'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Jit, Qalqiliya, Thu 17.1.08, Morning

7.00 Jubara
There is a line of cars, in both directions, at the exit from the village to Ar-Ras and pedestrian are waiting too. The soldiers just do not function. It is freezing cold, due to an eastern wind blowing hard. The frozen soldiers send us to stand further away and to our question why there is no passage, at that time, the answer was “let them wait”.
After that, slow passage started while of 5 cars in line it took the last one about 20 minutes to pass. It is unbelievable that such a small village can produce such lines. After all, the people living there and particularly the cars coming from Jubara got there having gone into the village via the same checkpoint, as the village is “locked up” from all sides. So what is there to check? That new cars were born out of nothing? We stayed here for an hour and the lines kept their size. In line there were donkeys, horses, mules, cars, the old and the young and all in this freezing wind.
A very old man, who walked with great difficulty, arrived from the Ar-ras junction and was not allowed to enter Jubara. He slowly hobbled his way back towards Ar-Ras.
A man with 2 full plastic bags, on his way to the village, was detained to be checked and eventually was not permitted passage. He wanted to give his bags to a friend, an owner of horse and carriage, but was not permitted to do so and was turned back too.
When we left there was another young man detained for checking who hoped he will be allowed to pass in spite of not living in Jubara. Due to language problems we could not ascertain what his reason was.

8.10 Anabta
Upon walking up to the CP we thought it has been abandoned, for a moment we believed the army has decided to give up one CP, as promised by our politicians. But then we discovered the soldiers huddled in their little checking cubicles and letting the cars pass with a slight raise of their hand. To our question what is happening said a soldier that there is nothing to check. So why have a CP? The army’s god may have an answer to that.

9.35 Jit junction is open and unmanned

9.50 Qalqiliya
The checkpoint is fast acting and though there is along line of cars leaving town, they pass fast. And so do pedestrians.

We have not managed to find Amer’s nursery, so did not visit it.