afternoon

,December 31st p.m.- Tamara R., Shirili P., Hadas T., Ruthie K.(reporting) On the way to the CP, we stopped in the village of Jbara to deliver some clothes for childrn (1300). At the Cp, three detainees sitting, (for 3 hours according to them),they were Shabachim who came back from work in Israel./ They would be released towards evening. Sparse trafffic from Tulkarem eastwards. We were told by the soldiers that there was total "seger" only those with special permit, teachers, students. doctors etc could pass.Nevertheless we did manage to let through three cases of women from Tulkarem who were at first refused.They had no permits but accompanied daughters and grandaughters, cajoling the soldiers, calling army "humanitary" and persuading a nice Matak guy turned out to be effective. In the meantime a group of Tulkarem residents who had worked that morning in Qalkilya (Tax Office?)were held back on the eastside and refused passage, only one doctor among them could return home/ Telephone calls,arguments entreating were to no avail. Finally the group went back to Qalkilya except for one guy who had parked his car that mornig on the Tulkarem side- he could sleep at home.....The most difficult almost surrealistic scene were two busloads from Tulkarem supposedly going to a wedding in Kfur Jamil- no permits, the bridgroom all dressed up for the occasion (he is a medical student in Rumenia ,was to be married at 3.30 and then take his wife back to Bucharest.We spent some two hours calling talking, trying to obtain permission, if not for the two bus loads, at least for the immediate family. Humanitary said they could do nothing, "seger". However the matak guy on the spot at one moment seemed to understand the dilemma and said they might be able to walk to the taxis/ Furhter calls and discussion. By 16.45 we were told by Timra of the Matak that they will be allowed through in the buses., after all. I walked to the wedding group to inform them. We left at 17.00. ,not sure whether the army understood the absurdity, and would let them through, or whether they just lied to us. I phone Matak at home, Timra said she does not know what happened to call later. I called at 20.00 someone else was on the line, he could not give us an answere. Perhaps those who go to Jbara today /tomorrow could find out from the soldiers whether the wedding went through. Thanks, Ruthie.