house. He disregarded the prohibition and arrived there in his own way. He put up a kiosk near the entry to his father's home and sold drinks and corn, from which he tried to make a living. Not too long ago, he worked for 10 years in Kfar Saba, in Kupat Holim. Now, there is no possibility of getting there. By the way, we completed our guard near the kiosk with a cup of coffee. At the Jabarra checkoint, there was a lot of traffic, but it flowed quickly.There is a serious problem about getting entry to Jabarra. There is a total prohibition. The reason is that people crossing there continue on to Tira and Taiba(on the other side of the Green Line). There were 10 detainees that had crossed over the Green Line in order to find work, and were intercepted on their way home. We hoped that after we left, they were released. According to them, they waste hours and days trying to get permits, and therefore they have no choice but to go in without permits in order to make a living. On the way, we met a Palestinian woman from Tulkarm who was married to a man from Taiba, where she lives. This woman has a brother in Tulkarm who completed his studies in romania and has an Israeli travel pass. At the Israeli embassy, when he wanted to return home to Tulkarm, his documentation was taken from him. The question is if there is some way that we could help her brother. We gave the woman a card of the humanitarian hotline. M. S. lives in Junis which is across the checkpoint at Galgulia. He and his friend are old time farmers. They turned to us for help, because they are not able to reach their fields and hothouses. According to them, they must get permits in Kedumim, but they are not able to get them.